In case you missed it, recently the DOL published a list of initiatives for 2014. It was written about in an article from Plan Adviser magazine, linked here.
As a summary of this, here are the eight items on the DOL’s
published agenda for 2014 that impact ERISA Retirement Plans (as opposed to
IRAs, Health Plans, 457 plans or non-ERISA 403(b)s).
1.) Fiduciary Re-Definition – Targeting August
2014 – This will continue to be an argument. NAPA and ASPPA are against fiduciary standard
in its current form, which has (in their opinion) too many exceptions resulting
in a “non-uniform, uniform fiduciary standard”.
An article on NAPA.net today indicates that the DOL is lobbying pretty
hard to get this done this year. Time
will tell. Article linked here:
2.) Lifetime Income Illustrations – Targeting August
2014 – DOL is still interpreting comments.
Seems like this idea has legs behind it despite some of the obvious
deficiencies in the accuracy of calculations.
3.)
Review use of Brokerage Windows in Partic.
Directed plans – This could be a big deal, and will be the one that I’m most
interested in. As many of us in the
industry know and agree, the use of individual brokerage in plans has a TON of
problems, hopefully they’ll make this restrictive enough that they will mainly
go away.
a. Explore whether and to what extent regulatory guidance on fiduciary
requirements and safeguards for such arrangements are appropriate (b/c they
could be problematic) – RFI expected in April of 2014
4.) 408(b)(2) amendments coming requiring
providers to provide a guide to understanding or a similar tool to help
sponsors, especially small ones to understand this guidance – notice of proposed
rule making (NPRM) in January – Great idea, but I suspect that the tools created will be too
difficult for clients to use, or some other such problem so that most providers
can continue to hoodwink the clients on what they are truly paying
5.)
Reduction in Safe Harbor afforded to
selection of Annuity option in individual account plans to only cover the idea
that the provider has the ability to make lifetime payments (not as to quality
of annuity or provider) – October 2014
6.)
DB funding notice finalizing – March 2014
7.)
Amendment to Participant Disclosures
surrounding Qualifed Default Investment Alternatives and Target Date funds under 404a-5 – looking for more
specificity – March 2014 – More written disclosure that will go unread and not understood by
participants. This is a huge waste of energy
and resources.
8.)
QTA – Qualified Termination Administrator –
Looking to create to deal w. issue of abandoned plans, similar to using a
bankruptcy trustee – April 2014 for final rule
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