When you change at year-end, you have to deal with the year-end of the
old year. The old TPA will move you directly to the bottom of the list
if you use them. The new TPA can't do the work without full and correct
data, and may want to be paid extra. If you are changing to a good TPA,
ask their advice; they will have done changes at all points in the
cycle and run into all sorts of situations. Me, I'd switch mid-year to
allow time for the new TPA to get and correct data for the transition
year.

Good luck.

Mark Freeland wrote:
- quote -

There are various timelines for notice to employees (not too much
notice, and not too little - like Goldilocks :-) especially for the
blackout period (watch out for Sarbanes Oxley). None of this affects
the time of year when one can make a change, but it is a bit of a
stretch to say that a company can change willy nilly anytime it wants.

The record keeping for a midyear switch isn't particularly onerous -
you'll have to transfer the same account information as you would for a
year end transition. You may have to indicate your ERISA fidelity bond
provider (which could be taken care of automatically by the new provider
if the transition were at year end). You'll also have to deal with a
little extra paperwork in the 5500 for the transition year (old and new
trustees).

Compared with the hassle of moving the plan in the first place, the
incremental work in doing it midyear is trivial. Still, year end does
make life simpler.

Mark Freeland
nNeEwTs[at]sonic.net

BMS wrote:
- quote -

Company can change anytime they want to, but for recordkeeping purposes, the
plan year end is usually the best time.

<winterqqqq[at]hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1129586822.811681.138350[at]g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
- quote -

When can a company change 401k plan providers? Can that be anytime they
want to or does that have to be at the beginning of the plan year or
something like that.

Thank you.

Dennis