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Recent Posts
- Terminal Wealth: The True Fiduciary Prudence Paradigm with Regard to the In-Plan Annuity Scam
- Is the DOL/EBSA Trying to Serve Two Masters? ERISA Section 404(a)’s Independent Investigation and Evaluation Requirements and the DOL/EBSA Proposed Rule on Alternative Investments
- Much Ado About Nothing?: The DOL’s New Alternative Investment Rule vs. the Administrative Procedure Act
- Reasserting ERISA’s Private Enforcement Design: A Rebuttal to EBSA’s “Frivolous Litigation” Narrative
- When Income Is Not Enough: Why the Continued Inclusion of In-Plan Annuities May Breach ERISA Duties When Compared to Capital-Preserving Income Alternatives and Strategies
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Author Archives: jwatkins
Rethinking Costs in 401(k) Litigation
[C]ost-conscious management is fundamental to prudence in the investment function,…1 Two consistent themes of ERISA are cost-consciousness and risk management through diversification. With regard to cost-consciousness, studies have consistently shown that the overwhelming majority of actively managed mutual funds, the … Continue reading
Posted in fiduciary compliance
Tagged 401k compliance, ERISA, fiduciary, fiduciary law
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3Q 2021 Top Ten 401(k) AMVR “Cheat Sheet”
When InvestSense prepares a forensic analysis for a 401(k)/403(b) pension plan, a trust, an attorney, or an institutional client, we always do an analysis over five and ten-year time periods to analyze the consistency of performance. Since so many social … Continue reading
Posted in 401k, 401k investments, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, asset allocation, consumer protection, cost consciousness, cost-efficiency, Cost_Efficiency, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, financial planning, prudence, retirement planning, wealth management, wealth preservation
Tagged 401k compliance, ERISA, fiduciary, fiduciary investing, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, Mutual funds, retirement plans, wealth management, wealth preservation
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Game Changer-Why Hughes v. Northwestern University Matters
People constantly ask me why I am so fixated on the Hughes v. Northwestern University case (Northwestern403b). Simply put, SCOTUS’ decision in this case will have a significant impact on 401(k)/403(b) plan sponsors and every other investment fiduciary. The plan … Continue reading
Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 403b, Active Management Value Ratio, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary standard, retirement plans, wealth management, wealth preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k compliance, ERISA, fiduciary, fiduciary investing, fiduciary law, Restatement Trusts, retirement plans
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Non-Commission Annuities: The “New” Fiduciary Annuity Trap
“Equity abhors a windfall.” Fiduciary law is largely based on trust, agency and equity law, with an emphasis on fundamental fairness. Any situation in which a fiduciary benefits at a beneficiary’s expense is a potential breach of the fiduciary’s duties. … Continue reading
Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, Annuities, compliance, consumer protection, cost-efficiency, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, investment advisers, prudence, Reg BI, RIA Compliance, RIA marketing, securities compliance, wealth management, wealth preservation
Tagged 401k, 401k compliance, 403b, Active Management Value Ratio, best interests, BICE, compliance, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary, fiduciary investing, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, investment advisers, prudence, RIA compliance, RIA risk management, wealth management, wealth preservation
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Modern Portfolio Theory, the Prudent Investor Rule and Fiduciary Investing
Given the volatility of today’s stock market, the subject of fiduciary investing is a timely topic. A fiduciary relationship creates the highest duty imposed by law, requiring that a fiduciary always put a client’s interests first and act solely on … Continue reading
Posted in 401k, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary standard, prudence, wealth management, wealth preservation
Tagged ERISA, fiduciary, fiduciary investing, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility
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Back to the Future, Investment Fiduciary Style
With the Supreme Court’s new term scheduled to begin in a few days, we move closer to the Court hearing the Northwestern University 403b case. I believe that this case has the potential to be a landmark case, not just … Continue reading
Posted in 401k, 401k investments, 403b, Active Management Value Ratio, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary standard, pension plans
Tagged 401k, 401k compliance, ERISA, fiduciary, fiduciary investing, fiduciary law, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciaryliability
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15 Quintessential Investment Quotes for Plan Sponsors and Investment Fiduciaries
On Investment Selection:Properly measured, the average actively managed dollar must underperform the average passively managed dollar, net of costs…. The best way to measure a manager’s performance is to compare his or her return with that of a comparable passive … Continue reading
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Costs, Correlations, and Prudent Fiduciary Investing
The financial adviser tells you that a fund has a five-year compound return of 20 percent. The fund’s advertisement tells you that the fund has a five-year compound return of 20 percent. Morningstar tells you that the fund has a … Continue reading
Hughes v. Northwestern University and the Future of 401(k) Plans
I thoroughly enjoy reading a well-reasoned legal brief or decision. For instance, the Enron1 decision, while lengthy, is an excellent treatise on ERISA. The First Circuit’s decision in Brotherston v. Putnam Investments, LLC2 is one of the best decisions I … Continue reading
Posted in fiduciary compliance
Tagged 401k, 401k compliance, fiduciary, fiduciary law
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The Active Management Value Ratio: Quantifying the “New” Fiduciary Prudence
Right now, the DOL and the SEC are trying to define “prudence” and “best interest,” respectively. I am on record as saying that the simplest and most logical step would be one, universal standard of prudence, using the Investment Advisor’s … Continue reading
Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 403b, Active Management Value Ratio, cost-efficiency, DOL fiduciary rule, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, pension plans, retirement planning, retirement plans, wealth preservation
Tagged 401k, 403b, ERISA, fiduciary, fiduciary liability, fiduciary responsibility, investment advisers, plan sponsors, retirement plans, wealth preservation
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