By Mary Beth Barry
Earlier this month, we hosted our first webinar on the CBA Multiple Employer 401(k) Plan (MEP) in partnership with our faith-aligned fiduciary, Innovest Portfolio Solutions. We were grateful for the strong engagement from members interested in learning more about this retirement solution and how it can support their organizations.
The webinar provided an overview of why the MEP was developed and how it addresses a common need among Catholic employers—particularly small and mid-sized organizations seeking a cost-effective, faith-aligned retirement option.
What We Covered
We began with a high-level look at the structure of the MEP and how it allows multiple Catholic employers to participate in a single, shared retirement plan. By pooling resources, organizations can benefit from reduced administrative responsibilities, simplified plan management, and more competitive pricing.
We also highlighted the importance of faith alignment. The plan’s investment lineup is constructed using Catholic values and the USCCB investment guidelines, with ongoing oversight from Innovest to help ensure consistency with those principles. In addition, attendees gained insight into how the plan is built to make implementation easy and provide support to employers over time.
Who It’s Designed For
As discussed during the webinar, the MEP is designed primarily for Catholic employers with 100 or fewer employees. It is especially well-suited for organizations that want to offer a strong retirement benefit but may not have the scale or internal capacity to efficiently manage a standalone plan.
Access the Recording & Next Steps
If you couldn’t make it to the webinar, but are interested in watching it, please click here.
For those interested in learning more about the MEP and whether it may be a fit for your organization:
- CBA members can reach out directly to Mary Beth Barry to begin the conversation. From there, we’ll schedule a personalized call with our recordkeeper, BPAS, to review the plan’s core provisions and optional features, and explore how the MEP can be structured to meet your organization’s goals and financial considerations.
- Non-members are encouraged to reach out to Mandy Cox, who can walk you through membership and next steps. Once you become a member, we can schedule that follow-up discussion.