Tag Archives: 404c compliance

Are We At a “Tipping Point” in ERISA Fiduciary Litigation?

As I went through my daily social media review, I noticed a post indicating that DOL Secretary Acosta has indicated that the DOL is ready to enforce the department’s new fiduciary rule (“Rule”). Excuse me if I’m skeptical, given the … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 403b, 404c, 404c compliance, closet index funds, compliance, cost consciousness, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, investment advisers, investments, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unintended Consequences: Financial Advisers and Potential Liability Issues Under State Fiduciary Laws

With the investment industry driving and celebrating the continuous efforts of the DOL and Congress to emasculate the DOL’s fiduciary rule, I have received emails from stockbrokers and RIAs/IARs as to what the practical meaning of these actions, from a … Continue reading

Posted in BICE, compliance, cost consciousness, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, Impartial Conduct Standards, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, RIA, RIA Compliance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Transparency Is the Best Sunlight: Four Due Diligence Questions Plan Sponsors and Plan Participants Should Ask

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. – Justice Brandeis The ongoing attempts by the Department of Labor (DOL) and Congress to delay or completely reverse the DOL’s fiduciary rule sends a clear message to pension plan sponsors and plan participants – … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, BICE, closet index funds, compliance, cost consciousness, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, evidence based investing, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, Impartial Conduct Standards, investments, IRA, IRAs, prudence, retirement plans, RIA, RIA Compliance, securities compliance, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The New Mathematics of Successful Investing

Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. – Winston Churchill Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. – Aldoux Huxley Ask any investor … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k investments, 403b, 404c, 404c compliance, closet index funds, clsoet index funds, compliance, cost consciousness, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, elderly investment fraud, evidence based investing, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, Impartial Conduct Standards, investment advisers, investments, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, securities compliance, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Open Letter to the OMB: No Further Delays in the DOL Rule and BICE

August 11, 2017 Open Letter to the Office of Management and Budget Re: Department of Labor’s Request for Additional Delay of Full Fiduciary Rule The Department of Labor recently filed a request to delay the full effectiveness of the Department’s … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, BICE, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary standard, Impartial Conduct Standards, investment advisers, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, RIA, securities compliance, wealth management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Often Overlooked Fiduciary “Gotcha”: The Fiduciary Duty (and Challenge) of Cost-Consciousness

The vast majority of active managers are unable to produce excess returns that cover their costs.1 I recently posted an article discussing a brilliant complaint that was filed in connection with a new 401(k) excessive fees/breach of fiduciary duties action. … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 403b, 404c, 404c compliance, closet index funds, compliance, cost consciousness, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, evidence based investing, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, Impartial Conduct Standards, investment advisers, investments, IRA, IRAs, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, RIA, RIA Compliance, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Eyes Wide Shut: Why the Current SEC Will Not, and Cannot, Adopt a Fiduciary Standard

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see. – “Strawberry Fields Forever” In recent appearances on Capitol Hill, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and DOL Secretary Alexander Acosta pledged to work together on a fiduciary rule applying to stockbrokers … Continue reading

Posted in 404c, Annuities, closet index funds, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, Impartial Conduct Standards, investments, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, RIA, RIA Compliance, securities compliance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Duty of Cost-Consciousness: The Fiduciary “Gotcha” You Think You Understand…But You Probably Don’t

While no one is certain at this point what the eventual DOL fiduciary rule will look like, or whether there will even be a DOL fiduciary rule, fiduciary law will continue to exist and establish the liability standards for investment … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c compliance, Annuities, closet index funds, clsoet index funds, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, Impartial Conduct Standards, investment advisers, investments, IRAs, pension plans, retirement plans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Apples to Apples” and Other Investment Return Issues

I just finished reading Judge Doty’s decision dismissing the Wells Fargo 401(k) excessive fees action and the complaint filed in the new Capital Group/American Funds 401(k) breach of fiduciary duties action. Just seems to be further evidence that we have … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 404c compliance, closet index funds, compliance, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, Impartial Conduct Standards, investment advisers, investments, pension plans, retirement plans, RIA | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quantifying the Impartial Conduct Standards Under the DOL’s New Fiduciary Rule

With a portion of the DOL’s new fiduciary rule scheduled to go into effect at midnight tonight, there are still some unanswered questions with regard to how some key terms will be interpreted. The key terms in question are primarily … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c compliance, Annuities, BICE, compliance, DOL fiduciary rule, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, Impartial Conduct Standards, investment advisers, pension plans, retirement plans, RIA, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment