News & Analysis as of

Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) Mutual Funds

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

California District Court Denies Motion to Dismiss 401(k) Excessive Fee and Underperformance Claims

A California district court recently denied a motion to dismiss claims that the fiduciaries of a 401(k) plan breached their ERISA fiduciary duties of prudence and loyalty by selecting underperforming, high-cost investments...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

Second Circuit Establishes Practical Pleading Requirement for Prohibited Transaction Claims Under ERISA Section 406(a)(1)(C)

The Second Circuit recently held that in order to state a claim for a prohibited transaction pursuant to ERISA section 406(a)(1)(C), it is not enough to allege that a fiduciary caused the plan to compensate a service provider...more

Carlton Fields

Expect Focus - Volume III, September 2023

Carlton Fields on

Regulators Hit Jackpot: Off-Channel Communications - Several years before announcing the first “off-channel” communications enforcement action, the SEC and FINRA cautioned broker-dealers and investment advisers about...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

Tenth Circuit Adopts “Meaningful Benchmark” Pleading Standard in Dismissing Challenges to 401(k) Plan Fees

In a case of first impression in the Tenth Circuit, the Court recently joined the chorus of circuit courts in holding that a 401(k) plan participant alleging excessive investment management or recordkeeping fees must assert a...more

McDermott Will & Emery

Proposed Legislation Would Allow 403(B) Plans to Invest in Lower-cost Collective Investment Trusts

A new bill introduced in Congress would allow 403(b) plans maintained by tax-exempt organizations to make use of collective investment trust (CIT) investments—an alternative to mutual funds that may provide significant cost...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

Industry Coalition Unites to Support Dismissal of ERISA Fiduciary-Breach Claims Related To BlackRock Target Date Funds

The filing of a new 401(k) plan “excessive fee” or “investment underperformance” complaint is hardly “news” these days given the proliferation of suits that have been filed over the past several years. In fact, hardly a week...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Low-Cost Index Funds in the Crosshairs of New 401(k) Lawsuits

Holland & Knight LLP on

Since late July, at least 10 lawsuits have been filed against large 401(k) plan sponsors that offer certain BlackRock Inc. target-date funds (TDF) among their investment options. In an unexpected pivot away from the 401(k)...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

District Court Declines to Dismiss 401(k) Fee Litigation Case in First Decision Post-Hughes

In the first decision since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Hughes v. Northwestern Univ., No. 19-1401, 595 U.S. ___ (U.S. Jan. 24, 2022), a Georgia federal district court held in favor of plaintiffs and declined to dismiss...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

MetLife sued over proprietary index funds in 401(k) plan

When you’re a financial services company that offers proprietary mutual funds within your 401(k) plan, expect to get sued....more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

John Hancock forks over $14 million in 401(k) lawsuit

When you operate proprietary mutual funds and offer them in your401(k) plan, you will be a target of ERISA litigators. John Hancock agreed to a $14 million settlement in a lawsuit filed by participants in a company 401(k)...more

Morgan Lewis - ML Benefits

An ‘Ex-CIT’ (Exit) from Mutual Funds? Retirement Plans Head to Collective Investment Trusts

We have recently seen a rise in the number of retirement plans exiting mutual funds in favor of collective investment trusts (CITs). Often the transition is simply a change in structure—that is, moving from the same...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

One Fund Family Lineups are a bad idea

You must know about the shoemakers’ children and how they go barefoot and have no shoes. In the retirement plan industry, we have retirement plan providers and their employees’ retirement plans....more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Hire an advisor when you get an employee

I’m still amazed when I find participant-directed 401(k) plans without a financial advisor. While I understand how solo 401(k) plans don’t have an advisor because individuals think they can do it on their own, it makes no...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Yesterday’s funds in today’s lineups

If you ever want to know what the top mutual funds were 3-5 years ago, you can look at the mutual fund lineup of many 401(k) plans today. ...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

It’s a Process and Not A Result

Advisors ask me all the time of the role of education in participant-directed 401(k) plans. Participant directed 401(k) plans that are governed under ERISA §404(c) offer the plan sponsors liability protection based on a...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Proprietary fund plan sponsor problems

I always say that I come up with many ideas, but most of them are bad. Seriously, there are so many bad ideas out there in the 401(k) space and one of the really bad ideas out there are bundled plan providers using their own,...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

DOL to allow private equity investments in DC Plans

The Department of Labor (DOL) released some new guidance that might facilitate the inclusion of private equity (PE) exposure in participant-directed defined contribution (DC) plans ERISA. The guidance contemplates the...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

You need a financial advisor

I am still how often I find participant-directed 401(k) plans without a financial advisor. While I understand how solo 401(k) plans don’t have an advisor because individuals think they can do it on their own. I have a solo...more

Groom Law Group, Chartered

Fidelity Wins Dismissal from ERISA Claims Based on “Infrastructure” Fees

Several highly publicized lawsuits were brought against the Fidelity organization in 2019 in connection with Fidelity’s receipt of “infrastructure fees” from mutual fund families and other investment providers made available...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Prudential is latest proprietary fund defendant

One of my favorite sayings is that you should never make yourself a target, but when you are a mutual fund company and you use your own proprietary funds as an investment option in your 401(k) plan, you are certainly a target...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Investment Management Update - September 2019

In this issue, we summarize regulatory, litigation and industry developments from May to September 2019 impacting the investment management sector, including SEC action on standards of conduct for broker-dealers and...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

Fidelity's "Infrastructure" Fee Draws Unwanted Attention From Regulators And Several Lawsuits

Ballard Spahr LLP on

On February 21, 2019, a participant in T-Mobile’s 401(k) plan sued the parent company of Fidelity Investments in federal District Court, accusing Fidelity of receiving indirect compensation through the use of a “hidden” fee...more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Lawsuits against Fidelity piling on

With Fidelity being under fire for “shelf space payments” from mutual fund companies to appear on their platform, it’s not surprising that ERISA litigators smell blood in the water like the sharks people think they are....more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

Courts these days want to see something more

The 9th Circuit upheld the dismissal of a complaint by participants in the Walt Disney Co. 401(k) plan that Disney violated their fiduciary duty by offering the Sequoia Fund, a mutual fund that had plummeted in value....more

Ary Rosenbaum - The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C.

The problem with shelf space payments

Fidelity is being sued and being investigated for shelf space payments they receive from mutual fund companies for room on their fund platform. They’re not the only provider to receive these fees and I find it totally...more

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