Can one charter cover both retirement and health plans?
Last updated October 2, 2026
Yes — a single employee benefits committee charter can govern both retirement and health plans when its scope section clearly lists every plan covered and the delegations in each plan's governing documents align. Many employers still prefer separate committees because the two plan types demand different expertise and meeting cadences.
Yes. Nothing in ERISA prevents one committee, operating under one charter, from overseeing both retirement and health and welfare plans. The arrangement works when the charter's scope section clearly identifies every plan covered and each plan's governing documents delegate authority to the same committee.
A combined charter should still respect the differences between the two plan types:
- Agendas and minutes should separate retirement items (investments, fees, recordkeeping) from health plan items (vendors, claims, transparency compliance) so each plan's prudent process is independently documented.
- Membership should cover expertise on both sides, or the charter should authorize specialized advisers for each.
- Meeting cadence must satisfy the busier plan — combined committees typically meet at least quarterly.
Employers who choose separate committees usually do so for focus, not legal necessity — and combining or separating oversight is exactly the kind of change that should trigger an off-cycle charter review. For the retirement side of committee governance, see Retirement Plan Committees & Governance.
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