Tag Archives: 401k compliance

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 , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

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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

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CommonSense InvestSense ERISA 401(k)/403(b) Litigation

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet. – Father Theodore Hesburgh, University of Notre Dame Over twenty years ago, I registered the domain name “investsense.com.” Since then, I … Continue reading

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Cost-Efficiency and Correlation of Returns: The Often Overlooked Factors in Fiduciary Investing

“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 alternative.”1 Ask a … Continue reading

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The CareerBuilder 401(k) Decision: Three Key Lessons for Plan Sponsors and ERISA Attorneys

“If we desire respect for the law we must first make the law respectful.” Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandies Currently, we have different federal courts handing down various interpretations of ERISA. As a result, in some cases the public’s guaranteed … Continue reading

Posted in 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, cost consciousness, cost efficient, cost-efficiency, ERISA, ERISA litigation, evidence based investing, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, investment advisers, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Plan Sponsor Special Report: 401(k) Fiduciary Liability Risk Management in a Post-Brotherston World

My firm, InvestSense, provides fiduciary oversight services to pension plans, trust, and other investment fiduciaries. One of the most requested services is a fiduciary audit, including a forensic fiduciary prudence analysis of the entity’s investments. After a recent audit, the … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, closet index funds, compliance, cost consciousness, cost efficient, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, investment advisers, investments, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, risk management, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

4Q 2019 AMVR Cost-Efficiency Analysis

I apologize for the delay in posting the 4Q 2019 AMVR Cost-Efficiency Analysis. I have been involved in a legal battle involving my investor advocacy/education blog, “CommonSense InvestSense.” Fortunately, the matter has been resolved and the blog is back online. … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 403b, 404c, 404c compliance, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, closet index funds, compliance, consumer protection, cost consciousness, cost-efficiency, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, investment advisers, investments, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, RIA, RIA Compliance, risk management, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment