Los Angeles partner Fred Reish was featured on the cover of 401(k) Specialist Magazine, and was quoted extensively in the cover story titled “Fred Knows 401k Fiduciary.” The article states that after the demise of the Department of Labor’s Conflict of Interest Rule, Fred is “about as close as one can get to someone ‘in the know.’ His expertise and experience have him (always) in demand.”
Continue reading Fred Reish Featured on the Cover of 401(k) Specialist Magazine
This is the seventh of the series about Best Practices for Plan Sponsors.
Most companies have budgets for their business operations . . . and then regularly compare budget-to-actual. In other words, they compare their actual expenses to the budgeted amounts to see if they are on track to accomplish their financial goals. That’s pretty standard, and there is nothing remarkable about it. But, why don’t plan sponsors and fiduciaries, for example, plan committees, use that same approach for their 401(k) plans? I have a theory about that. But, before I explain my theory, let me say that I believe that plan committees should have budgets, or goals, and should measure their success in reaching those goals.
My theory is that 401(k) plans don’t set goals for plan success because 401(k) plans were originally viewed as the “employees’ plan.” The idea was that employees could do what they wanted to do, since the plan was a supplemental savings plan. That approach made sense when pension plans were more popular. However, now that 401(k) plans have become the primary retirement plan for most employers and employees, it seems fairly obvious that the burden of success of 401(k) plans needs to fall primarily on employers and fiduciaries.
FINRA is taking the position that broker-dealers need to evaluate the long-term costs of different share classes in 529 plans. In effect, FINRA is imposing a “best interest” standard on 529 recommendations. For a description of FINRA’s expectations and its new self-disclosure program, here is an article by several of our Drinker Biddle attorneys, including me: FINRA’s 529 Plan Share Class Initiative to Self-Report
One of the shiny new coins of the 401(k) realm is “Open MEPs.” It’s anticipated that Congress will pass legislation this year that permits Open MEPs. Legislation is needed because of DOL guidance that, in essence, prohibits MEPs that are “open” to all employers. But, what is an Open Multiple Employer Plan? What other kinds of MEPs are there? How do the people that set up MEPs get paid? Here is an article that I, and my partners, Bruce Ashton and Josh Waldbeser, wrote on that subject for ASPPA.
Continue reading Open Questions on Open MEPs
Why Wait Until After You are Sued?
This is the sixth of the series about Best Practices for Plan Sponsors.
I am surprised that, after all of the fiduciary litigation against 401(k) plan sponsors, many plan sponsors and their committees have not taken the basic steps to minimize the risk of being sued, or if sued, of being liable. In most of the settled cases, the plaintiffs’ class action attorneys require that certain conditions—or “best practices”—be adopted by the plan fiduciaries. And, in settlement after settlement, those conditions are, by and large, the same. That raises the obvious question, why haven’t plan committees reviewed these cases and instituted the practices required by the settlement agreements?
What Does Best Interest Mean . . . In the Real World? (Part 4)
I am writing two series of articles that together are called “The Bests.” One is about Best Practices for plan sponsors, while the other is about the Best Interest Standard of Care for advisors. Each series is numbered separately to make it easier to identify the subject that is most relevant to you.
This is the seventh of the series about the Best Interest Standard of Care.
In my last three posts (Best Interest Standard of Care for Advisors #4 and #5 and #6), I discuss the Best Interest standard of care and its practical application. This article discusses a novel approach for compliance with the fiduciary standard for the selection of investments for 401(k) plans. All the more interesting, the approach was part of an opinion of the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals.
In October 2018, the First Circuit considered an appeal of a 401(k) case where Putnam Investments, and its fiduciaries, were the defendants. At one point, the defendants argued that, if the court found fiduciary liability under the facts of the case, it would discourage employers from adopting 401(k) plans. The Court of Appeals responded by saying:
“While Putnam warns of putative ERISA plans foregone for fear of litigation risk, it points to no evidence that employers in, for example, the Fourth, Fifth, and Eighth Circuits [which found that similar facts could result in liability], are less likely to adopt ERISA plans.” Continue reading Best Interest Standard of Care for Advisors #7
What Does Best Interest Mean . . . In the Real World? (Part 3)
I am writing two series of articles that together are called “The Bests.” One is about Best Practices for plan sponsors, while the other is about the Best Interest Standard of Care for advisors. Each series is numbered separately to make it easier to identify the subject that is most relevant to you.
