Firm Debuts QDRO Admin. Service

Plan Sponsor Advisors (PSA) released a fully outsourced solution that manages qualified domestic relations orders (QDRO) for retirement plan fiduciaries.

As defined in the Internal Revenue Code, a QDRO is a legal order subsequent to a divorce or legal separation that splits and changes ownership of retirement plan assets to give the divorced spouse their share of the assets or pension benefits.

The new service from PSA, called QDROPRO, is meant to reduce administrative burdens and mitigate fiduciary liability for plan sponsors and advisers tasked with managing QDROs.

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The solution covers the following areas relating to QDRO management:

  • Drafting of a plan-specific sample QDRO;
  • Establishment and documentation of all QDRO administrative procedures;
  • Analysis and qualification of draft QDROs;
  • Correction of unqualified orders;
  • Coordination with the plan’s recordkeeper from initial notification to account split; and
  • Communication with plan participants, alternate payees and legal counsel.

In a statement, PSA says QDROPRO can help fiduciaries ensure that QDRO determinations are made in a timely, efficient and cost-effective manner that is consistent with the plan’s rules and applicable law.

PSA’s fee of $600 per qualification can be paid by the plan sponsor or by the participant and alternate payee.

PSA clients can learn more by calling 312-214-1500. More information is also available at www.psaretire.com.

LPL Revamps Adviser Mobile App

An updated mobile application from LPL Financial LLC provides better access to financial and market data, along with a new secure messaging system for communicating with clients.

LPL Financial, a wholly owned subsidiary of LPL Financial Holdings Inc., provides independent broker/dealer and registered investment adviser (RIA) custodian services. The firm says the enhanced app offers advisers greater real-time insight into market events and an improved ability for advisers to interact directly with clients.

Other additions to the app include the following:

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  • Real-time financial headlines from Thomson Reuters;
  • Daily commentary and market insight from members of the LPL Financial Research team, including YouTube videos from various investment and market strategy executives;
  • A redesigned user interface with a simpler look and feel, and a sidebar menu for easier navigation on both smartphones and tablets;
  • Continuous updates about the company via the LPL Financial Twitter stream; and
  • Information-sharing capability via email, direct message, Twitter or Facebook. 

There are a number of additional enhancements slated for LPL Financial’s technology suite in 2014. These include a redesigned email service, updates to performance reporting available in the Portfolio Manager product, and a significant upgrade to the Resource Center, which is the online portal that the company uses to communicate with advisers.

More information is available at www.lpl.com.

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