A plan fiduciary plays an important role in the organization’s financial health. Not only do they oversee the fiduciary process, but they identify and serve the best interests of a retirement plan’s participants and beneficiaries. Here are 10 important responsibilities to keep in mind. Limit liability: As a fiduciary, it is imperative that you understand ERISA so you can keep yourself and your business safe … Continue reading Top Ten Fiduciary Responsibilities
1. Don’t Cash Out Retirement Plans When Changing Employment When you leave a job, the vested benefits in your retirement plan are an enticing source of money. It may be difficult to resist the urge to take that money as cash, particularly if retirement is many years away. If you do decide to cash out, understand that you will very likely be required to pay … Continue reading Participant Corner: Four Tips for Increasing Your Retirement Dollars
Cybersecurity concern has grown in recent years as breaches of databases mount. This year, in a breach of Capital One’s database, hackers accessed over 100 million credit card applications. This followed a $700 million settlement against Equifax concerning the 2017 breach of its database in which hackers accessed 147 million accounts. In the past, when unauthorized withdrawals were made from plan accounts, the record keeper … Continue reading Cybersecurity – Berman v. Estee Lauder, Inc: Who is Responsible When Cyber Theft Occurs
As an employer, you’re responsible for keeping your company’s retirement plan in compliance at all times. Additionally your plan document should be reviewed on an annual basis and administered accordingly. The IRS offers useful tips for plan sponsors, helping you to stay compliant, informed and prepared to provide the best possible retirement plan for your employees – here are some highlights. It’s very important to … Continue reading Keeping in Compliance: IRS Tips for Plan Sponsors
Recently the Bell vs. ATH Holding Company, LLC (a subsidiary of Anthem, Inc.) lawsuit settled. This is frequently referred to as the “Anthem Settlement” (the “Settlement”). The Settlement received quite a bit of attention from both the industry and mainstream press for a number of reasons, not the least of which include the size of the 401(k) plan ($5.1 billion), the size of the monetary … Continue reading Anthem Settlement Awards Participants More than $23M
Synopsis Anthem plan participants alleged that plan fiduciaries did not perform due diligence on funds being used in the plan Parties reached a settlement that includes more than $23 million awarded to participants in addition to certain plan enhancements including: requirement to provide a participant communication on money market funds; conduct a recordkeeper RFP within 18 months of the settlement; and engage with an independent … Continue reading Anthem Settlement
ABB recently announced the settlement of a lawsuit involving its 401(k) Plan. This settlement is another victory for the law firm of Schlichter, Bogard & Denton in St. Louis. Earlier this year, it obtained a $10 million settlement in a suit brought against Duke University. Filed in 2013, this suit has now dragged on for almost 13 years. It was one of the first class … Continue reading ABB Settles for $55 Million
Wells Fargo sold off a number of business units in an effort to better focus on its core banking business. In the latest deal, Principal Financial Group agreed to purchase Wells Fargo’s retirement and trust services business for $1.2 billion. This is a substantial acquisition. This business represents $827 billion in retirement plan assets with 7.5 million participants. This transaction will increase Principal’s footprint in … Continue reading Wells Fargo – Principal Agrees to Buy Retirement Business
A number of bills are moving rapidly through the House and the Senate that would (if passed and signed) enhance the retirement plans of many Americans. While these bills continue to morph, below is a general description of provisions as of early April 2019. Retirement Security & Savings Act Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) introduced the Retirement Security & Savings Act in … Continue reading Washington Update
National Retirement Security Week (NRSW) is a week in October, recognized by Congress to help raise awareness of the importance of taking personal responsibility for saving for retirement. Plan sponsors can take advantage of many tools to create a focused campaign emphasizing the benefits of saving for retirement by investing in an employer-sponsored plan. Whether a plan sponsor wants to increase participation, attract certain demographic … Continue reading National Retirement Security Week
