25.02.2020 02.26 GMT+0000

Fiduciary litigation targets another large plan--but in some new ways.

Suit Against Shell Plan Drills for New Legal Claims

Suit Against Shell Plan Drills for New Legal Claims

Perhaps the most significant claim raised against Shell pertains to the claim that the Shell fiduciaries allowed Fidelity to use participant data to promote non-plan products and services.

A new lawsuit filed against the Shell Oil Company’s 401(k) plan raises several new challenges to fiduciary’s behavior. Most significantly, the suit assets that participant data is a plan asset and the use of such data by the plan recordkeeper to promote non-plan products generates several new fiduciary challenges.

25.04.2019 01.27 GMT+0000

It’s official--retirement plan fiduciaries need to start caring about vendors’ use of participant data to promote non-plan related financial products and services.

Vanderbilt Settlement Sends Fiduciaries a Message

Vanderbilt Settlement Sends Fiduciaries a Message

• The settlement focuses on limiting the ability of the current recordkeeper (Fidelity) and any future recordkeeper from using participant data.

In a significant development, Vanderbilt University has settled a fiduciary lawsuit--and the settlement includes prohibitions on the use of participant data by plan vendors to market non-plan products.

04.03.2019 07.47 GMT+0000

In recent weeks a new fee, imposed by Fidelity on low cost mutual funds options offered on Fidelity’s recordkeeping platform, has been described in the media and in a new lawsuit against Fidelity.

Who’s Inside Your (Participants’) Wallets ?

Who’s Inside Your (Participants’) Wallets ?

Plan recordkeepers, facing challenges to their traditional revenue models, are looking for new revenue sources. These new sources pose legal challenges for the recordkeepers and practical challenges for plan fiduciaries.

In recent weeks a new fee has been described in the media and in a new lawsuit against Fidelity. The fee, identified as an “infrastructure fee,” is imposed on mutual funds that seek “shelf space” on Fidelity’s recordkeeping platform and that do not otherwise pay sufficient amounts to Fidelity in other (more traditional) fees. The infrastructure fees have triggered a lawsuit and, according to the Wall Street Journal, a DOL investigation. More importantly, these latest revelations about Fidelity’s infrastructure fee serve as a stark reminder that plan providers’ quest to identify the true amount of recordkeeper fees -- and determine if such fees are reasonable -- is an ongoing and constantly evolving challenge.

10.04.2018 04.07 GMT+0000

The latest court decision invalidating the DOL’s proposed rewrite of the fiduciary rules adds more uncertainty for plan fiduciaries. How do fiduciaries get past the “noise” of conflicting courts and regulators and go about the business of protect plan interests?

Nature Abhors a Vacuum – and So Should Fiduciaries

Nature Abhors a Vacuum – and So Should Fiduciaries

Conflicting court opinions, dueling regulators and uncertain direction from the executive branch are making it harder for plan fiduciaries to do their jobs.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decision to invalidate the DOL’s new fiduciary rule is the latest in a string of confusing (and often conflicting) messages to plan fiduciaries. However, fiduciary duties under ERISA are grounded in some core principles that have not changed. The legal confusion surrounding certain fiduciary issues cannot obstruct fiduciaries’ execution of those duties.

25.01.2018 04.59 GMT+0000

A new chapter may be opening in the ongoing saga of litigation against plan fiduciaries. A new target in this sage - plan vendors’ use of participant confidential financial to facilitate the cross-sales of non-plan financial products.

Fiduciary Lawsuits: A New Chapter Opening?

Fiduciary Lawsuits: A New Chapter Opening?

Latest Complaint Against NYU Raises New Challenges

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the NYU retirement plans have filed an amended complaint. This new complaint challenges the use, by the plans’ recordkeeper, of participant confidential financial data and the recordkeeper’s cross-selling of non-plan financial products to plan participants.