The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL's) fiduciary rule has been a subject of debate and revision for years. The rule's latest iteration, proposed in 2023, aims to protect investors by ensuring that financial advisers prioritize their clients' best interests when recommending retirement investments. Even while still under consideration, this rule has the potential to significantly impact how companies structure their 401(k) plans.

To better understand the DOL's objectives, let's start with some context. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) was enacted in 1974 to regulate retirement plans. ERISA established fiduciary standards as the basis for governing investment advice. Fiduciary standards demand that financial advisers provide the highest possible level of care when offering investment advice.

Continue Reading for Free

Register and gain access to:

  • Thought leadership on regulatory changes, economic trends, corporate success stories, and tactical solutions for treasurers, CFOs, risk managers, controllers, and other finance professionals
  • Informative weekly newsletter featuring news, analysis, real-world cas studies, and other critical content
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical coverage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.