News & Analysis as of

Retirement Plan Benefit Plan Sponsors Investment

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

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.

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

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

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Workplace Retirement Plans: Participation Is Up, But So Is Financial Stress

Retirement plan participation is up, but don’t pop the champagne just yet. According to Morgan Stanley at Work’s just-released State of the Workplace Report, while more employees are enrolling in their 401(k) plans, many are...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

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Managed Accounts have room to grow

Sponsors of 401(k) plans are increasingly recognizing the need to provide personalized investment options for their participants; however, access to managed accounts still remains limited....more

Williams Mullen

PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Navigating Fiduciary Responsibilities in a Tide-Turning ESG Era

Williams Mullen on

On this episode of Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Ken Barnes, vice president of investment consulting at SageView Advisory Group, who discusses the recent federal ruling against American...more

Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL

Benefits Monthly Minute - January 2025

The January Monthly Minute highlights a recent Texas court decision holding ESG investing violated ERISA and a new development in the J&J prescription drug case that found plaintiff lacked standing to sue, and also digs into...more

Miller Canfield

American Airlines Breaches Fiduciary Duty of Loyalty with BlackRock ESG Funds in 401(k) Plans

Miller Canfield on

Whether, and the extent to which, a plan fiduciary can consider nonpecuniary environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) objectives in selecting plan investments has been a hot-button issue for many years, with the view on...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Don’t Fall For These 401(k) Plan Provider Gimmicks

A “sales gimmick” is a term that refers to a method a business employs to immediately generate demand for its product or service. I just bought Fan Fest tickets 6 months in advance because they were giving me a $30...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

The New Fiduciary Rule (40): Rollovers and the Insurance License Issue

The Department of Labor’s final regulation defining fiduciary status for investment advice to retirement investors will be effective this September 23. Where a fiduciary recommendation results in additional compensation for...more

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

Department of Labor’s final Fiduciary Rule 4.0

On April 23, 2024, the US Department of Labor (DOL) released its Final Rule 4.0 regarding ERISA fiduciary investment advice, including amended exemptions for conflicted investment advice. Our initial analysis of the Final...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Labor Department Finalizes Investment Advice Fiduciary Rule Under ERISA

For the second time in a decade, the Department of Labor (DOL) attempted to expand the reach (and requirements) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). On April 23, 2024, DOL succeeded and announced...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Another 401(k) Plan Fiduciary Defeats Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claims at Trial

Following a bench trial in a Pennsylvania federal district court in Nunez v. B. Braun Medical, Inc., 401(k) plan fiduciaries defeated a lawsuit alleging that the fiduciaries imprudently managed and paid excessive...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Prudent Plan Governance Essential in Defense Against Fiduciary Breach

Although retirement plan excessive fee cases remain an ongoing concern for plan sponsors, the recent jury trial victory for Yale in Vellali, et. al. v. Yale University, et. al. provides hope for plans with strong, prudent...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Putnam adds ESG Target Date Funds to their lineup

With the new Department of Labor (DOL) rules on ESG funds, it should be no shock that mutual fund companies starting mutual fund offerings for 401(k) fund lineups. Putnam has launched the Putnam Sustainable Retirement Funds...more

Verrill

Next Steps for Making Collective Investment Trusts Available to More Retirement Plans

Verrill on

Collective investment trusts (“CITs”) have become an increasingly popular choice for 401(k) plan investment menus over the past decade, consistent with a trend toward lower-cost investment options that has been driven, in...more

Foley Hoag LLP

DOL Eases Restrictions on Use of ESG Factors in Retirement Plan Investment Decisions

Foley Hoag LLP on

The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) has issued a final rule (the “Final Rule) addressing how ERISA fiduciaries may consider environmental, social and governmental (ESG) factors in making investment decisions for retirement...more

Snell & Wilmer

2022 End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” List (Part 3) Qualified Retirement Plans

Snell & Wilmer on

As 2022 comes to an end, we are pleased to present our traditional End of Year Plan Sponsor “To Do” Lists. This year, we present our “To Do” Lists in four separate SW Benefits Updates. Part 1 covered health and welfare plan...more

Verrill

ERISA Section 404(c) Protection: A Refresher for Fiduciaries

Verrill on

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) imposes both (i) significant responsibilities on fiduciaries of participant-directed individual account plans, including 401(k) plans, and (ii) personal liability for...more

Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL

Benefits Monthly Minute - September 2022

The September Monthly Minute reports on the IRS’ new amendment extension deadline with respect to coronavirus-related distributions and qualified disaster distributions, a recent $131.8 million settlement stemming from...more

Holland & Hart - The Benefits Dial

What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger… New Audit Requirements for Retirement Plans

For many retirement plan sponsors, Form 5500 preparation season is underway. Plan sponsors should be aware that things have changed with the Form 5500 audit requirements and procedures. These changes push more...more

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

Proposed ERISA regulation may facilitate ESG in retirement plans

On October 14, 2021, the US Department of Labor (DOL) proposed changes to ERISA regulations that would again shift the analysis of consideration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in retirement plans...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Forced Rollovers of Small Retirement Account Balances: What to Do with Missing Participants

When a participant experiences a distribution event (e.g., terminating service with the employer), and when the participant does not affirmatively elect to take the distribution, a plan document may require that an account...more

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