Popular, 401k, Department of Labor (DOL)

DOL Begins to Act Under the New Executive Order Aimed to Increase Alternative Investments in Retirement Plans

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP on 8/15/2025

On August 7, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (the “Order”) designed to increase access to investment in certain Alternative Assets (defined below), including private equity, through Internal Revenue Code...more

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

Ballard Spahr LLP on 8/14/2025

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

Trump Administration Executive Order Aims to Expand 401(k) Access to Private Markets, Alternative Investments

Alston & Bird on 8/13/2025

Our Investment Funds Team breaks down a new Executive Order signed by President Trump intended to expand access for 401(k) plans to invest in private equity, cryptocurrency, and other alternative assets....more

Executive Order Targets Access to Alternative Assets in Retirement Plans

Morrison & Foerster LLP on 8/13/2025

On August 7, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order (the “Order”) aiming to facilitate the use of alternative investment assets, such as private equity, real estate, venture capital, digital assets, and hedge funds,...more

Executive Order Seeks to Promote Incorporation of Alternative Assets in 401(k) Plans

King & Spalding on 8/12/2025

On August 7, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order entitled “Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors” (the “Executive Order”),1 requiring the Department of Labor (“DOL”) and the Securities...more

U.S. Department of Labor Updates: Yes to Crypto and No to ESG?

King & Spalding on 6/2/2025

On May 28, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) provided updated guidance on two employee benefit plan-related investment areas: (1) cryptocurrency and (2) environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) investing....more

Trump Administration Will Replace the Biden Administration's Department of Labor Rule Permitting ESG Investing

Mintz on 6/2/2025

3 Under the Biden Administration, the Department of Labor ("DOL") had issued a rule that permitted ESG factors to be considered when making investments on behalf of 401(k) plans. (This rule had replaced an earlier one from...more

DOL Rescinds 2022 Guidance Cautioning Against 401(k) Plan Investments in Cryptocurrencies

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive... on 5/30/2025

On May 28, 2025, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued Compliance Assistance Release No. 2025-01 which rescinds the DOL’s prior Compliance Assistance Release No. 2022-1 which had warned 401(k) plan fiduciaries against adding...more

July is Still the New January! Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute’s Mid-Year Legislative Report

Littler on 6/21/2024

Hot off the press – here is Littler’s mid-year report! As federal regulators, states and cities continue to pass new workplace regulations through the calendar year, we summarize each state’s notable labor and employment law...more

2023 Year-End Employee Benefits Updates

Quarles & Brady LLP on 11/16/2023

This newsletter provides updates employers should be aware of heading into 2024, including an outline of the updated 2024 retirement and welfare plan limits, instructions related to the “gag order” attestation requirements...more

ForUsAll teams up for Bitcoin offering

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C. on 11/29/2022

May fortune favor the bold. I have to say something nice because I wouldn’t attempt a Bitcoin offering with the Department of Labor (DOL) against it. Bitwage announced a partnership with ForUsAll to offer a one-stop shop for...more

DOL has grave concern over Fidelity bitcoin decision

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C. on 8/30/2022

The Department of Labor criticized Fidelity Investments’ plan to allow investors to put bitcoin in their 401(k) accounts....more

Fidelity to offer crypto window in 401(k) plans

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C. on 8/25/2022

Fidelity Investments will allow investors to put bitcoin (BTC) into their 401(k) retirement savings accounts later this year....more

DOL Expresses Extreme Concern Over Prudence of Cryptocurrency Investments in 401(k) Plans

Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC on 6/23/2022

On March 10, 2022, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) published Compliance Assistance Release No. 2022-01 (Release) addressing “cryptocurrency” investment in 401(k) retirement plans. In its Release, the DOL expressed...more

DOL Stance on Cryptocurrency in 401(k) Plans Becomes a Political Football

Bracewell LLP on 5/13/2022

A recent release by the DOL raising concerns about plan sponsors allowing cryptocurrency investments in 401(k) plans has gotten the attention of both sides of the Congressional aisle as well as industry groups. Some of the...more

Brokerage Window Fiduciary Duties in Light of DOL Cryptocurrency Guidance

Kilpatrick on 5/2/2022

The DOL’s (DOL) recent warning that it is launching a new investigative program aimed at plans that offer investments in cryptocurrency and related products, including through brokerage windows, sent shockwaves through the...more

DOL Warns Sponsors against Permitting Cryptocurrency-Related Investments on 401(k) Plan Investment Menus

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP on 4/12/2022

The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) last month issued Compliance Assistance Release No. 2022-1 - 401(k) Plan Investments in “Cryptocurrencies” (the “Release”) in which it strongly cautions ERISA plan fiduciaries to use...more

DOL Release Warns About Cryptocurrency in 401(k) Plans

K&L Gates LLP on 4/8/2022

The Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued a Release that warns about cryptocurrency use in 401(k) plans. The Release raises a number of concerns, including troubling implications for fiduciary duties with respect to...more

Can’t Touch This … DOL Discourages Plans From Investing in Cryptocurrency

Holland & Hart - The Benefits Dial on 4/6/2022

Among the many phrases of ERISA, one that is familiar to investment fiduciaries is the requirement to choose investments with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence that a prudent person who is familiar with such matters...more

Happy National Employee Benefits Day – – April 5, 2022!!

Jackson Lewis P.C. on 4/5/2022

Last year about this time, we wrote of how far we had come collectively in the world of employee benefits roughly one year after the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. We reveled at how we kept on keeping on, what we were able...more

DOL Warns 401(k) Plan Fiduciaries about Cryptocurrency Investments

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on 3/23/2022

Investments in Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are becoming more and more mainstream. Driven by outrageous returns, and presenting outrageous volatility and risk, both traditional institutional and individual...more

[Webinar] Hot Topics and Trends in Employee Benefits: What Employers Need to Know - November 3rd, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm ET

Epstein Becker & Green on 10/27/2021

Attorneys from our Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice provide insights on current issues facing various types of employee benefits programs. Topics include: - Cybersecurity - DOL Audit Initiatives -...more

Department of Labor Teases Cryptocurrency Interest

Morgan Lewis - ML Benefits on 9/30/2021

Hinting that the US Department of Labor (DOL) is currently working on guidance related to cryptocurrency, the Acting Assistant Secretary for the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration recently commented that the DOL...more

DOL Begins Audit of Retirement Plans for Cybersecurity Shortfalls

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC on 7/15/2021

To increase protections for the estimated $9.3 trillion in American retirement assets, the Department of Labor (DOL) has begun a new cybersecurity audit initiative for retirement plans. After providing its first set of...more

DOL Ups Its Game on Cybersecurity Program Oversight, Begins Audit Initiative

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP on 6/24/2021

In light of a new DOL audit initiative and increasing cybersecurity threats to ERISA benefit plans, ERISA plan sponsors and fiduciaries should be prepared to answer some important questions: Do the cybersecurity programs of...more

Today's Popular Updates › 401k › Department of Labor (DOL)

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