These three issues linger like a ticking time bomb. They’re out there. They’re going to go off at some point. We just don’t know when. Plan fiduciaries need to get ready for them.
Tag "Fees"
These next three months may prove a watershed for 401k plan sponsors as new rules will dramatically alter how 401k plan sponsors manage their companies’ retirement plans.
Where’s the best place for the 401k plan sponsor to go for free help on their fiduciary duties and responsibilities?
If the DOL requires the 401k plan fiduciary to ignore a fund’s investment performance, but the SEC still requires funds to disclose that performance, which will 401k investors choose? More importantly, who’s left holding the liability bag?
Should indirect fees matter? Academics may argue, but regulators will have the final say. Unfortunately, different definitions of fees only confound the ERISA fiduciary.
Too many accept the definition of “fees” without deliberation. Yet, even by looking solely at the fees associated with investment choice, the fiduciary can land in a state of confusion. This only increases liability. How can we fix this?
As usual, be careful about elixirs marketed as cure-alls. Personally involved in creating CITs in the early 1990s specifically to market to 401k plans, I’ll share my experiences with you here.
$16.5 million is a large price to pay for disclosure and due diligence a plan fiduciary can simply and consistently address. This may be the easiest action a 401k plan fiduciary to take to prevent the camel from sticking his nose under the tent.
SEC’s Mary Shapiro: “When it comes to 12b-1 fees, there is a need for more fundamental change than mere disclosure reforms and a name change.” FiduciaryNews’ exploration of this hot potato reveals a surprising misconception.
Top Fiduciary Stories in 2009
The topsy-turvy 2009 provided some of the biggest fiduciary stories in years. Which do you think rates as the most important?