Tag Archives: fiduciary

2014 – Brave New Fiduciary World

2014 promises to be a important year for fiduciary liability issues. ERISA advisers, sponsors and attorneys await the Court of Appeals’ decision in Tussey v. ABB,Inc. and its impact on fiduciary issues such as prudence, loyalty and due diligence. If … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, compliance, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, investments, pension plans, retirement plans, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Hidden” Assets – Potential Liability Implications of the LaRue Decision for Attorneys and Fiduciaries

During a recent deposition of an executor, I asked the executor, a bank trust officer, whether the bank had evaluated the defined contribution plan in which the deceased had participated. The trust officer replied that the funds in deceased’s account … Continue reading

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Creative Chaos – Creating a Win-Win Situation for Investors and Investment Advisers

Having been involved in the quality of investment advice arena for twenty-five years in some capacity (e.g., securities attorney, RIA consultant, B/D compliance director), I have seen numerous changes in both the industry and the surrounding legal/regulatory environment. There is … Continue reading

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Beware the “We’re #1” Trap

Michael Kitces recently posted an article about a proposed publication that would provide client reviews of their financial advisors. For those of you who do not follow Michael, you should do so. Michael is recognized as an industry leader. I … Continue reading

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Upon Further Review: Do We Already Have a Universal Fiduciary Standard?

The debate over a universal fiduciary standard for the financial services industry continues.  To date, as John Adams lamented in “1776,” “piddle. twiddle and resolve, not a damned thing do we solve.” Several studies have conclusively shown that the American … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 404c, 404c compliance, compliance, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, investments, retirement plans, securities compliance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How “Safe” Are ERISA 401(k)/404(c) Safe-Harbors?

Like so many others, I provide consulting services to pension plans. Unlike others, I focus on the risk management aspect of pension plans instead of the fundamental, or administrative, aspects of a plan.  I chose to focus on the risk … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, investments, retirement plans, securities | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Tibble Decision – 3 Valuable Lessons for Plan Sponsors and Other Plan Fiduciaries

Reading the Ninth Circuit’s recent decision in Tibble v. Edison International, I could not help but notice three issues that I believe will significantly impact ERISA plan sponsors and other plan fiduciaries going forward. First, the Court correctly pointed out … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, investments, retirement plans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Has Schwab Opened Pandora’s Box for RIAs? – Part Two

In a recent post, I suggested that the recent court decision upholding Schwab’s class action waiver in customer’s contracts could have potential liability implications for RIAs and other fiduciaries that recommend or use Schwab, or for that matter any other … Continue reading

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Gifts and Conflicts of Interest

I received a call yesterday from an RIA firm that had been providing magazine subscriptions and other gifts to clients that referred new clients to the firm.  The managing member of the RIA firm said that he had attended a … Continue reading

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“The 401(k)/403(b) Investment Manual”

My new book, “The 410(k)/403(b) Investment Manual” is now available from both Amazon and CreatSpace. The manual is intended to provide both plan participants and plan sponsors with valuable information to allow them to properly evaluate the investment options within … Continue reading

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