PSCA RELEASES QDRO RETIREMENT PLAN FEE SURVEY

New data shows how companies handle QDRO expenses

CHICAGO (February 8, 2005) - PSCA has released its QDRO Retirement Plan Fee Survey 2005, a new mini-survey investigating how companies handle QDRO fees that affect their 401(k) and other qualified retirement plan participants. The data indicates that companies are somewhat more likely to pay QDRO-related fees from corporate assets (55.3%) than charge these expenses to the plan (43.7%). 1 percent of respondents shared the expense between the company and the plan.

QDRO Retirement Plan Fee Survey 2005 reports on data from 103 profit sharing and 401(k) plans. It addresses important aspects of QDRO fee structure, including:

• Payment of fees by employer, vs. payment of fees from plan assets
• Payment of fees by individual participants affected by QDROs, vs. payment deducted from all plan assets as a general plan expense
• Permission for participant to split QDRO fees with the alternate payee
• Usage of specialized service providers to handle QDROs
• Median QDRO-related fees

The Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America (PSCA), a national non-profit association of 1,200 companies and their 6 million employees, advocates increased retirement security through profit sharing, 401(k) and related defined contribution programs to federal policymakers and makes practical assistance with profit sharing and 401(k) plan design, administration, investment, compliance and communication available to its members. PSCA, established in 1947, is based on the principle that “defined contribution partnership in the workplace fits today’s reality.” PSCA's services are tailored to meet the needs of both large and small companies with members ranging in size from Fortune 100 firms to small, entrepreneurial businesses.