In Music City, Fiduciary Takes Center Stage
Fiduciary powerhouse Fi360, sponsor of the AIF and AIFA designations, kicked off its annual conference this weekend in Nashville with a who’s-who of industry dignitaries and experts, including Phyllis Borzi, Jeffrey Kleintop and Fred Reish.
The company’s annual confab seemed to be at the center of the retirement plan universe last year, as the Obama Administration’s intention to institute the fiduciary rule was announced at the same time, turning industry eyes, and ears, towards the conference. With all that’s happening in Washington, similar drama is a distinct possibility this year.
The aforementioned Reish will deliver a session on Monday titled “The regulation of recommendations for plan distributions and rollovers and for transfers of IRAs,” one of two breakouts he’ll deliver that day.
Michael Kitces, director of research for Pinnacle Advisory Group, will host “Strategies for managing sequence of return risk in retirement,” in the noon hour, and will also sit in on a panel discussion involving client risk tolerance in the current and future fiduciary environment.
David Blanchett, Morningstar’s head of retirement research, will present his own session on Tuesday focused reassessing risk, and will join a panel on “Managed accounts as a default in 401(k) plans.”
A hotly anticipated panel that same day on HSAs, currently generating increasing interest in the 401(k) marketplace, will feature such notables as David Snyder, Marcia Wagner, Jamie Greenleaf, Sheri Fitts and Brad Arends.
“Previous fi360 presentations have done a great job help advisors understand the why’s of making HSAs a part of retirement advisory services, including tax advantages, estate planning advantages, helping control healthcare costs and more,” according to Fi360. “This presentation will focus on the how’s, with playbook style guidance on how to transition to a holistic 401(k)/HSA practice model including adjusting fees, fiduciary considerations and more.”
Borzi, former Assistant Secretary of Labor of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) who ran point on the department’s fiduciary rule, kicks it all off on Sunday following the conference’s opening remarks.
401k Specialist columnist Rebecca Hourihan will take on 401(k) marketing, which is appropriate since she’s principal of 401(k) Marketing, and a specialist in the qualified plan marketplace. She freely admits she is “addicted” to marketing and design, and will provide attendees with her tips to reach “soaring” new marketing heights.
With more than 20 years serving financial markets, John Sullivan is the former editor-in-chief of 401(k) Specialist and Investment Advisor magazine and retirement editor of ThinkAdvisor.com. Sullivan is also the former editor of Boomer Market Advisor and Bank Advisor magazines, and has a background in the insurance and investment industries in addition to his journalism roots. Experienced financial services content executive specializing in creative new media delivery. He joined the American Retirement Association in 2023 as Chief Content Officer, overseeing communications for the organization, as well as its sister organizations.
