Compliance

A federal court has permanently barred William Alexander from selling or administering pension plans or employee welfare-benefit plans.

A federal appellate court has thrown out a lower court’s decision in favor of an excessive retirement plan fee lawsuit and sent the matter back for further proceedings.

Federal class action filing activity increased in 2010, yet the financial services industry is not to blame, according to the 15th annual Securities Litigation...

The U.S. Department of Labor is soliciting public comments that address the possibility of expanding or modifying current rules about electronic distribution of employee benefit plan information.

American International Group (AIG) must face claims by some current and former employees that their retirement funds were invested too heavily in company stock, Bloomberg is reporting.

A federal judge in Colorado rejected an employer’s request that its lawyers' fees be paid for by participants who lost their case.

The presumption of prudence was not enough to dismiss claims a company breached its Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) fiduciary duties by offering company stock.

The “presumption of prudence” standard has prevailed again, ruling in favor of the employer in a case where participants claimed a breach of fiduciary duty occurred. 

A federal judge in Kentucky ruled that cash balance plan participants waited too long before filing amended legal claims challenging their plan's whipsaw lump-sum distribution method.

Federal agencies are seeking public comment on a proposed rule that would require sponsors of asset-backed securities (ABS) to retain at least 5% of the credit risk of...

A bias lawsuit by black financial advisers accusing Merrill Lynch of discrimination has been thrown out.

Federal regulators have released a final amendment to Prohibited Transaction Exemption 96-23 that broadens transactions allowed for employee benefit plans whose assets are managed by in-house asset managers...

A federal judge in California has certified as a class plaintiffs suing Northrop Grumman Corporation in an excessive 401(k) plan fee case.

The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is co-sponsoring a Webcast on April 12 to help women with retirement planning issues.

The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is offering an “Understanding Your Responsibilities Under ERISA” workshop.

Financial regulatory agencies are requesting public comment on a proposed rule that would ensure regulated financial institutions design incentive compensation arrangements to take account of risk. 

The trustees of a Nevada supply company’s 401(k) plan can proceed with their suit accusing a plan consultant of a fiduciary breach by convincing the plan to invest...

A federal judge in New York threw out a stock-drop lawsuit against UBS AG and UBS Financial Services Inc.

Federal regulators announced that the deadline for public comment about whether the term “fiduciary” should be expanded has been set for April 12, 2011.

The adoption of cash balance plans has slowed to a trickle since the passage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, according to Sibson Consulting, a division of...