Nevin's Data "Points"

   We’re often told (via surveys) of any number of retirement plan options that plan participants want. Should it matter? Most recently, we’re assured that participants are  clamoring to have access to private market investments . Before that, it was  cryptocurrency  — and for what seems like months now it’s all been about  retirement income . Apparently vast majorities of participants are eager to have access through their 401(k) to an array of complex financial instruments to which they have, thus far, been largely (or totally) barred — or so surveys say. Indeed, I’ve always been amazed that organizations are able to find so many ostensibly knowledgeable participants to weigh in on these complex topics — particularly since there is an abundance of (other) surveys that suggest that when it comes to financial matters, participants are, largely, clueless. Not that that seems to dampen their collective interest in these new options — though when given a chanc...

 Years back I remember being part of a Q&A with a group of plan sponsors—the focus was the challenge of not only getting, but keeping their plans in compliance, while also looking for creative ways to engage and encourage participants. Then at one point, a tired looking gentleman, expressing frustration with the pressures of audits and litigation, said: “I wish the DOL would just tell us what to do.”  I cautioned him at the time that he ought to be careful what he wished for—that he might just get it. Sure enough, in mid-March the Labor Department issued a “compliance assistance release” which was unique both in format and, arguably, focus. It reminded plan fiduciaries of the significance of their review and assessment of prudence of plan investments—and then said in no uncertain terms that it had concerns about the ability of cryptocurrency to meet those high standards. Indeed, the release plainly stated that those who did include such options could “expect ...