Retirement Plans

Employer-sponsored retirement plans often form the backbone of an employee’s total rewards and a future retiree’s financial security.  Plan sponsors must concern themselves with the levels of benefits being provided, as well as with the cost management, legal and regulatory requirements placed upon them as fiduciaries.  Since the firm’s founding in 1993, Highland has always worked closely with retirement plan sponsors in helping them meet their employee benefit objectives and legal obligations.

Defined Benefit Plans
Highland assists defined benefit plan sponsors in a strategic review of their plans, asset/liability analysis, development of investment policy statements, and all stages of asset allocation, manager selection and plan monitoring.  We also provide advice and assistance on fiduciary responsibilities, operational processes, and perspectives concerning best practices.

Defined Contribution Plans
Highland is an industry leader in providing independent, value added investment consulting services to defined contribution plans.  These include 401(k), 401(a), 403(a), 403(b), profit sharing, ESOP, participant directed, non-participant directed, and non-qualified plans.  We offer a comprehensive array of services including implementing investment policy statements, developing effective asset allocation models to guide the selection of investment options, target date fund analysis and decomposition, cost analysis and negotiations, and investment fund performance measuring and monitoring.

As a plan fiduciary, Highland works with clients to make better and more informed decisions regarding their defined contribution plan(s).  We assist each of our clients in understanding the key risks associated with operating their plan(s) while also helping them deliver the intended benefits.