29 presentation slides. Topics include: [1] Retirement income products in defined contribution plans; [2] Adding retirement income product to a DC plan; [3] Pre-SECURE Act IRS technical guidance; [4] SECURE Act; [5] Education; [6] Safe harbor; [7] Lifetime income options; [8] SECURE 2.0; [9] QLAC.  MORE >>

"[Rev. Proc. 2025-21] simplifies the rules for certain retirement plans needing to reapply for approval of their custom mortality tables ... The key change is a more flexible approach to determining when a new application is needed. If your plan's participant population hasn't changed much since your tables were first approved, you might not need to go through the approval process again in 2026."  MORE >>

"While it is anticipated that a new rule will not permit plan fiduciaries to consider ESG factors, it remains to be seen whether a prudent investment selection process will be limited to a review of financial factors, such as revenue, earnings, profitability, and reasonable fees, or whether other nonquantitative factors will continue to be permissible criteria for fiduciaries to consider."  MORE >>

"[W]hile plan fiduciaries must consider all relevant facts and circumstances when evaluating and selecting investment options, DOL is neither endorsing nor prohibiting the inclusion of cryptocurrency investment options. In addition to cryptocurrency, [CAR 2025-01] advises that the same reasoning and principles apply to investments in a wide range of digital assets, including tokens, coins, crypto assets, and other crypto derivatives."  MORE >>

33 pages. "[D]efaulting 20% of a retiree's assets over a threshold into an immediate annuity enhances retirement security for most plan participants. An annuity deferred to the age of 80 is particularly beneficial to college graduates, in terms of enhancing their welfare."  MORE >>

"[A] recent win for the defense bar in the Ninth Circuit highlights that, with proper risk disclosures and a prudent process, fiduciaries may invest in alternatives without violating their fiduciary duties under [ERISA]. Taken together with the Trump Administration's expected regulatory initiatives, there is momentum toward modernizing and diversifying DC plan investments." [Anderson v. Intel Corp. Inv. Policy Comm., No. 22-16268 (9th Cir. May 22, 2025)]  MORE >>

"[1] Make investments through a fund that is an investment company under the '40 Act or a fund that is not treated as holding plan assets ... [2] Investigate custody arrangements to make sure they are institutional grade and that assets are not held outside the U.S.... [3] Consider indirect investments ... [4] Make sure that you will get the information required to report the investment on Form 5500 and show returns on participant disclosures.... [5] Consider making alternative investments available through self-directed brokerage accounts where participants take on more responsibility for their investment choices."  MORE >>

"To maximize the value of financial wellness programs, employers should: [1] Engage vendors with a fiduciary mindset, even if the program is not subject to ERISA. [2] Offer opt-in participation, rather than mandatory enrollment, to respect employee autonomy. [3] Communicate clearly about the program's purpose, scope, and limitations. [4] Track utilization and outcomes to assess ROI and make data-driven improvements."  MORE >>

"CIAs are legal agreements that permit attorneys pursuing similar, but separate, legal actions to share confidential information with each other about their respective cases.... EBSA also enters into these agreements with parties to private ERISA lawsuits.... This information sharing is the source of the controversy in the ERISA context.... HR 2958, or the Balance the Scales Act, would require EBSA to submit an annual report on the use of CIAs."  MORE >>

"[T]his annually updated dashboard benchmarks participant behavior and reveals emerging trends, providing critical insights into the defined contribution system's health -- and opportunities for solutions ahead."  MORE >>

"[I]ndividuals and businesses in parts of Oklahoma that were affected by wildfires and straight-line winds that began on March 14, 2025 ... now have until Nov. 3, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.... [I]ndividuals and households that reside or have a business in Cleveland, Creek, Lincoln, Oklahoma, Pawnee, and Payne counties qualify for tax relief."  MORE >>

"[I]ndividuals and businesses in parts of Missouri that were affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and wildfires that began on March 14, 2025 ... now have until Nov. 3, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.... [I]ndividuals and households that reside or have a business in Bollinger, Butler, Callaway, Camden, Carter, Dunklin, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, St. Louis, Stoddard, Wayne, Webster, and Wright counties qualify for tax relief."  MORE >>

"[1] Review daily, weekly, or monthly reports from the vendor's cybersecurity monitoring tools ... [2] Audit the vendor site and perform your own cybersecurity review and/or assessment. [3] Ask the vendor to provide annual copies of approved and objective third-party cybersecurity assessments. [4] Contract with your own cybersecurity experts to do penetration testing against your vendor (with your vendor's knowledge that the tests are occurring, of course)."  MORE >>