Nevin's Data "Points"

 I’ve been writing a weekly column (and then some) for more than two decades now. Some are easier to write (and read)—and some hold up better (and longer) than others. These are some of my (and perhaps your) favorites from 2022. Let me know what you think in the comments below… particularly if I have missed one of your favorites…   7 Things to Know About the New ESG Regulation There’s a lot to unpack in that regulation (and the rest of the 236-pages that help explain its process and rationale), but here’s a few things that seem particularly important to note at the outset. https://www.napa-net.org/news-info/daily-news/7-things-know-about-new-esg-regulation ‘Damned’ (Even) If You Do The flurry of lawsuits unleashed on holders of the BlackRock LifePath target-date funds is not without precedent—but it’s surely a head scratcher. https://www.napa-net.org/news-info/daily-news/damned-even-if-you-do Things to Ponder In the course of my day, I talk t...

The flurry of lawsuits unleashed on holders of the BlackRock LifePath target-date funds is not without precedent—but it’s surely a head scratcher. I’m referring, of course, to the recent  swarm of lawsuits  challenging nearly a dozen of the nation’s largest 401(k) plans and their decision(s) to select, and hold, on their investment menu the BlackRock LifePath target-date fund suite. It’s a decision that the Shah Miller law firm (on behalf of multiple ex-participant plaintiffs) says was the result of fiduciaries who “chased low fees” over performance. [i] Of course, it’s not unusual for these types of lawsuits cite obscure articles as authority, rely on Form 5500 data that often doesn’t tell the whole story, state as fact things that are really only theories (or opinions), lean on averages, or base comparative conclusions on surveys distorted by sampling size or content.  But in a characterization straight out of George Orwell’s  1984 , this one draws...