If you’re an advisor in the retirement plan space, you likely have a go-to framework for conducting annual or periodic meetings with your plan sponsor and retirement plan committee clients. This framework no doubt includes covering all of the core 401(k) plan topics that retirement plan sponsors are most interested in, such as the performance of the plan’s investments, fees and expenses, plan design, and how well the plan is working for employees. Of course, those topics are essential areas to focus on when managing a retirement plan and are imperative to delivering the service, expertise, and guidance that your clients have come to expect from you.

When you’re looking to hire a qualified expert, you likely do your homework first. Whether you need a carpenter to build a new garage, a surgeon to perform a complex procedure, or a photographer to take a family portrait, you want to know as much about those providers as possible in order to find the right fit.

When seeking the help of a retirement plan advisor, potential plan sponsor clients are no different—and for good reason. They bear the responsibility of fiduciary liability and of being a steward for their employees’ retirement assets. As such, when plan sponsors are seeking the help of an advisor to manage those obligations, asking the right questions will be a key part of their decision-making process.

In a recent study focusing on the retirement needs of small business owners, many of those surveyed were "either open to or in need of more advice about their retirement planning." Specifically, they wanted to understand their options and the tax implications of their decision. Clearly, this is an opportunity for advisors to help small business owners plan for retirement. But where do you start? 

Whether you already have clients who are small business owners or are looking to explore this niche opportunity, you can begin by understanding the ins and outs of the most common plan types, including their ideal clients, contribution rules, and tax benefits.

With more than $24 trillion in assets as of December 2015, the retirement marketplace can be a lucrative arena—and many of you have seized the opportunity to build your retirement plan business. Whether your client is a multinational for-profit corporation, midsized educational institution, or locally based not-for-profit organization, you’ve established yourself as an expert on its benefits packages, setting your practice apart as the local go-to resource. But what good is a new $2 million client if an existing $3 million client leaves you for greener pastures?