Nick Gizzarelli
CPFA/QPA/QKA
I absolutely love when discussing my professional background, people ask, “Why retirement plans?” Even more, I love when the question is delivered with personal biases or expectations as to how I will answer. And, I get it… The differences between a defined contribution and defined benefit plan does not immediately spur much of a response to most of us. But, let me ask just one question (which will ultimately lead to the “WHY” in why I do what I do):
“What other professional service can better align employers and their workforce to collectively deliver both economic and social benefits to all parties involved?”
Too often, the relationship between employer and employee is that of “give-take”. An employee gives time and service to the employer. A manager gives orders to a team. Even with employee benefits, many employers view the benefit as simply a gift to the staff. However, the true power of a retirement plan cannot be realized under this simplified delivery.
A retirement plan has many dimensions. At the surface, by sponsoring a retirement plan, an employer is providing its staff with a mechanism to save for retirement. However, for the employer, the retirement plan becomes a multifaceted tool to optimize taxes, compensation, benefits, staff recruitment, retention, and more… My goal, is to help each business leverage the power of their company-sponsored retirement program to stimulate savings and economic growth for both the business and its workforce. Providing specialized advice to my clients, which impacts every single individual within my clients’ organizations, is by far the most satisfying aspect of my job. In order to generate tax savings for the employer, I do not need to jeopardize the benefits to the staff. In fact, every decision related to my clients’ retirement plans is made with dual lenses to ensure both the employer and staff’s benefits are carefully considered. So, why retirement plans? It all comes down to the opportunities each plan provides to every single plan participant and sponsoring employer.
