Transferring plan

Your Guide to a Smooth Start

As we prepare to welcome you and your employees to your new retirement plan experience, refer to this timeline for key milestones, action steps, and links to important documents. Your installation contact will partner with you throughout your plan's onboarding and will email you any materials that are customized to your plan.

Onboarding Timeline

Step 1

Notify your prior recordkeeper

As soon as you notify your prior recordkeeper of your intent to change providers, your assigned installation contact (IC) can contact them to obtain the instructions needed to complete the transfer.

Step 2

Join a call with your plan installation contact

Your IC is your main point of contact and project manager during onboarding and sets up this initial call to:

  • Orient you to the next phase of onboarding and the cadence of tasks and communications you can expect

Step 3

Register for your plan website

Your plan website is where you'll handle the ongoing administration of your plan.

  • Following the initial call, you'll receive an email from 
    support@vanguard403bservices.com with a link to register your account. Please register your account within 72 hours of receiving the link, otherwise the link will expire.
Learn more about your plan website and how to register

Step 4

Confirm information from prior recordkeeper

Your IC works with your prior recordkeeper to assist in obtaining instructions for the transition to Vanguard, and also confirms the transition timeline.

  • Your IC will explain what's needed from you during this step, including any paperwork that's required for the transfer.

Step 7

Sign plan documents

We're preparing all the transition-related plan documents and agreements you need to review and sign.

  • Your IC will let you know when they're ready to review, and you'll receive an email from Document Delivery (Sertifi), our electronic signature site, that will include a link to access the documents.
  • Your IC will also deliver additional agreements or documents required for any optional services selected for your plan
Learn more about signing documents with Sertifi

Step 8

Convert your employees to your new plan

Your employees are "mapping" to Vanguard (no re-enrollment needed) or re-enrolling in the plan, depending on the conversion method you selected.

Your IC will request deferral and fund election information for all participants transitioning to Vanguard, according to the fund mapping strategy you chose.

  • Complete the template, including current deferral data to be mapped over, that your IC will send to you via email.
  • Share this participant onboarding page (mapping) with your employees so they know what to expect.
  • Please note: Beneficiary information does not transfer from your previous plan. Your employees will need to enter their beneficiary information online through the participant website.

Your employees can begin to join the plan.

  • Your IC will email digital plan enrollment guides for you to send to your employees.
  • Employees will have two weeks to enroll before the enrollment window closes in advance of your first payroll submission. This is a great time to make sure your employees assign their beneficiary(ies).

Host an education session

The most effective way to help ensure employees join the plan is to host an enrollment education session and walk them through how to enroll online. If you are working with a financial advisor, they may be able to help you lead this.

Before the education session:

    • Share this participant onboarding page (re-enroll) with your employees so they know what to expect.
    • Your IC will provide you with enrollment materials. when the enrollment window opens. An enrollment webinar with our education specialist can be arranged for a fee. Please contact your IC for additional information

Step 9

Join a call with your payroll consultant

During this call, your dedicated payroll consultant reviews everything you need to know to get set up for payroll and can assist you in choosing your submission method.

  • To prepare for this call, please complete the Automated Clearing House agreement that your IC provided to you via DocuSign. 

Step 10

Begin blackout period for final asset and record transfer

During the blackout phase, no changes or transactions will be accepted from your prior recordkeeper while they transfer assets and records to Vanguard. Once all assets and reports are received, we’ll reconcile and prepare them for investment.

Step 11

Go Live

Your plan installation is complete and the plan is officially live! Your employees can access the employee website and our Participant Service Center.

  • Your IC provides you with flyers to share with participants to announce the plan is live and remind them how to access their account online.
  • You will receive a link to a confidential survey about the installation process, including the quality of your IC, meeting deadlines and deliverables, and your overall experience. Your feedback helps us identify the strengths of the onboarding process and where we can improve—and is a valued element of our commitment of service to you and other employers.

Step 12

Transition to Client Services Team

Your dedicated Vanguard 403(b) Client Services team will support you in managing your plan going forward. Your IC will provide you with contact information when your installation is complete.

Step 13

Submit your first payroll

Your payroll consultant contacts you when it's time to make your first payroll submission and can walk you through it if you need any assistance.

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