The Trump administration has rescinded (or signaled that it will replace) current guidance that was issued by the Biden administration’s DOL regarding (1) retirement plan investments in cryptocurrencies (and other digital...more
The landscape for retirement plan investments and fiduciary risks is shifting in the early part of the second Trump Administration, both due to changes in the administration’s policies and developments in the courts....more
In a motion filed on April 14, 2025, the Department of Labor requested that the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals grant it an additional 60-day delay to decide its next steps with respect to its appeals of two July 2024 decisions...more
On April 3, 2025, the US Department of Labor (“DOL”) released Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2025-02 (“FAB 2025-02”), which provides guidance regarding new content requirements that apply to pension plans’ annual funding...more
On January 14, 2025, the US Department of Labor (“DOL”) released a final regulation revising its Voluntary Fiduciary Correction (“VFC”) Program and related prohibited transaction exemption (“PTE”) 2002-51 to add a...more
Federal District Courts in the Eastern and Northern districts of Texas issued orders on July 25th July 26th, respectively, staying the effective date of the Department of Labor’s final regulation on its “fiduciary rule,”...more
On April 25, 2024, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) published in the Federal Register its final regulation on its "fiduciary rule" (the "Final Regulation") clarifying when fiduciary status under the Employee Retirement Income...more
The Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued the final amendment to the qualified professional asset manager (“QPAM”) prohibited transaction class exemption on April 3, 2024, with an effective date 75 days later (i.e., June 17,...more
On November 3, 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL) published in the Federal Register its long-awaited proposed update to its “fiduciary rule” that defines when a person becomes a fiduciary to a retirement plan subject to...more
As part of SECURE 2.0, Congress directed the Department of Labor to develop an employee ownership initiative to encourage and incentivize employee ownership in the companies they work for. Last month, the Department of Labor...more
On February 13, 2023, a federal district court in the Middle District of Florida invalidated the Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) policy as to when advice provided by a financial institution or financial professional (“adviser”)...more
On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Secure 2.0 Act of 2022 (the “Secure 2.0 Act”) into law. The Secure Act 2.0 builds off of the Secure Act, the last major retirement plan legislation enacted at the end of 2019,...more
Department of Labor (“DOL”) Secretary Walsh recently announced final regulations in a blog post titled “Removing Barriers to Considering ESG Factors in Retirement Plan Investments.” While the rules open the door to more...more
Department of Labor (“DOL”) Secretary Walsh recently announced final regulations in a blog post titled “Removing Barriers to Considering ESG Factors in Retirement Plan Investments.” While the rules open the door to more...more
On November 18, 2022, the DOL released proposed text for a revised Voluntary Fiduciary Correction (“VFC”) Program and related prohibited transaction exemption (“PTE”) 2002-51. The most significant aspect of the revised VFC...more
Kilpatrick Townsend's Sterling Perkinson and Peter Daines recently presented "Establishing Tax Qualified Retirement Plans." These are the 5 key takeaways from their presentation....more
Kilpatrick Townsend attorneys Sterling Perkinson and Peter Daines presented a Strafford webinar focused on the challenges and considerations facing a company in setting up tax-qualified retirement plans. The presentation also...more
The DOL’s (DOL) recent warning that it is launching a new investigative program aimed at plans that offer investments in cryptocurrency and related products, including through brokerage windows, sent shockwaves through the...more
Many employers desire to offer innovative investments in their 401(k) plans as a way to enhance the plan’s value, attract talent and appeal to a younger workforce. But decisions regarding investment options are subject to...more
On October 25, 2021, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) released Field Assistance Bulletin 2021-02 (FAB 2021-02), which extends its non-enforcement policies regarding certain rules applicable to fiduciaries who provide...more
One of President Biden’s first acts upon taking office was to issue an executive order requiring federal agencies to conduct a review of policies or regulations issued by the prior administration that were inconsistent with...more
Last year the Department of Labor (DOL) issued an interim final rule regarding the SECURE Act’s lifetime income disclosures, which require benefit statements to express a participant’s account balance as a single life annuity...more
While all businesses have been grappling with cybersecurity challenges for years, cybersecurity has recently come into focus for retirement plans, health and welfare plans and other ERISA plans due to a new Department of...more
Overview: In general, the prohibited transaction rules (in ERISA and the Tax Code) (1) prohibit fiduciaries that provide investment advice to plans subject to Title I of ERISA (including 401(k) plans, pension plans and...more
4/28/2021
/ Conflicts of Interest ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Institutions ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investors ,
Retirement Plan
On April 14, 2021, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued several pieces of guidance on cyber security best practices, including: (1) a press release, (2) Online Security Tips for retirement plan participants, (3) a Tips for...more