Among other things, FINRA is focusing on services and recommendations by broker-dealers and their registered representatives to retirees, senior investors and investors with diminished capacity.
The Report has one part...more
2/11/2025
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Diminished Capacity ,
Enforcement ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investor Protection ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Registered Investment Advisors ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Retirement ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities Regulation ,
Senior Investors
As explained in my last post, Things I Worry About (7), the DOL’s EBSA has a number of programs that can restore benefits to plans and participants. Those include:
- Civil investigations.
- Criminal investigations.
-...more
2/4/2025
/ 401k ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Investigations ,
Missing Plan Participants ,
Retirement Plan
The DOL’s EBSA has a number of programs that can restore benefits to plans and participants. Those include:
- Civil investigations.
- Criminal investigations.
- Informal compliant resolutions.
- Correction...more
1/29/2025
/ 401k ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Compliance ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Investigations ,
Investment Adviser ,
Retirement Plan
As I explained in my last post, Fiduciary Rule 51, I have been asked whether the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright Enterprises et al. v. Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce et al. could affect the outcome of the litigation...more
10/18/2024
/ 401k ,
Annuities ,
Chevron Deference ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo ,
PTE 84-24 ,
PTEs ,
Regulation BI ,
SCOTUS ,
Statutory Authority
The stay of the effective dates of the amended fiduciary regulation and amended exemptions means that the “old” DOL fiduciary regulation (the 5-part test) and the existing exemptions continue in effect indefinitely....more
9/30/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment Adviser ,
NAIC ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The stay of the effective dates of the amended fiduciary regulation and amended exemptions means that the “old” DOL fiduciary regulation (the 5-part test) and the existing exemptions continue in effect indefinitely....more
9/17/2024
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
NAIC ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulation BI ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The effective date of the DOL’s new expansive fiduciary rule and the amendments to Prohibited Transaction Exemption (PTE) 2020-02 has been stayed pending the outcome of the lawsuits challenging the rule and the amended PTE....more
9/12/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Retirement Plan
The Department of Labor has issued its final regulation defining fiduciary status for investment advice to retirement investors and the related exemptions for prohibited conflicts—PTEs 2020-02 and 84-24. The exemptions...more
7/12/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disclosure ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investors ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTE 84-24 ,
Retirement Plan
On April 25, 2024, the Department of Labor published its final regulation defining fiduciary status for investment advice and the related exemptions—PTE 2020-02 and 84-24. The exemptions provide relief from prohibited...more
On April 25, 2024, the Department of Labor published its final regulation on defining fiduciary status for investment advice, and the related exemptions, in the Federal Register. The exemptions provide relief from prohibited...more
5/9/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTE 84-24 ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retirement Plan
On April 25, 2024, the Department of Labor published its final regulation on fiduciary advice, and the related exemptions, in the Federal Register. The regulation defines fiduciary investment advice and the exemptions provide...more
4/29/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTE 84-24 ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retirement Plan
On November 3, 2023 the Department of Labor (DOL) published its new proposed regulatory package redefining fiduciary investment advice and materially amending prohibited transaction exemptions for compensation resulting from...more
In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to...more
In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to...more
3/27/2024
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
Proposed Regulation ,
PTEs ,
Robo-Advisors
In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to...more
3/21/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Retirement Plan
In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to...more
3/12/2024
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment Adviser ,
New Rules ,
OMB ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTE 84-24 ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Retirement Plan
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to retirement plans,...more
3/1/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTE 84-24 ,
PTEs ,
Retirement Plan
Broker-dealers and their registered representatives (advisors) providing services to private sector tax-qualified and ERISA-governed retirement plans, participants in those plans and IRA owners (collectively, Retirement...more
2/21/2024
/ Competition ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disclosure ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investors ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
Proposed Amendments ,
PTEs ,
Retirement Plan
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to retirement plans,...more
2/20/2024
/ Compensation ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Plan Participants ,
Proposed Regulation ,
PTE 84-24 ,
PTEs ,
Retirement
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to retirement plans,...more
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to retirement plans,...more
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to retirement plans,...more
1/17/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTE 84-24 ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retirement Plan
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to retirement plans,...more
1/9/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Retirement Plan
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to retirement plans,...more
1/3/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTE 84-24 ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retirement Plan
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to retirement plans,...more
12/18/2023
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs