.png)
Participants or beneficiaries in the Dartmouth-Hitchcock retirement plan and/or the Dartmouth-Hitchcock employee investment plan at any time between March 18, 2016, and March 25, 2026, may be eligible to claim a cash payment from a class action settlement.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic agreed to pay $850,000 to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The lawsuit claimed Dartmouth-Hitchcock paid excessive recordkeeping and administrative fees and failed to adequately monitor the committee responsible for overseeing the plans’ fees.
Who are the class members?
The class includes individuals who:
- Participated in or were beneficiaries of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock retirement plan and/or the Dartmouth-Hitchcock employee investment plan
- Had an account in one or both of the plans at any time between March 18, 2016, and March 25, 2026
- Have a balance greater than $0 as of the time the settlement administrator makes calculations under the plan of allocation
The settlement includes both current and former participants, as well as beneficiaries and alternate payees subject to a qualified domestic relations order.
How much can class members get?
The total settlement fund is $850,000. After deductions for attorneys’ fees, litigation expenses, administration costs, taxes and case contribution awards to the class representatives, the settlement administrator will distribute the remaining amount to eligible class members.
The amount each approved class member receives is based on their average account balance during the class period relative to the total balances of all class members.
- The settlement administrator will total each class member’s average account balance for each year of the class period to determine their “balance.”
- It then calculates the sum of all class members’ balances.
- Each eligible class member will receive a share of the net settlement amount in proportion to their balance over the total.
- Current participants with a calculated share of $0 will not receive a payment.
- Former participants with a calculated share of $5 or less will not receive a payment.
No action needed to receive payment
Class members do not need to file a claim to receive a settlement payment. There is no online or PDF claim form to submit.
- Current participants: The settlement administrator will deposit payment into their plan account and invest it according to their current instructions or the default investment option.
- Former participants: The settlement administrator will send payment by check to their last known address or by rollover if elected.
Those who wish to update their address should contact the settlement administrator:
- Settlement administrator's mailing address: Dartmouth-Hitchcock ERISA Settlement, P.O. Box 2009, Chanhassen, MN 55317-2009
- Settlement administrator's phone number: 844-286-3944
- Settlement administrator's email address: DartmouthHitchcockERISA@noticeadministrator.com
$850,000 million settlement fund breakdown
The $850,000 settlement fund includes:
- Settlement administration costs: To be determined
- Attorneys’ fees: Up to $283,333.33
- Attorneys’ expenses: Up to $150,000
- Case contribution awards to class representatives: Up to $10,000 each for three representatives (up to $30,000 total)
- Payments to approved class members: Remainder of the fund
Important dates
- Fairness hearing: Aug. 13, 2026
When is the Dartmouth-Hitchcock ERISA settlement payout date?
The settlement administrator will issue payments within 30 days after the court resolves any appeals and grants final approval of the settlement.
Why is there a class action settlement?
The class action lawsuit alleged Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic and related parties violated ERISA by paying excessive recordkeeping and administrative fees and failing to properly monitor the committee responsible for the plans’ fees.
The defendants denied all allegations but agreed to settle to avoid further litigation costs and risks.
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
.svg)