The US 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 advice to plans, participants (including...more
11/3/2023
/ Banks ,
Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Investment Trust Companies ,
IRA Rollovers ,
New Rules ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Retirement Plan
UPDATE: On August 8, I posted this blog article in contemplation of the DOL sending a new fiduciary proposal package to the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) in the White House. One month later, to the day, the receipt of...more
9/26/2023
/ Annuities ,
Best Interest Standard ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
IRA Rollovers ,
New Regulations ,
New Rules ,
OMB ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Agenda
The current DOL fiduciary rule says that a broker-dealer and its registered representatives (advisors) are fiduciaries to a plan under ERISA if a functional 5-part test is satisfied. This same 5-part test applies to...more
2/22/2023
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Proposed Regulation ,
PTEs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Retirement Plan
The DOL expanded its interpretation of fiduciary advice in the Preamble to PTE 2020-02 and as a result, many more broker-dealers and their registered representatives (investment professionals) are fiduciaries for their...more
9/13/2022
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Registered Investment Advisors ,
Self-Correction Programs ,
Standard of Care
In recent years, the SEC has been conducting a nationwide and industry-wide “sweep” of investment advisory firms, pursuant to which it has opened investigations and brought enforcement actions against a multitude of...more
3/22/2022
/ Conflicts of Interest ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Failure To Disclose ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Revenue Sharing ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Transaction Fees
This series focuses on the DOL’s new fiduciary “rule”, which was effective on February 16. This, and the next several, articles look at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) issued by the DOL to explain the fiduciary...more
3/1/2022
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Compliance ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
IRS ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest
The DOL has issued FAQs that generally explain PTE 2020-02 and the expanded definition of fiduciary advice.
In FAQ 17, the DOL discusses both the implications of payout grids and mitigation techniques to minimize...more
1/26/2022
/ Banks ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Insurance Industry ,
Investment Adviser ,
Mitigation ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
Retirement Plan
This series focuses on the DOL’s new fiduciary “rule”, which was effective on February 16. This, and the next several, articles look at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) issued by the DOL to explain the fiduciary...more
12/14/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulation BI ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
This series focuses on the DOL’s new fiduciary “rule”, which was effective on February 16. This article looks at the Department of Labor’s recent extension of its non-enforcement policy regarding the conditions of Prohibited...more
11/2/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Retirement Plan ,
Standard of Conduct
The Department of Labor’s “Fiduciary Rule,” PTE 2020-02: The FAQs -
This series focuses on the DOL’s new fiduciary “rule”, which was effective on February 16. This, and the next several, articles look at the Frequently...more
10/13/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan
The DOL’s new fiduciary “rule” became effective on February 16, 2021. The rule is a combination of a new and expansive definition of fiduciary advice (and status) and an exemption from the prohibitions of ERISA and the...more
10/7/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investors ,
Plan Participants ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Retirement Plan ,
Retirement Plan Providers
The DOL “Fiduciary Rule,” FAQ 15: Factors to Evaluate for a Rollover Recommendation (Part 2) -
This series focuses on the DOL’s new fiduciary “rule”, which was effective on February 16. This, and the next several, articles...more
9/15/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulation BI ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Standard of Conduct
The DOL “Fiduciary Rule,” FAQ 14: Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest -
This series focuses on the DOL’s new fiduciary “rule”, which was effective on February 16. This, and the next several, articles look at the Frequently...more
9/1/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disclosure ,
Fiduciary ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investors ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
Retirement Plan Beneficiaries ,
Standard of Conduct
The DOL “Fiduciary Rule,” FAQ 13: Written Acknowledgement of Fiduciary Status -
This series focuses on the DOL’s new fiduciary “rule”, which was effective on February 16. This, and the next several, articles look at the...more
8/25/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulation BI ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Standard of Conduct
The Department of Labor’s “Fiduciary Rule,” PTE 2020-02: The FAQs -
This series focuses on the DOL’s new fiduciary “rule”, which was effective on February 16. This, and the next several, articles look at the Frequently...more
7/7/2021
/ Banks ,
Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Insurance Industry ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Plan Participants ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
Regulation Best Interest
The Department of Labor’s “Fiduciary Rule,” PTE 2020-02: An Overview -
This article is an overview of the requirements of PTE 2020-02. It discusses the expanded fiduciary definition, the conditions in the PTE, and the...more
6/15/2021
/ Banks ,
Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Chief Compliance Officers ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Insurance Industry ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The Department of Labor’s “Fiduciary Rule”, PTE 2020-02 (Part 11): The Requirement that Investment Advisers and Broker-Dealers Mitigate Conflicts -
On February 16, 2021, the DOL’s prohibited transaction exemption (PTE)...more
On January 8, 2021, without admitting or denying the findings, VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc., (VALIC) entered into a settlement with FINRA Enforcement, through an Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) where the factual...more
As you may know, the Department of Labor has included the proposal of a new fiduciary rule on its Regulatory Agenda. The Agenda indicated that it would be issued in December of last year. But, of course, it hasn’t...more