Fiduciary Governance

Defined contribution plans are practically ubiquitous. But like most things that are common, the mere fact that they are does not necessarily mean that comprehension of investing the funds they contain is. A recently released research paper discusses the problem posed by poor financial literacy and... READ MORE

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series about establishing and managing retirement plan committees. The last 10-plus years have brought into sharp relief the importance of fiduciary duties and fulfilling them as ERISA requires. Offering a retirement plan has many moving parts, and... READ MORE

Whether you are a Game of Thrones aficionado – or haven’t watched a single episode – there are lessons to be learned nonetheless. Not only are there fiduciary admonitions from the HBO series, it turns out there are words of wisdom for individual retirement savers as well. Check these out. “When... READ MORE

Words matter. Don’t think so? The publisher of a King James Bible in the 17th century who left out the word “not” in the commandment “thou shalt not commit adultery” and who suffered the consequences would beg to differ. And words matter in retirement plan communications as well, as recent analyses... READ MORE

The U.S. Supreme Court will, once again, take up the issue of where, and how, to draw the line between the obligations of corporate officials and ERISA plan fiduciaries. Specifically, the Supreme Court has now decided (Ret. Plans Comm. of IBM v. Jander, U.S., No. 18-1165, certiorari granted 6/3/19... READ MORE

I was late to the Game of Thrones – and though its final season seems a bit “rushed” – there has been plenty to not only watch, but mull over in its eight-season run. And yet, as the series wound to a close, I kept thinking there were some lessons for retirement amidst the mayhem. ‘A man’s gotta... READ MORE

There are many moving pieces and factors to keep track of regarding retirement plans and individual accounts. But two recent blog entries remind that despite the multiplicity of concerns and duties, it’s also important to keep one’s eyes on the ultimate prize and not forget the ultimate reason for... READ MORE

The federal government’s updated Spring 2019 unified regulatory agenda sheds some light on prospects for the Department of Labor’s next steps on a fiduciary rule revamp.  The DOL’s updated regulatory agenda confirms that the agency has set a target date of December 2019 to issue a Notice of... READ MORE

So is there a retirement crisis or not? House Budget Committee members and experts who testified before the committee on May 15 did not agree. But at least they did concur on one thing: the need to take action to bolster the retirement readiness of those who are not well-prepared. Testifying... READ MORE