Where’s the best place for the 401k plan sponsor to go for free help on their fiduciary duties and responsibilities?
Compliance
Many feel the DOL rightly reversed earlier rules that allowed for too many potential conflicts-of-interest. But, will any new DOL guidelines only encourage a “cookie-cutter” approach, doing the investor more harm than good?
The 401k fiduciary typically searches for ways to reduce fiduciary liability. This can be done by hiring what the United States Department of Labor (DOL) terms “prudent experts,” particularly in the area of investments. The DOL permits a fiduciary to appoint, among others, a registered investment adviser to reduce personal fiduciary liability.
What most often triggers a DOL audit? What liability exposure does the ERISA/401k fiduciary typically face as a result of a DOL audit? Can a retirement plan fiduciary face criminal charges? What does the DOL auditor expect from the ERISA/401k fiduciary? What are the four critical keys the plan fiduciary should focus on during a DOL audit? Does the DOL have an ideal “Wish List of Materials” they expect an ERISA/401k fiduciary to provide them during a DOL audit?
The United States Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a booklet entitled “Meeting Your Fiduciary Responsibilities.” The DOL created this publication to help Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) plan fiduciaries better understand their duties and obligations. Included are four “essential elements” of all retirement plans.
Understanding fiduciary responsibilities is important for the security of a retirement plan and compliance with the law. Here are 10 tips excerpted from the United States Department of Labor booklet “Meeting Your Fiduciary Responsibilities” that may be a helpful starting point.
An employee places much trust in an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) fiduciary. Because they have the responsibility to act on behalf of retirement plan beneficiaries, plan fiduciaries are held to certain standards of conduct by the United States Department of Labor.
