Biden’s Retirement Policy
Biden has made strong promises about fixing Social Security, strengthening labor unions, and helping to finance a green economy. Will he be able to keep those promises? Does he...
Regulations/Legal
The ‘Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2020’
The House has introduced a sequel to last year's SECURE Act. Once again, legislators have listened to the retirement industry and tried to remove what the industry considers obstacles...
Two Cheers for DOL’s Lifetime Income Disclosure
The Department of Labor's 'interim final rule' on disclosure of estimated lifetime income from 401(k) balances is welcome, but it lacks a critical feature. Public comments might improve it.
Another Objection to DOL’s ESG Proposal
The Department of Labor's recent move to chill the use of "Environmental, Social and Governance" investments in retirement plans has drawn broad criticism--including this comment from the Wagner Law...
DOL Has Discouraging Words for ESG Funds
The DOL has never suggested that fiduciaries should pick a fund that subordinates financial performance to activism. But this proposal lacks the nuance or flexibility that the DOL has...
DOL requests input on ‘pooled’ 401(k)s
Are regulations needed to limit the potential for conflicts of interest and self-dealing among non-employer sponsors of "pooled employer" 401(k) plans, or PEPs? The Department of Labor seeks feedback.
Fed chairman promises to do ‘whatever it takes’
'A wave of unnecessary insolvencies could do long-term damage to the productive capacity of the economy. That’s a risk,' Fed chairman Jerome Powell (in photo) said Wednesday.
How $240 billion in new COVID-19 money will be spent
The money will fund health care operations, research and development of coronavirus tests and treatments, and guarantees for emergency lending to small business.
Please Don’t Raid Your Retirement Account
It would be smart, not paternalistic, to ease today’s financial pain without contributing to an even bigger retirement funding crisis down the road.
FYI: Legal alerts from the Wagner Law Group
This post reprints the contents of three recent alerts for employers on labor law/retirement provisions of recent federal legislation pertaining to the COVID-19 crisis, provided by attorneys at...
Can employers contribute less to their retirement plans?
In the current stressed environment, "employers must take steps to remain in business, which means reducing expenses, including their contributions to their qualified retirement plans," say Wagner Law Group...
Interpreting SEC’s new ‘principles-based’ advertising rule: Wagner Law Group
This interpretation of the SEC rule was written by attorneys Stephen Wilkes and Livia Quan Aber of the Wagner Law Group and published this week.
NAIC approves revised “best interest” rule for annuities
The revisions clarify that all recommendations by agents and insurers must be in the best interest of the consumer.
A Look Back at (and Beyond) the ‘Stretch’ IRA
Under the new SECURE Act, most non-spouses must withdraw and pay taxes on inherited IRA assets within ten years instead of "stretching" the process over (possibly) decades. What will...
New annuity ‘best interest’ rule from NAIC
The new Model would impose a best interest standard on sales and recommendations by insurance producers of annuity products, which is a higher standard than the currently applicable suitability...
The SECURE Act Set To Pass (Finally)
'This is an early Christmas present,' said Melissa Kahn, managing director of the Defined Contribution team at State Street Global Advisors (SSgA), in an interview yesterday.
SECURE Act still stuck in Washington gridlock
With the impeachment hearings and the looming 2020 election taking up much of legislators' bandwidth, the SECURE Act continues to be going nowhere fast in the Senate.
Scalia will help draft new fiduciary rule (after helping kill the old one)
'Mr. Scalia first defended the brokerage and insurance industry’s right to engage in conflicts of interest that harm retirement savers. Now, he seems eager to engage in his own...
New safe harbor for electronic retirement plan disclosures
Retirement plan sponsors can now satisfy disclosure requirements by making the information available on a website, Wagner Law Firm experts explain. Photo: Marcia Wagner.
Federal judge dismisses adviser suit against ONL
The judge rejected the claim that Ohio National Life was obligated by its distribution contract with LPL to keep paying trail commissions on the sale of variable annuities to...