This is the sixth of the series about the Best Interest Standard of Care.
In my last two posts (Best Interest Standard of Care for Advisors #4 and #5), I discussed the definition of the Best Interest standard of care, with a particular focus on the duty to exercise care, skill, prudence and diligence in developing recommendations for investors. Those articles commented on the consistency in the Best Interest and fiduciary standards being developed by the SEC and several states (including New York), as well ERISA’s duty of care and duty of loyalty.
Bests #9 discussed the similarities of the standards of care and Bests #10 talked about the consideration of costs. This article focuses on considerations of the quality of the products and services and on portfolio investing.
Continue reading Best Interest Standard of Care for Advisors #6What Does Best Interest Mean . . . In the Real World? (Part 2)
I am writing two series of articles that together are called “The Bests.” One is about Best Practices for plan sponsors, while the other is about the Best Interest Standard of Care for advisors. Each series is numbered separately to make it easier to identify the subject that is most relevant to you.
This is the fifth of the series about the Best Interest Standard of Care.
My last article, Best Interest Standard of Care for Advisors #4, discussed different definitions of a “best interest” standard of care. The point of that article is that, while there may be slight differences in the wording, the rules converge to require that an advisor (and the advisor’s supervisory entity) act with care, skill, diligence and prudence to make recommendations that are in the best interest of the investor. This article discusses how the standard applies to specific circumstances.
As background, there are three parts to any best interest standard. The first is that the advisor engage in a process–carefully, skillfully, diligently and prudently–to develop the recommendation. That process is measured by an objective standard . . . what are the relevant factors that a knowledgeable professional advisor would consider and how would that hypothetical advisor evaluate those factors. The second is that the advisor act with loyalty to the investor. The advisor cannot put his interests ahead of the investor’s. The third is that the recommendation appropriately consider the investor’s profile (e.g., the needs and circumstances of the investor).
Continue reading Best Interest Standard of Care for Advisors #5
What Does “Best Interest” Mean? (Part 1)
I am writing two series of articles that together are called “The Bests.” One is about Best Practices for plan sponsors, while the other is about the Best Interest Standard of Care for advisors. Each series is numbered separately to make it easier to identify the subject that is most relevant to you.
This is the fourth of the series about the Best Interest Standard of Care.
“Best Interest” has become part of the American lexicon . . . as an aspirational goal or a demanding standard—depending on the point of view. But, what does best interest mean? It may mean different things to different people . . . and perhaps even to different regulators. However, I believe that most people would agree on the definition in this article.
As I read the guidance issued by the Department of Labor (DOL), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and New York State, there are actually two different best interests. The first is a standard of care and the second is a duty of loyalty. Of the two, the duty of loyalty is the easiest to define because, in all of the guidance it boils down to a requirement that an advisor cannot put his interest ahead of the investor’s.
Continue reading Best Interest Standard of Care for Advisors #4
Fiduciary Training: The Need for Basics
This is the fifth of the series about Best Practices for Plan Sponsors.
In three earlier posts—Best Practices for Plan Sponsors #2, #3, and #4—about the Sacerdote v. New York University decision, I discussed the good and the bad of the NYU plan committee and made several suggestions about best practices for improving committee performance. This article focuses on one of those suggestions—fiduciary education for committee members.
As a starting point, there is not a legal requirement that committee members receive fiduciary training. Instead, it’s a best practice and good risk management.
But, what should the fiduciary education cover? Based on my analysis of court decisions on fiduciary responsibility, I am worried that fiduciaries may not be adequately educated about their basic responsibilities and particularly their administrative oversight duties. If you look at decisions, such as the NYU case, the issues are basic. For example, one of the defendants did not know if he was still a member of the committee. Another committee member didn’t believe that she was a fiduciary or that she had legal responsibility for the decisions made by the committee. Instead, she thought her role was ministerial, in terms of setting up the meetings and distributing information.
