Tag Archives: fiduciarylitigation

Why Smart Fiduciaries Avoid Annuities: “Humble Arithmetic,” Annuities, and Fiduciary Liability

By James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP Board Emeritus™, AWMA® [A] victim to the relentless rules of humble Arithmetic. Remember, O stranger, ‘Arithmetic is the first of the sciences and the mother of safety.’U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis Fiduciary … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k litigation, 401k plan design, 401k plans, 401k risk management, 403b, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, Annuities, compliance, consumer protection, cost consciousness, 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, investments, Mutual funds, pension plans, plan advisers, plan sponsors, prudence, retirement planning, retirement plans, risk management, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

3 Key Questions for Plan Sponsors on Annuities, “Guaranteed Income,” and Fiduciary Liability Under ERISA – 2025

By James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP Board Emeritus™, AWMA® Seems that social media and trade publications are focused on the issue of “guaranteed lifetime income” options within ERISA plans, with various studies indicating that plan participants would be interested … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k plan design, 401k plans, 401k risk management, 403b, 404c, 404c compliance, AMVR, Annuities, best interest, compliance, consumer protection, cost consciousness, cost efficient, 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, investments, pension plans, plan sponsors, prudence, retirement plans, risk management, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2Q 2023 “Cheat Sheets”: Plan Sponsors’ IDK/FOFO Strategy and the Future of Fiduciary Liability and Litigation

By James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP Board Emeritus™, AWMA® An analysis of the 2Q “cheat sheets” can be summed up quite simply – “the song remains the same.” None of the six funds qualified for an AMVR score based … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k plan design, 401k risk management, 403b, Active Management Value Ratio, AMVR, compliance, consumer protection, cost consciousness, cost efficient, 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, investment advisers, investments, Mutual funds, pension plans, plan advisers, plan sponsors, prudence, retirement plans, risk management, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fiduciary InvestSense™: Annuities, Plan Sponsors, and Fiduciary Law

By James W. Watkins, III, J.D., CFP Board Emeritus™, AWMA® As an attorney and a fiduciary risk management consultant, my job is to protect plan sponsors, trustees, and other investment fiduciaries against unnecessary fiduciary liability…and themselves. Far too often, I … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 401k plan design, 401k risk management, 403b, Annuities, best interest, compliance, cost consciousness, cost efficient, 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, investments, Mutual funds, pension plans, plan sponsors, prudence, retirement planning, retirement plans, risk management, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments