Ascensus

In 2016, the retirement plan for the Michigan Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association was pummeled with issues. “We were notified of an IRS audit for 2013/2014,” recalls Elizabeth Mestelle, plan administrator for the chapter. “At the same time, in March, we had a change in recordkeeping staff.”

Further, employees’ eligibility requirements had changed so the plan had to add an amendment, plus it discovered the need to do additional testing, going back to 2010. “All were potentially nerve-racking events,” Mestelle says, “but first Shannon Corin and then Deann Lentz carefully, and kindly, led us through the processes.”

As many businesses have learned, audits are not simple to coordinate, especially for a new plan administrator, which Mestelle was, notes Corin, a client relationship manager with Ascensus. “Audits often require extensive research, fact-finding, and working with the plan’s recordkeeper to retrieve documentation from prior years, such as plan documents, records of distributions and contributions, and compliance testing results.”

This could have been a nightmare, Mestelle says, but the Ascensus team walked her through each step of the audit. “We’re a staff of five but were treated like one of Ascensus’ biggest plans—with the utmost care and respect.” Without the team’s  guidance, she says, she could not have handled all of the additional challenges on top of her normal duties.

Corin gives much of the credit to Mestelle. “She did a tremendous job, organizing the files, analyzing plan data and implementing new processes to improve the business’ internal efficiencies. We made a great a team,” she says.

As to Ascensus’ contribution, Corin says, “Each call is a new challenge, and it’s so rewarding to be able to provide exceptional client service that represents our organization’s core values. We always aim to become a trusted partner for each client, not just a friendly voice on the other end of the phone.”