Abuse-of-discretion review extends to plan investment suits
A deferential standard long applied to benefit denials now covers claims against 401(k) and ESOP fiduciaries, easing dismissals and making settlements less likely.
August 19
The Policy & ERISA Desk 9 stories this week · 55 total
Treasury opens Saver's Match rulemaking, sets TrumpIRA.gov course
The federal match for low-income savers moves toward regulation as Treasury prepares its directory of eligible IRAs.
Judge revives 3M target-date suit on Fidelity benchmark
A Minnesota federal judge let prudence claims against 3M's target-date funds proceed, giving plaintiffs' lawyers a concrete test of what a meaningful benchmark looks like.
Employers get a $2,500 tax-free lane into a child's Trump Account
Proposed Treasury rules open a tax-free employer route, but the fee cap and small-business guidance are still unsettled.
Finding a lost 401(k) now starts at Login.gov
A SECURE 2.0 search tool for lost 401(k)s and pensions is live. Whether it helps depends on passing Login.gov's identity check and what old employers actually reported.
Trump account proposal caps contributions and bars trustee steering
Employers get a dependent care-style playbook for tax-free Trump account contributions, with a single $2,500 cap per worker and a ban on steering money to a chosen custodian.
DOL proposes extending e-delivery rules to group health plans
Group health plan sponsors could gain the same electronic delivery path retirement plans have had since 2020.
EBSA bulletin resets ESOP enforcement priorities
ESOP fiduciaries and sponsors face a lighter enforcement climate, with an 'adequate consideration' rule still to come.
Final UBIT rules lock in the tax for retirement-plan investors in private funds
The IRS finalized the UBIT rules for retirement-plan stakes in debt-financed private funds, with a transition window that reaches back to 2018.
Treasury, IRS issue sample forms to speed electronic rollovers
The optional templates target the four-to-six-week delays that leave retirement money in transit and old accounts stranded.
Americans want Social Security saved, even with benefit knowledge gaps
AARP finds near-universal support for protecting Social Security while disability and survivor benefits remain the least understood provisions.
Saver's Match guidance settles eligibility, leaves delivery open
Sponsors know who qualifies for the federal match; the open question is how the money reaches plans and IRAs.
IRS proposes employer-contribution rules for Trump Accounts
Proposed regulations tell employers how to contribute to Trump Accounts, and what the plan document must say.
Treasury, IRS propose electronic-first rollover standards
A voluntary rollover framework under SECURE 2.0 lays the groundwork for ending paper checks.
DOL's benchmark rule puts private markets to the test
The DOL's safe harbor for private assets in DC plans rests on a 'meaningful benchmark' that private markets have not produced.