The U.S. Department of Labor has regulatory and investigatory authority under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and through its Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), works to ensure “the security of the retirement, health, and other workplace-related...

Fulfilling fiduciary obligations around cybersecurity requires plan sponsors to oversee a complex network of recordkeepers, payroll systems, and custodians. With so many partners involved, answering "who can access what data" is rarely straightforward. Toward improved oversight, ERISA experts suggest three...

The money worries of employees don’t stop during work hours, and of course financial stress distracts from the job. Wise business owners offer financial wellness programming in the form of information, education and advice. Even small businesses see productivity boosts...

Sponsoring a workplace retirement plan comes with significant fiduciary duties and regulatory responsibilities. Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), plan sponsors are held to strict standards enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).To safeguard both your plan’s...

You launched successfully! Business is cooking with juice. You’re optimistic about the future. Then, there’s an accident during your demo. A storm destroys your inventory. A dissatisfied client sues. These are all examples of why small businesses owners need insurance...

Starting out in a new business is exhilarating, but it comes with the dual responsibilities of complying with the law and protecting yourself professionally. While juggling compliance and protection, one of the most common points of confusion for new professionals...

Sponsoring a retirement plan requires timely information sharing, as well as diligence in responding to inquiries from participants and beneficiaries. While it is always necessary to follow Department of Labor protocols, doubling down on communications in times of uncertainty and...

If you sponsor a retirement savings plan for employees, for the protection of the plan, you are required by law to have an ERISA fidelity bond. It is also critical for retirement plan sponsors to protect themselves, since under the...

As anticipated, the Department of Labor has released its proposed new fiduciary rule, which recommends redefining when “fiduciary status” is triggered for professionals who provide financial advice related to retirement savings. Serious legal challenges are anticipated while the proposal is...

  When seeking to maximize the benefits participants reap from a 401k, it’s easy enough for plan sponsors to identify positive-sounding marketplace innovations. Typically, what’s more difficult is making decisions and implementing changes, given the high standards of ERISA law—and...