Tag Archives: pension plans

A Little More Knowledge on Reducing 401(k) Plan Sponsor Liability

As I have mentioned several times, I believe that the current environment presents investment advisors with a perfect opportunity to enter the 401(k) arena and prove the value added proposition that they can provide. The DOL’s recently announced fiduciary standard … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, compliance, ERISA, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, investments, pension plans, retirement plans, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

To BICE Or Not To BICE, That Is the Question.

I read an interesting article today on LinkedIn Pulse entitled “401(k) Opportunity, Is That You ?” by Rebecca Hourihan. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/401k-fiduciary-opportunity-you-rebecca-hourihan-aif-ppc-?trk=mp-reader-card Ms. Hourihan addressed the same question that several of my plan sponsor fiduciary clients have asked me – what are the potential … Continue reading

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Going Forward: Quantifying “Best Interest,” Reasonable Compensation and Suitability for Investment Professionals

With the DOL’s recent release of their new fiduciary rule (Rule)and the related Best Interest Contract Exemption (BICE), there has been an increased interest in the concepts of “best interest” and prudence, two of the key concepts involved with both … Continue reading

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“Best Interest,” BICE and Class Action Targets, Part II

Much has been written about the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new fiduciary rule and the accompanying Best Interest Contract Exemption (BICE). Several writers have suggested that the group that will benefit the most from the rule and BICE are class … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, compliance, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, investments, IRAs, pension plans, retirement plans, securities, securities compliance, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Best Interest,” BICE and Class Action Targets

Much has been written about the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new fiduciary rule and the accompanying Best Interest Contract Exemption (BICE). Several writers have suggested that the group that will benefit the most from the rule and BICE are class … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, compliance, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, investments, pension plans, retirement plans, securities compliance, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Best Interest,” BICE and Liability Exposure for Plan Sponsors

I recently posted an article in various LinkedIn groups that addressed the need for various parties to address their duties and potential liability under the DOL’s new fiduciary standard. My comment that accompanied the post was Based on my personal … Continue reading

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Making BICE Meaningful – Reality vs. Illusion

I have had a lot of people ask me what I thought of the DOL’s new fiduciary standard. While I think there are some good points to the new fiduciary standard, in many ways the new standard reminded me of … Continue reading

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And Now the Fiduciary Radar Shifts to …

Now that the DOL has released its new fiduciary rule, advisers are wondering what could be “the next big thing” drawing upon the new rule. Canada has recently announced that it would conduct a sweeping investigation of the abusive marketing … Continue reading

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The 401(k)/404(c) Plan Sponsor’s Achilles Heels Redux

With the effective date for the DOL’s new fiduciary standard getting closer, I have been receiving questions and calls from plans and fellow attorneys regarding the various obligations under the new standard. For that reason, I am re-posting an updated … Continue reading

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401K Mutual Funds Fail Fiduciary Prudence Test

Our recent analysis of the top ten mutual funds in 401(k) plans revealed that 7 of the 10 funds failed to pass our simple fiduciary prudence test. The funds were evaluated based on their five-year performance between 2011-2015. The findings … Continue reading

Posted in 401k, 401k compliance, 401k investments, 404c, 404c compliance, compliance, evidence based investing, fiduciary compliance, fiduciary law, investments, pension plans, wealth management, wealth preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment