The “flavor of the month” in retirement plan ERISA lawsuits seems to be 401(k) forfeiture reallocation cases, where employers are accused of using forfeited funds to benefit the company instead of plan participants.
Richard Clarke, Chief Insurance Officer at Colonial Surety Company, a leading direct seller and writer of surety bonds, joins the 401(k) Specialist Podcast to address why plan sponsors need to remain vigilant and have the proper guardrails in place to mitigate the risk of a costly lawsuit.
He’ll also talk about some of the new SECURE 2.0 provisions and how plan sponsors can safeguard against fiduciary breaches resulting from the new provisions.
Key Insights
Rise in 401(k) Forfeiture Lawsuits: ERISA lawsuits targeting 401(k) forfeiture reallocations are increasing, with plan sponsors accused of misusing forfeited funds instead of reinvesting them for participants.
Fiduciary Liability Risks: Plan fiduciaries face personal liability if forfeitures are not handled in accordance with ERISA guidelines, emphasizing the need for proper safeguards.
Secure 2.0 Compliance Challenges: New Secure 2.0 provisions create compliance hurdles for plan sponsors, including higher RMD ages, emergency withdrawals, and expanded eligibility rules
Veteran financial services industry journalist Brian Anderson joined 401(k) Specialist as Managing Editor in January 2019. He has led editorial content for a variety of well-known properties including Insurance Forums, Life Insurance Selling, National Underwriter Life & Health, and Senior Market Advisor. He has always maintained a focus on providing readers with timely, useful information intended to help them build their business.
