In this brief yet insightful interview from the floor of the Excel 401k Conference in Las Vegas, John Sullivan of 401k Specialist speaks with Gene Huxhold of John Hancock Investments. The conversation revolves around two key topics in the retirement planning space: Collective Investment Trusts (CITs) and competitive differentiation for advisors.
🔍 Key Topics Covered
1. CITs vs. Mutual Funds
Gene discusses the growing popularity of CITs, driven largely by their lower cost structure. However, he expresses caution, noting that mutual funds offer more flexibility—particularly when switching money managers. John Hancock continues to offer CITs but focuses them on larger plans, while aiming to keep their mutual fund costs competitive for smaller plans.
🔁 “[CITs] are cheaper, but mutual funds are simpler for transactions.” – Gene Huxhold
2. A Seismic Shift in Fiduciary Practice
The conversation shifts to a recent white paper co-authored by Gene and ERISA attorney Bob Rafter titled “A Seismic Shift.” The paper examines changes stemming from the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule and how the landscape has evolved. To make the content more practical, they distilled it into a checklist aimed at helping professional retirement plan advisors differentiate themselves from “accidental fiduciaries”—those who assume fiduciary roles without full understanding or training.
✅ The checklist is designed to assess professionalism and readiness in fiduciary roles.
3. Accessing the Checklist
Advisors interested in the checklist can find it by visiting jhinvestments.com and searching for “Seismic Shift.”