Category Archives: fiduciary compliance

In-Plan Annuities and Fiduciary Risk Management: Guaranteed Income vs. Commensurate Return

James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP EmeritusTM, AWMA® A common question I am receiving is “What are the fiduciary liability issues with in-plan annuities?” A reccent LIMRA study found that plan sponsors are citing a desire to provide retirement income … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k risk management, Annuities, consumer protection, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary duty, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary risk management, fiduciary standard, pension plans, prudence, risk management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chief Judge of the 5th Circuit Calls Out His Brethren on Decision to Stay the DOL’s Retirement Security Rule

Congress passed ERISA in 1974 as a “comprehensive statute designed to promote the interests of employees and their beneficiaries in employer benefit plans.”1 The past fifty years has seen significant changes in the market and in the number and types … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k litigation, 401k plan design, 401k plans, 401k risk management, Annuities, Conflicts of Interest, consumer protection, DOL, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary duty, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, fiduciary liability, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary standard, investment advisers, IRA, IRAs, pension plans, plan advisers, plan sponsors, prohibited transactions, wealth management | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Deja Vu All Over Again?: Is the Annuity Industry Serving a Second Round of Annuity Misrepresentations Kool-Aid?

Bradley Campbell of Faegre Drinker recently commented on the unusual strength of the language in the Fifth Circuit’s “Memorandum Opinion and Order” staying the DOL’s Retirement Security Rule.1 Given distristrict court Chief Judge Lynn’s earlier well-reasoned analysis and opinion in … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k litigation, 401k plan design, 401k risk management, Annuities, best interest, compliance, Conflicts of Interest, consumer protection, DOL, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary duty, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, fiduciary liability, fiduciary prudence, investment advisers, investments, IRA, pension plans, plan advisers, plan sponsors, retirement plans, SCOTUS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ERISA at the Crossroads?: An Analysis of the 11th Circuit’s Home Depot Decision

I recently posted my initial impressions on the 11th Circuit’s Decision in the Pizarro v. Home Depot 401(k) case: It should be noted that the court granted HD summary judgment even though the court found that there were significant issues … Continue reading

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Initial Thoughts on 11th Circuit’s Decision in Pizarro v. Home Depot

The 11th Circuit recently released its much anticipated decision in Pizarro v. Home Depot. The case is significant since it involves the question of which party has the burden of proof on the issue of causation in ERISA litigation. There … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, pension plans, plan sponsors, Supreme Court | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Written Testimony of James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP Board Emeritus™, AWMA® before the DOL – July 10, 2024

InvestSense, LLC Testimony of James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP Board Emeritus™, AWMA® re QDIAs and Annuities as QDIAs In my practice, I often refer to as the “fiduciary responsibility trinity” (Trinity). The Trinity consists of the Tibble v. Edison International1 (Tibble … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k plan design, 401k plans, 401k risk management, Annuities, consumer protection, cost consciousness, cost-efficiency, defined contribution, ERISA, fiduciary, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary duty, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary risk management, investments, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, risk management, wealth management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fiduciary Prudence – Don’t Make the Process Harder Than It Is!

“Don’t make the process harder than it is.” – Jack Welch, former GE CEO When I meet with a prospective client, this is what I always tell them. Then I show them how their current plan is exposing them to … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k litigation, 401k plan design, 401k plans, 401k risk management, 404c, 404c compliance, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Annuities, asset allocation, compliance, consumer protection, cost consciousness, cost-efficiency, Cost_Efficiency, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary duty, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary risk management, fiduciary standard, investment advisers, investments, Mutual funds, pension plans, plan advisers, plan sponsors, prudence, risk management, securities compliance, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Fiduciary’s Guide to Annuities- “Why Go There?”

James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP EmeritusTM, AWMA® A [fiduciary] is held to something stricter than the morals of the market place.  Not honesty alone, but the punctilio of an honor the most sensitive, is the standard of behavior….1 Consistent … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k litigation, 401k plan design, 401k plans, 401k risk management, 404c compliance, Annuities, compliance, cost consciousness, cost efficient, cost-efficiency, defined contribution, elder law, elderly investment fraud, fiduciary, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary duty, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary risk management, pension plans, plan advisers, plan sponsors, prudence, retirement planning, retirement plans, wealth management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bugielski v. AT&T Services, Inc.: Another Key Case Toward Defining the Future of 401(k) Litigation

James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP EmeritusTM, AWMA® SCOTUS may soon have yet another ERISA-related case to review. AT&T Services, Inc. recently petitioned SCOTUS for a writ of certiorari to review the Ninth Circuit’s decision in Bugielski v. AT&T Services, … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k litigation, 401k plans, 401k risk management, 403b, compliance, defined contribution, DOL, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary risk management, fiduciary standard, pension plans, plan advisers, plan sponsors, prohibited transactions, retirement plans, SCOTUS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fiduciary Risk Management 101: Beware the Retirement Crisis “Okey Doke”

James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP EmeritusTM, AWMA I recently received a call from the CEO of a corporation asking if I could meet with him. He said he had recently attended a conference where the major topics of discussion … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k plan design, 401k plans, 401k risk management, 403b, Active Management Value Ratio, Annuities, consumer protection, cost consciousness, cost efficient, cost-efficiency, ERISA, fiduciary, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary duty, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary prudence, fiduciary responsibility, fiduciary risk management, fiduciary standard, investment advisers, investments, Mutual funds, pension plans, plan advisers, plan sponsors, retirement plans, risk management, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment