"The Investment Selection Proposal, the [DOL's] recent proposal that provides a guide for a prudent fiduciary process, was initially envisioned as a way to facilitate greater access for alternative assets in 401(k) plans. What the DOL produced in March instead was an asset-neutral proposal that does not emphasize alts or private securities at all.... The proposal might instead be called the 'Litigation Mitigation Proposal.' "  MORE >>

"The Self-Correction Program (SCP) lets plan sponsors correct the most common operational failures without IRS involvement or a user fee. SCP is not available to correct document failures or qualification issues not appropriate for self-correction under SCP. This article will focus on the proper self-correction of the most common errors found during financial statement audits."  MORE >>

"Cutting-edge technologies like Generative AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) can transform this data into actionable insights, empowering more informed decision-making and uncovering tradeable opportunities. AI Feature Arms Race is a dead end as AI capabilities are commoditizing.... Selection of the AI platform is becoming a standalone expertise. Start with processes that allow you to get meaningful productivity or other benefits upfront and allow you to build literacy among your team as users. Be realistic about the time frames needed to implement."  MORE >>

"The buyer has three broad paths: terminate the plan before closing, continue it on a standalone basis post-closing, or eventually merge it into the buyer's own 401(k) plan.... Each path carries distinct legal, administrative, and cost implications.... [If] no affirmative decision is made, the default path is continuation ... The only practical path to later 'terminate' the plan is a merger into the buyer's controlled group 401(k) plan. This article outlines the key factors buyers should evaluate early in the transaction process to arrive at the right decision with confidence."  MORE >>

"The regulatory framework governing retirement plans was built at a time when most workers relied on defined benefit pensions. Investment decisions were centralized; participants bore little direct market risk. Today, that world has been replaced almost entirely by defined contribution plans, where individuals shoulder both investment and longevity risk.... [T]his post examines how ERISA's fiduciary model fits, sometimes uncomfortably, with a system in which participants choose from increasingly complex menus and defaults shoulder enormous responsibility on their behalf."  MORE >>

"[N]early half (47%) of Americans now feel more comfortable using AI for personal finance purposes compared to a year ago. Individuals are increasingly turning to AI for retirement planning recommendations (56%), debt consolidation advice (58%), and budgeting assistance (54%).... 62% of respondents still value human input, particularly for more significant financial decisions such as investing, while 61% said they would prefer using AI alongside human financial advice rather than replacing it entirely."  MORE >>

"Low tax brackets and a bonus senior deduction make 2026 a good year to consider a conversion. Early retirement years, when people have lower incomes, are often a good time for Roth conversions."  MORE >>

"Broader multi-asset portfolios with in-plan annuities surpassed $115 billion, an increase of 150% compared to two years ago ... While half of these assets are in managed accounts for 403(b) plans ... momentum is increasing for target-date strategies in 401(k) plans. Assets in target-date funds with annuities secured $42 billion as of March, up from $25 billion the year prior."  MORE >>

"At its core, [FAB 2026-01] is constructed upon a fundamentally misleading and legally unsupported premise: that fiduciary prudence under ERISA may be established -- or defeated -- solely through evidence of 'procedural prudence,' divorced from substantive outcomes and objective economic reality. But that proposition is not the law. It has never been the law."  MORE >>

"In the document-heavy world of retirement and benefits plans, attorneys tell of how AI has changed -- some for the better, some for the worse, some to be determined -- the way some legal work is done. Legal experts say plan sponsors can best use the technology through AI legal review, such as reviewing documents, which allows plan sponsors to be more informed when they meet with counsel. They caution, however, that they could violate their fiduciary duties by over-relying on the technology."  MORE >>