Retirement

Pension and retirement plans are promises people count on for their future. When financial markets change, rules get more complicated, or tough decisions have to be made, those promises can be difficult to protect.

That’s where Bolton comes in. We work closely with you to help you make clear, careful and informed choices so your pension plans stay strong, your risks stay manageable, and the people who depend on them can feel secure.

A trusted team for every step of the journey.

What sets Bolton apart is how we show up. You work directly with senior consultants and actuaries who know your plan, know your organization, and are genuinely invested in your success. We do not hand you off. We stay engaged, track regulatory developments before they affect you, and bring fresh thinking to challenges your team may not have seen coming.

How we help

Multi-employer pension plans carry a unique weight. Trustees are responsible for the retirement security of members across multiple contributing employers, often navigating complex funding requirements, ERISA obligations, and the competing pressures of benefit adequacy and long-term sustainability.

Bolton brings deep actuarial expertise and a thorough understanding of the multiemployer environment to every client engagement. We provide annual actuarial valuations, zone status certification, cash flow and funded status forecasting, Form 5500 preparation support, and SFA filings. Our senior credentialed actuaries are directly involved in day-to-day plan work, and our multi-level review process ensures accuracy, regulatory compliance, and on-time delivery.

As an independent firm, we advise only in the interest of the plan and its participants.

Managing a retirement program is one of the most consequential responsibilities a plan sponsor carries. Workforce demographics, asset volatility, evolving regulations, and accounting requirements make it challenging to maintain a program that serves employees well and remains financially sustainable.

Bolton works alongside private sector and not-for-profit plan sponsors to design, manage, and optimize pension and defined contribution programs that align with organizational goals and participant needs, whether you are looking for an ongoing defined benefit plan to optimize the deferred compensation for your employees or looking to exit a frozen pension plan.

Our services include actuarial valuations, plan design and compliance, defined contribution consulting, asset/liability modeling, government filings, AFTAP certifications, prefunding balance management, risk transfer strategy including plan terminations, and M&A due diligence. Whether your plan is ongoing, frozen, or on a path to termination, we provide the actuarial firepower and strategic judgment to keep it on track.

Our high consultant-to-client ratio means your plan gets consistent, senior-level attention, not a rotating cast of resources.

Public sector retirement plans operate under a distinct set of pressures. The challenges arising from GASB accounting requirements, public accountability, political scrutiny, and the long-term horizon inherent in defined benefit retirement plans demand an advisor with specialized expertise and a track record of working in this space.

Bolton has served governmental plan sponsors, including state and local governments, school systems, transit authorities, and public safety organizations, since our founding. We provide GASB-compliant actuarial valuations, actuarial audits, funded status forecasting, service purchase design and calculations, DROP design and valuation, and plan administration support. Our consultants understand the regulatory and political environment public sector clients navigate and bring the depth of experience to help plan fiduciaries fulfill their responsibilities with confidence.