Tag Archives: Annuities

Annuities, SECURE 2.0, and Fiduciary Law

While there has been much speculation and anticipation about the possible passage of SECURE 2.0, the recent events involving cryptocurrency, reportedly a major component of SECURE 2.0, appears to make its passage before the end of the year doubtful. The … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k plan design, 401k risk management, 403b, Active Management Value Ratio, Annuities, compliance, cost-efficiency, elderly investment fraud, 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, plan advisers, plan sponsors, prudence, retirement planning, retirement plans, risk management, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ERISA Litigation’s “Next Big Thing?”

I have been receiving a number of requests to perform forensic analyses on ERISA plans that include one or more variable annuities as investment options within the plan. Most of these plans are ERISA 403(b) plans due to the fact … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 403b, 404c, 404c compliance, Annuities, best interest, compliance, consumer protection, cost efficient, cost-efficiency, ERISA, ERISA litigation, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, fiduciary liability, Fiduciary prudence, fiduciary standard, pension plans, prudence, retirement plans, 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

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

A Fiduciary Blueprint: The Restatement of Trusts, the Prudent Investor Rule and the DOL’s New Fiduciary Rule

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…. Meinhard v. Salmon, 249 N.Y. 458, 464 (1928) Ever … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, Annuities, BICE, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, investment advisers, investments, IRAs, pension plans, retirement plans, RIA, RIA Compliance, securities compliance, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Tipping Off” Potential ERISA Fiduciary Violations – Part 1

As a former catcher, I always enjoyed watching pitcher to see if he was “tipping off” his pitches so or team could gain an advantage. As an ERISA attorney, one of the services I provide to ERISA consulting clients is … Continue reading

Posted in 403b, Annuities, compliance, DOL fiduciary standard, ERISA, evidence based investing, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, pension plans, retirement plans, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment