Trending topics this week explores whether a popular investment product is a ticking time bomb or the Holy Grail of investing and connects the dots to lament over the apparent loss of a true fiduciary standard.
Tag "Fiduciary Standard"
It might surprise you to discover the industry’s loudest complaints against the fiduciary standard might also be the strongest arguments for the fiduciary standard.
On the one hand SEC Chairman Shapiro wants to “put the client first.” On the other hand, she delays addressing a conflict of interest research has shown to hurt investors. Is there a method to this madness?
For all the talk of the new definition of fiduciary and the fiduciary standard, an old favorite topic returned to trending this past week. Can you guess what it is? Here’s a hint: It impacts nearly every 401k and IRA investor.
For all the public comments offered at the DOL’s Public Hearing on the definition of the Definition of Fiduciary, perhaps the most important statement was the one offered by Assistant Secretary to open the hearings.
In a week where the new Form ADV became official, we discovered it can increase fiduciary liability for 401k plan sponsors for the same reason it is supposed to help them. In the meantime, the fiduciary finger now points squarely at brokers alone, plus more news on pensions and Target Date Funds.
The SEC’s new Form ADV Part 2 makes it harder for 401k Plan Sponsors to feign ignorance when it comes to conflicts of interest.
A day in the life of a fiduciary, from a foreboding dawn, to the doom of high noon, to the sun setting on an old friend, to the restless night. What a week it’s been.
Just as the problems with Target Date Funds go mainstream, the GAO asks the DOL to look into disclosure rules that could torpedo annuities in 401k plans. Oh, and the House calls the SEC’s bluff.
Fiduciary News Trending Topics for ERISA Plan Sponsors: Week Ending 5/6/11
The SEC finally admits 12b-1 is a priority, The Wall Street Journal finally explains why ETFs might not be ready for prime-time and InvestmentNews finally reveals why many financial advisers won’t be impacted at all by a uniform and stronger fiduciary standard. Still, there’s one article that sets all we’ve learned the past forty years so far back you won’t believe it.