We studied what
quietly breaks
401(k) plans.

Fees hide in plain sight

Costs buried in share classes, revenue sharing, and administrative arrangements compound quietly across a career. Our published research mapped how — and who pays.

Conflicts are built into the system

When the parties choosing funds are paid by those funds, menus can tilt away from participants. We documented how those conflicts track to higher fees and lower net returns.

Behavioral biases shape what participants do

Employees are prone to predictable biases when investing in their retirement plans. Our contributions to the behavioral finance literature help illuminate these tendencies — and, as educators, we help participants limit their drag on long-term outcomes.

Featured in

USA TODAY

FINANCIAL TIMES

3(38) fiduciary investment management

We assume discretion and responsibility for selecting, monitoring, and replacing your plan’s investments, guided by a written Investment Policy Statement — and we document every decision.

Independent plan & fee review

A clear-eyed look at your current lineup, share classes, and total plan costs — where your plan stands today and where it could be stronger.

Investment selection & monitoring

Funds chosen on the merits using institutional research and true open architecture — never product incentives or revenue sharing — and monitored continuously against IPS criteria.

We take on the investment decisions and the responsibility that comes with them, apply real scrutiny to plan costs, and give you a plan you can stand behind — so you can focus on running the business.

A dedicated partner who handles fund selection, monitoring, documentation, and participant education — an extension of your team, so you can focus on your people.

As a 3(38) investment manager, we assume responsibility for the plan’s investment decisions and provide the documentation and oversight that evidence your due diligence under ERISA. You keep the duty to prudently select and monitor us — and we help you document that too.

“We obsess over your plan so you don’t have to.”

“Research is critical to sound investment strategy. At Elemental, we are the researchers.”

Elemental Retirement Solutions is a division of Elemental Wealth Group, LLC. Advisory services offered through LexAurum Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered Investment Adviser. LexAurum Advisors, LLC and Elemental Wealth Group are not affiliated companies. As a 3(38) investment manager under ERISA, Elemental Retirement Solutions assumes fiduciary responsibility for the selection, monitoring, and replacement of plan investments; plan sponsors retain the fiduciary duty to prudently select and monitor the service providers they engage.

We are a fee-only advisor and do not receive commissions, revenue-sharing payments, 12b-1 fees, or other compensation from mutual fund or insurance companies. Information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. All investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Awards and media references reflect recognition of academic research and are not indicative of investment performance or any client’s experience.