News & Analysis as of

Regulatory Reform Employee Benefits

Miller Canfield

New Executive Order Seeks to Facilitate Alternative Investments in 401(k) Plans

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On August 7, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled “Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors.” This Executive Order has the potential to significantly change how retirement savings...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

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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

Jones Day

White House Opens Door to Broader Inclusion of Alternative Assets in Defined Contribution Retirement Plans

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A hotly anticipated August 7, 2025, executive order, "Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors" ("EO"), aims to reduce regulatory barriers and significantly expand access to "alternative...more

Carlton Fields

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

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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

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Cleaning Out the ERISA Attic: DOL Retires Obsolete Interpretive Bulletins

The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) just did what many plan sponsors wish they could do, clear out old, confusing clutter that no longer serves a purpose....more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

What Employers Should Know About the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)

On July 4, 2025, H.R.1, or what is being called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”), was signed into law, introducing major reforms in tax and employee benefits that affect businesses and their employees. OBBBA is an...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

So, How Can Participants Invest Their Retirement Money?

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Under the current administration, the Department of Labor has once again changed course on its view of permissible investing strategies for retirement plans, warming to crypto and private equity, and confirming their distrust...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

The OBBBA’s Impact on Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation

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H.R.1—the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)—contains several provisions that directly affect employer-provided benefit programs, primarily health and welfare programs....more

Carlton Fields

Unsafe Harbor? Deregulation and the Limit of the Secure Act Safe Harbor for Selection of Lifetime Income Provider

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On January 31, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14192, titled“ Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation.” Its stated purpose was to encourage the reduction of private expenditure required to comply with federal...more

Saul Ewing LLP

Trump’s Megabill: Expanding Choice With Health Savings Accounts

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On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the reconciliation bill entitled An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14 (“Act”) into law. The changes proposed in the earlier House version of the...more

Mayer Brown

The Pensions Brief: July 2025

Mayer Brown on

The government has also published a roadmap setting out its overarching aims for its reforms to workplace pensions as well as indicative timing for implementation of the Bill. The roadmap indicates that the reforms will come...more

Mayer Brown

Broader Investment Options on the Horizon for Section 403(b) Retirement Plans

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AT A GLANCE - There is currently a disparity in the permitted investment options available under different retirement plans, putting participants of Section 403(b) plans at a disadvantage when compared with participants of...more

Mayer Brown

UK Reforms to the Rules on Surplus Release From DB Pension Schemes

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AT A GLANCE - The government will make release of surplus from ongoing defined benefit (DB) pension schemes easier....more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

DOL changes opinion letter program

The Department of Labor just announced that its Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is giving its opinion letter program a much-needed facelift. For those of us who’ve been around the retirement plan block a few...more

Hogan Lovells

Slow burn – UK government launches parental leave review

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The UK government opens a far reaching review into parental leave and pay, including maternity, paternity and shared parental leave. It wants to improve support for working families, while growing the economy and removing...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Here we go again

Here’s the short version: the Department of Labor’s decision to reopen the Biden-era ESG rule is overdue—and welcome....more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Crypto in 401(k) Plans? Sure—But Let’s Not Lose Our Minds

Well, that didn’t take long. In what’s becoming a routine political tug-of-war, the Trump administration (yes, back again) has rescinded the Biden-era Department of Labor (DOL) guidance cautioning plan sponsors against...more

Hogan Lovells

HL UK Pensions Law Digest 16 June 2025

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Welcome to our latest update, in which we cover: Pensions Regulator (TPR): completing the jigsaw A blog from TPR welcoming the opportunities presented by the Pension Schemes Bill; Pensions Ombudsman (PO): Operating Model...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

President Trump’s Budget Goes To Work Against Enforcement Agencies with Significant Cuts to DOL and NLRB

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President Trump’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 includes substantial reductions to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) budget and staff.  The proposed discretionary budget is slashed from $13.5 billion to $9...more

A&O Shearman

UK permanently exempts UK and EEA pension schemes from the derivatives clearing obligation

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The Pension Fund Clearing Obligation Exemption (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/670) have been published, alongside an explanatory memorandum. The regulations amend the UK version of Regulation 2012/648 (UK EMIR) and...more

Polsinelli

DOL Rescinds 2022 Guidance Concerning Cryptocurrency Investments in 401(k) Plans

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On May 28, 2025, the Department of Labor (DOL) rescinded its 2022 guidance that cautioned retirement plan fiduciaries to exercise “extreme care” in permitting cryptocurrency and other digital asset investments in retirement...more

Mayer Brown

A Return to Investment Neutrality? DOL Rescinds Guidance Discouraging Plan Fiduciaries from Considering Cryptocurrencies

Mayer Brown on

On May 28, 2025, the US Department of Labor (the “Labor Department”) issued Compliance Assistance Release No. 2025-01 (the “2025 Release”), memorializing the Labor Department’s decision to rescind Compliance Release No....more

A&O Shearman

UK Pensions: What’s new this week? June 9, 2025

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Welcome to your weekly update from the A&O Shearman Pensions team, covering all the latest legal and regulatory developments in the world of workplace pensions. Government to legislate to help with Virgin Media issues - The...more

Mayer Brown

"Game-Changing" Pensions Reform – The Pension Schemes Bill is Published

Mayer Brown on

The long-awaited Pension Schemes Bill has been laid before Parliament. Described by the government as a "game changer", it aims to increase members' pension pots and deliver a £50 billion investment into the UK economy. The...more

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