Hey fiduciaries: Worried about being ready for that Dec. 20, 2021 deadline for full compliance with PTE 2020-02? Well, you’ve got another five weeks to work with, thanks to a bulletin issued this week by the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration.
Earlier this week, EBSA hit the “pause” button on enforcement of Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2020-02, “Improving Investment Advice for Workers & Retirees,” pushing it from Dec. 20, 2021 until Jan. 31, 2022.
With the Oct. 25 release of Field Assistance Bulletin 2021-02, “Temporary Enforcement Policy on Prohibited Transaction Rules Applicable to Investment Advice Fiduciaries,” EBSA confirmed it will not pursue prohibited transaction claims against investment advice fiduciaries who are working diligently, and in good faith, to comply with the Impartial Conduct Standards (i.e., best interest, reasonable compensation and without misleading statements) for transactions exempted in PTE 2020-02 from Dec. 21, 2021 through Jan. 31, 2022.
“Based on concerns raised, we’ve concluded that providing additional transition relief for financial institutions that are working in good faith to build systems to comply with the exemption conditions is appropriate.”
EBSA’s Ali Khawar
In addition, the department will not treat such fiduciaries as if they were violating the applicable prohibited transaction rules. Finally, the department will not enforce the specific documentation and disclosure requirements for rollovers in PTE 2020-02 through June 30, 2022. However, all other requirements of the exemption will be subject to full enforcement on Feb. 1, 2022.
“The class exemption provides meaningful protections for individual investors and we continue to emphasize the importance of compliance,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employee Benefits Security Ali Khawar. “Based on concerns raised, we’ve concluded that providing additional transition relief for financial institutions that are working in good faith to build systems to comply with the exemption conditions is appropriate.”
Ten interested stakeholders, mainly financial services trade groups and a law firm representing a group of clients, sent a letter at the end of September to the Department of Labor (DOL) requesting more time to prepare for the implementation of PTE 2020-02.
On Dec. 18, 2020, the department adopted Class Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2020-02, “Improving Investment Advice for Workers & Retirees,” a new exemption under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code for fiduciaries who provide investment advice to ERISA-covered pension plans and individual retirement accounts.
This exemption became effective on Feb. 16, 2021, but the department provided transitional relief through Dec. 20, 2021, which relieved fiduciaries of the obligation to comply fully with many of the exemption’s conditions during that period.
In the new bulletin, EBSA said it understands that the Dec. 20 expiration date of the current transitional relief poses practical difficulties for financial institutions.
“These institutions have expressed specific concern that they would incur significant additional costs to distribute disclosures because Dec. 20 does not align with their regular distribution cycle for disclosures. They also have asserted that the expiration date would make it difficult to conduct the required retrospective review on a calendar-year basis,” the bulletin states.
In addition, financial institutions maintain that they face significant challenges in implementing the rollover documentation and disclosure requirements in a sufficiently automated and systematic manner by the Dec. 20 deadline, and that these challenges and concerns may delay their ability to rely on the exemption as the department intended.
The department continues to review issues of fact, law and policy related to the exemption, and more generally, its regulation of fiduciary investment advice.
• CLICK HERE to read Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2021-02 in full
SEE ALSO:
• 10 Trade Groups Ask to Extend Fiduciary Non-Enforcement Policy
• Help for Advisors in Advance of New IRA Rollover Requirements
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.
