BrightScope 401k Ratings

Some colleagues recently directed me to a new website that independently analyzes 401k plans from public data sources. It is most useful for plans that are above the audit point. An interesting discovery is to analyze the results for companies like: Nordstrom (52), Microsoft (80), Costco (62), Boeing (79), and Paccar (76). According to BrightScope, Nordstrom and Costco could use some improvement. The website has gained some prominence among independent fiduciary 401k advisors accross the country. www.brightscope.com How does your company's 401k plan rate?


About BrightScope
BrightScopeTM, Inc. is an independent provider of 401k ratings and financial intelligence to plan sponsors, advisors, and participants in all 50 states. Our mission is to increase the retirement security of America's workforce by bringing transparency and efficiency to the 401k plan market. We maintain a comprehensive database of information on the 401k plan market and add additional value and insight by quantitatively rating each 401k plan across critical metrics. BrightScopeTM empowers plan sponsors to quickly and accurately determine the optimal structure for their 401k plan and choose the providers that provide the most value for the fees they charge. BrightScope is the only 401k analytics firm that is truly independent and does not accept compensation in the form of revenue sharing from mutual fund companies or plan providers. BrightScope is aligned with plan sponsors and seeks to avoid conflicts that will jeopardize its ability to give its clients unbiased advice. BrightScope is not a fiduciary under ERISA.

The BrightScope Rating
The BrightScope RatingTM is an industry standard quantitative 401k plan rating developed by BrightScopeTM, Inc. with the help of leading academics and independent 401k fiduciaries. The BrightScope rating algorithm calculates a single numerical score for each 401k plan in the country after considering over 200+ individual data points in broad categories such as total plan cost, company generosity and investment menu quality. The BrightScope RatingTM is designed to assist industry participants in determining the relative quality of a company's 401k plan when compared to a unique peer group with similar demographic characteristics. We believe that industry adoption of the BrightScope RatingTM will ultimately lead to more cost-effective plans, increased participation rates, higher employee satisfaction, and better outcomes for employees who depend on their 401k plan for retirement.

The BrightScope Database
BrightScopeTM obtains some of its data from public sources such as the Department of Labor, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Mutual fund and investment data are obtained from mutual fund prospectuses, statements of additional information, Form NSAR and the Center for Research on Securities Prices (CRSP). Data on 401k fees comes directly from plan sponsors who work with us to improve their plan. While all company-specific data is protected and confidential, we aggregate fee data across comparable companies to construct relevant benchmarks on fees. BrightScopeTM believes it possesses the most comprehensive private database of 401k information in the country. The company will leverage this database to provide our clients with accurate and high quality data that places them on a level playing field with their providers.


Please visit our website at www.ifclegacy.com to have an independent fiduciary 401k advisor at Integrity Financial Corporation in Bellevue analyze and evaluate your company's 401k plan.