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Did New DOL Private Equity Guidance Just Increase Risk For 401k Fiduciaries?
Private equity is knocking on the 401k door again as a designated investment alternative. Does expanded access mean expanded fiduciary risk?
401k Designated Investment Alternatives Demand Fiduciary Discipline
Private equity inside a daily-valued, participant-directed plan introduces structural tension. Illiquid assets must coexist with participant liquidity expectations. Valuations must be estimated where markets do not exist. And governance must bridge that gap without introducing bias or delay.
“Does No Fiduciary Rule Make Things Worse for 401k Plan Sponsors?
The 401k fiduciary rule is gone again. The risk is not. In this regulatory limbo, plan sponsors face more exposure, not less.
401k Fiduciary Rule Limbo Exposes Plan Sponsor Risk
The 401k Fiduciary Rule limbo is here. The regulation is gone. The risk is not. With the formal vacating of the 2024 “Retirement Security Rule” effective April 20, 2026, plan sponsors are once again operating without clear regulatory direction. The expected replacement rule has not yet arrived. Committees are left navigating a familiar but uncomfortable […] Read Full Article
Are 401k Benchmarks The New Battleground?
ERISA meaningful benchmark debate heads to Supreme Court just as private equity pushes deeper into 401k plans. Are committees ready?
Meaningful Benchmark Fight Reaches Supreme Court as Private Equity Push Expands 401k Risk
Private equity investments raise a second layer of fiduciary difficulty because they are not simply harder to compare. They are also harder to value, harder to redeem, and harder to explain to participants who may assume daily-priced plan options operate under familiar public-market rules.
Are 401k Forfeiture Practices A Ticking Litigation Time Bomb?
Even with DOL support, 401k forfeiture practices are facing a new wave of aggressive litigation. Is your plan exposed?
Forfeiture Lawsuits Raise New Governance Risks for 401k Plan Sponsors
Ongoing forfeiture lawsuits involving major plans are reshaping how courts evaluate fiduciary oversight. Sponsors who rely on routine processes may discover that governance gaps create legal exposure for committees and financial harm for participants.
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