What should a fiduciary committee charter include?

Last updated October 2, 2026

A charter should identify the plans within scope; the committee's authority and responsibilities; membership, appointment, and removal procedures; meeting, quorum, and voting rules; conflict-of-interest procedures; adviser and service-provider roles; minutes, reporting, and recordkeeping expectations; and the process for reviewing and amending the charter itself.

A strong fiduciary committee charter should identify:

  • The plans within the committee's scope
  • The committee's authority and responsibilities
  • Membership, appointment, and removal procedures
  • Meeting, quorum, and voting rules
  • Conflict-of-interest procedures
  • Adviser and service-provider roles
  • Minutes, reporting, and recordkeeping expectations
  • The process for reviewing and amending the charter itself

Throughout, the charter should remain consistent with the governing plan documents — where the two conflict, the plan documents control, and the charter needs an amendment.

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