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 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. As a...more
9/9/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
NAIC ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulation BI ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The DOL’s fiduciary regulation was scheduled to become effective this September 23. The exemptions were scheduled to become partially effective this September 23 and fully effective September 23, 2025....more
8/19/2024
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Exemptions ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
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
5/20/2024
/ Annuities ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Financial Institutions ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTE 84-24 ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its package of proposed changes to the regulation defining nondiscretionary fiduciary advice and to the exemptions for conflicts and compensation for investment recommendations to...more
12/11/2023
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Insurance Industry ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
Proposed Regulation ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
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 advice to plans, participants...more
11/29/2023
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Investors ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retirement Plan
Under Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), the SEC imposes a best interest standard on account recommendations by broker-dealers. This is because recommending an account type is viewed by the SEC as recommending an investment...more
7/21/2023
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulation BI ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The DOL’s expanded definition of fiduciary advice is described in the preamble to PTE 2020-02. The PTE then provides relief for conflicted non-discretionary recommendations (for example, rollover recommendations), if its...more
5/25/2022
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The DOL’s expanded definition of fiduciary advice was described in the preamble to PTE 2020-02. The PTE then provides relief for conflicted non-discretionary recommendations (for example, rollover recommendations), if its...more
5/3/2022
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Plan Participants ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued “Staff Bulletin: Standards of Conduct for Broker-Dealers and Investment Advisers Account Recommendations for Retail Investors” (SEC Retail Standards Bulletin). This guidance builds on prior...more
4/13/2022
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary-Standards ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investors ,
IRA Rollovers ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Standard of Conduct
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
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
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, and the next several, articles look at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) issued by the DOL to explain the fiduciary...more
12/8/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Mitigation ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The Department of Labor’s “Fiduciary Rule,” PTE 2020-02: The FAQs -
Key Takeaways -
◾ The DOL has issued FAQs that generally explain PTE 2020-02 and the expanded definition of fiduciary advice.
◾ In FAQ 16, the DOL...more
11/30/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The Department of Labor’s “Fiduciary Rule,” PTE 2020-02: The FAQs -
Key Takeaways -
◾ The DOL has issued FAQs that generally explain PTE 2020-02 and the expanded definition of fiduciary advice.
◾ In FAQ 16, the DOL...more
11/23/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Mitigation ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement ,
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
10/19/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investors ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan
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
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
9/30/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan
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 15: Factors to Evaluate for a Rollover Recommendation -
This series focuses on the DOL’s new fiduciary “rule”, which was effective on February 16. This, and the next several, articles look at...more
9/7/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Compensation ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
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 DOL “Fiduciary Rule,” FAQ 10: The PTE Conditions -
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...more
7/27/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Compliance ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
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
7/20/2021
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Compensation ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Prohibited Transactions ,
PTEs ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)