News & Analysis as of

Investment Fiduciary Duty

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Labor Dept. permits fiduciaries to consider alternative investments for 401(k)s

On August 12, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration rescinded guidance from December 2021 that discouraged fiduciaries from considering alternative assets in the list of investment options...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Retirement Revolution: Expanding Access to Private Credit in 401(k)s

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On August 7, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies, particularly the Department of Labor, to work on expanding access to alternative investments for participants in 401(k) and other...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

Executive Order Seeks to Expand Access to Crypto and Private Investments in Defined-Contribution Plans

Ballard Spahr LLP on

On August 7, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order (the Order) instructing federal agencies to expand access to alternative asset investments for participants in defined-contribution retirement plans such as 401(k)...more

Carlton Fields

Plan Sponsor and Asset Manager Considerations Under 401(k) Alternatives Executive Order

Carlton Fields on

On August 7, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors,” designed to open the use of alternative investments, including private equity and actively...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Retail Money, Institutional Risks: The New Dynamic in Private Equity

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Private equity (PE) sponsors are increasingly seeking to broaden their investor base by offering retail access to traditionally institutional-only funds. Recently, statements by the SEC indicated the SEC staff will no longer...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Harnessing AI Under ERISA: A Compliance and Oversight Guide for Retirement and Health Plan Fiduciaries

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

It is increasingly evident that artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping all facets of business, and its impact on employee benefit plans is no exception. From automating plan administration to personalizing participant...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Same Old Song, Same Bad Fiduciary Practices

Here we go again. Another jumbo 401(k) plan, another lawsuit, another round of alleged fiduciary misconduct that reads like a broken record for those of us who’ve been watching this space since before fee disclosure was a...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

The Most Absurd Things About 401(k) Plans That Sponsors Have No Idea About

Fifteen years into my solo practice, you’d think I’d be desensitized to the absurdities of the 401(k) world. But no. Every time I think I’ve seen it all, a plan sponsor, or more accurately, the people advising them, reminds...more

Offit Kurman

When a Corporate Trustee May Be a Disadvantage for Your Trust

Offit Kurman on

Last month I explored the potential advantages of naming a corporate trustee, acknowledging that the decision is ultimately a matter of personal preference. In this second part of a two-part, “point-counterpoint”...more

Mintz

Missouri AG Launches Investigation of Proxy Advisory Firms Related to Alleged ESG-Focused Recommendations

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The Missouri Attorney-General, Republican Andrew Bailey, recently announced an investigation into the two principal proxy advisory firms for potential violations of Missouri law “related to their promotion of radical...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

UnitedHealth settles for $69 million

When a $69 million settlement drops, it’s more than just a corporate write-off—it’s a signal flare in the murky world of fiduciary responsibility. UnitedHealth Group, one of the largest health care conglomerates in the...more

Snell & Wilmer

A Return to Form: Department of Labor Walks Back Crypto Warning for 401(k) Plans

Snell & Wilmer on

In Compliance Assistance Release 2025-01 (the “Release”), the Department of Labor (the “Department”) rescinded its prior guidance that cautioned fiduciaries against offering cryptocurrency investments in their retirement...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Overpaying for Underperformance: A Fiduciary Breakdown in Plain Sight

A massive new study by Abernathy-Daley covering nearly 58,000 corporate 401(k) plans delivered a simple—but startling—message: virtually every plan suffers from overpriced, underperforming funds. In fact, 99% of plans have at...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Federal Agencies Release Guidance on Crypto-Asset Safekeeping for Banks

Troutman Pepper Locke on

On July 14, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) jointly issued a statement addressing the...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Fee Savings from CITs in 403(b)s Could Cover 6 Months of Retirement—If Fiduciaries Pay Attention

Vanguard’s latest report makes a blunt point: allowing collective investment trusts (CITs) in 403(b) plans could save the median plan participant about 0.08% to 0.09% annually compared to mutual fund fees—translating into...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Josh Itzoe Launches Fiduciary U: A New Era in 401(k) Committee Education

Let me be honest: most fiduciary training out there is about as exciting as watching paint dry in a compliance office. It’s often a checkbox exercise—generic, outdated, and completely divorced from the real-world problems...more

Ropes & Gray LLP

District Court Strikes Down $40 Million Settlement Agreement in Target Date Funds Case Based on Parallel SEC Settlement

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On May 19, 2025, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (the “Court”) denied final approval of a $40 million proposed settlement in a major class action lawsuit against The Vanguard Group,...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Don’t Offer Bitcoin In Your 401(k) Plan

As someone who has spent two decades guiding retirement plan sponsors, fixing broken fiduciary processes, and protecting plan participants from ill-conceived ideas, I’ve seen many trends come and go in the 401(k) space. Some...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Another Year, Another Reminder: Fees Still Matter – Especially for Small Plans

The just-released 25th Edition of the 401k Averages Book confirms what many of us on the fiduciary side have known—and preached—for years: fees continue to fall, but not evenly. While this is welcome news, it’s also a wake-up...more

Mayer Brown

US Supreme Court Grants Review in One ERISA Case, and Has Now Called for Views of the Solicitor General in Two Other ERISA Cases

Mayer Brown on

Fresh off its April 17, 2025 decision in Cunningham v. Cornell University, the US Supreme Court is setting the stage to delve back into ERISA issues next Term. On Monday, the Court granted certiorari to resolve a circuit...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

The 3 Cs: Why 401(k) Plan Sponsors Can’t Afford to Be Cheap, Controlling, and Clueless

After close to 30 years in this business—wearing the hats of TPA employee, ERISA attorney, plan document drafter, and occasional therapist to frantic plan sponsors—I’ve seen it all. The horror stories, the lawsuits, the...more

Hall Benefits Law

SCOTUS Revives Cornell 403b Lawsuit: What Fiduciaries Must Know

Hall Benefits Law on

Fiduciaries must treat plan management as an active compliance obligation to avoid legal exposure, says a Hall Benefits Law practitioner. On April 17, 2025, the US Supreme Court issued a unanimous per curiam opinion in...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

The Consequences of Deception: Defendant Hit With $4.5 Million Judgment After 12-Year “Wild Goose Chase Based on a Lie”

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

“Down the ridiculous rabbit hole,” “magical math,” “smoke and mirrors,” “sixteen-year charade.” That’s how the plaintiff’s post-trial brief in Becker v Perla described the defendant’s reverse-field disavowal of his sworn...more

Walkers

Key considerations for trustees deciding whether to exercise their power of appointment

Walkers on

Among a trustee's numerous powers, the exercise of its power of appointment is one it will most often be asked to consider exercising. It is also the power that will come under the most scrutiny from beneficiaries....more

Holland & Hart - The Benefits Dial

How Do You Like Me Now… Plan Fiduciary Considerations Following New DOL Crypto Guidance

The Department of Labor recently issued Compliance Assistance Release No. 2025-01 rescinding Compliance Assistance Release No. 2022-01 that directed 401(k) plan fiduciaries to exercise “extreme care” before adding...more

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