Checking Your 401(k) Smoke Detectors

Daylight saving time doesn’t really live up to its name—but as you’re resetting clocks, anxiously awaiting the realignment of circadian rhythms and changing smoke detector batteries, it might be a good time to (re)consider the following.

Do you have fiduciary liability insurance?

I’m NOT talking about the Fidelity Bond required of every ERISA plan (this protects the plan and its participants from potential malfeasance on the part of those who handle plan assets. In fact, the plan is the named insured in the fidelity bond). I’m also NOT talking about the corporate governance policies that many organizations have in place for actions undertaken by organization officials. These may not cover you, and they very likely won’t cover actions taken as an ERISA plan fiduciary even if you are covered. 

What you need to check for is something called Fiduciary Liability Insurance. This policy typically protects the plan’s fiduciaries from claims of a breach of fiduciary responsibilities—an important protection since ERISA plan fiduciaries have personal liability, not only for their actions, but for the actions of their co-fiduciaries. Just remember; the cost of the insurance can be paid by the employer or by the plan fiduciary—but not from plan assets.   

Do you have an investment policy?

Note that I said investment POLICY, not an investment policy STATEMENT. While plan advisers and consultants routinely counsel on the need for, and importance of, an investment policy statement (IPS), the reality is that the law does not require one, and thus, many plan sponsors—sometimes at the direction of legal counsel—choose not to put one in place.

Of course, while the law does not, in fact, specifically require a written IPS—think of it as investment guidelines for the plan—ERISA nonetheless basically anticipates that plan fiduciaries will conduct themselves as though they had one in place. And, generally speaking, plan sponsors (and the advisors they work with) will find it easier to conduct the plan’s investment business in accordance with a set of established, prudent standards—if those standards are already in writing, not crafted at a point in time when you are desperately trying to make sense of the markets.

Are your plan’s target-date funds (still) on target?

Flows to target-date funds (TDF) have continued to be strong—and little wonder, what with their positioning as the qualified default investment alternative (QDIA) of choice for most 401(k)s. That said, the vast majority of those assets are still under the purview of an incredibly small number of firms—with glidepaths that are not as dissimilar as their marketing materials might suggest.

A TDF is, of course, a plan investment, and like any plan investment, if it fails to pass muster, a plan fiduciary would certainly want to remedy that situation, including removing the fund if necessary (don’t take my word for it—that’s coming straight from the Labor Department). 

That said, TDFs are frequently, if not always, pitched (and likely bought) as a package. While each fund in the family is reviewed separately, and certainly should be, breaking up the set certainly carries with it a series of complicated consequences, not the least of which are participant communication issues and glide path compatibility. Not that those can’t be overcome—and not that those complications would be deemed sufficient to retain an inappropriate investment on the plan menu—but it doesn’t take much imagination to think about the heartburn that might cause.

The reasons cited behind TDF selection run a predictable gamut; price/fees, performance (past, of course, despite those disclaimers), platform (as in, it happens either to be their recordkeepers, or compatible with their program)—and doubtless some are actually doing so based on an objective evaluation of the TDF’s suitability for their plan and employee demographics.

Whatever your rationale, it’s likely that things have changed—with the TDF’s designs, the markets, your plan, your workforce, or all of the above. It’s worth checking out.

Is your plan committee capable?

Today the process of putting together an investment or plan committee runs the gamut—everything from simply extrapolating roles from an organization chart to a random assortment of individuals to a thoughtful consideration of individuals and their qualifications to act as a plan fiduciary.

There is, or should be, a legitimate, articulatable reason why each and every member of your plan/investment committee was selected. They, and every other member of the committee, should know that reason. If you can’t articulate that reason (or can’t with a straight face), they shouldn’t be on the committee—for their own sake, and the sake of every other committee member.

Note also that, over time, committees have a tendency to expand, sometimes based more on factors like internal organizational politics than on valuable perspectives or expertise. But human dynamics are such that the larger the group, the more diffused (and sometimes deferred) the decision-making. So, it’s worth revisiting that articulatable reason—and making sure it’s still valid—on at least an annual basis.

Do you need help?

ERISA only requires that the named fiduciary (and there must be one of those) make decisions regarding the plan that are in the best interests of plan participants and beneficiaries, and that are the types of decisions that a prudent expert would make about such matters. ERISA does not require that you make those decisions by yourself—and, in fact, requires that, if you lack the requisite expertise, you enlist the support of those who do have it. 

That’s where qualified retirement plan advisors and/or experienced third-party administrators (TPAs) can make a big difference—both in making sure you have good policies and procedures in place—and that they are kept up to date! 

Think of it as a smoke detector for your retirement plan. It might not save you any daylight—then again…

- Nevin E. Adams, JD

5 Plan Committee Missteps

There is frequently a difference between doing what the law requires and doing everything that you could do as a plan fiduciary. That said, there are things that plan fiduciaries must do—and things that, while not required, can keep the plan, and plan fiduciaries out of trouble.

Let’s get started.

1. Not having a plan/plan investment committee

ERISA only requires that the named fiduciary (and there must be one of those) make decisions regarding the plan that are in the best interests of plan participants and beneficiaries, and that are the types of decisions that a prudent expert would make about such matters. ERISA does not require that you make those decisions by yourself—and, in fact, requires that, if you lack the requisite expertise, you enlist the support of those who do have it. 

You may well possess the requisite expertise to make those decisions—and then again, you may not. But even if you do, why forego the assistance of other perspectives?

However, having a committee for having a committee’s sake can not only hinder your decisions— it can result in bad decisions. Make sure your committee members add value to the process. (Hint: Once they discover that ERISA has a personal liability clause, casual participants generally drop out quickly.)

2. Not HAVING committee meetings

Having a committee and not having committee meetings is potentially worse than not having a committee at all. In the latter case, at least you ostensibly know who is supposed to be making the decisions. But if there is a group charged with overseeing the activities of the plan, and that group doesn’t convene, then one might well assume that the plan is not being properly managed, or that the plan’s activities and providers are not prudently managed and monitored, as the law requires.

3. Not keeping minutes of committee meetings

There is an old ERISA adage that says “prudence is process.” However, an updated version of that adage might be “prudence is process—but only if you can prove it.” To that end, a written record of the activities of your plan committee(s) is an essential ingredient in validating not only the results, but also the thought process behind those deliberations. 

More significantly, those minutes can provide committee members—both past and future—with a sense of the environment at the time decisions were made, the alternatives presented, and the rationale offered for each, as well as what those decisions were. They also can be an invaluable tool in reassessing those decisions at the appropriate time and making adjustments as warranted—properly documented, of course.

4. Not having an investment policy statement

While plan advisers and consultants routinely counsel on the need for, and importance of, an investment policy statement, the reality is that the law does not require one, and thus, many plan sponsors—sometimes at direction of legal counsel—choose not to put one in place. Of course, if the law does not specifically require a written investment policy statement (IPS)—think of it as investment guidelines for the plan—ERISA nonetheless basically anticipates that plan fiduciaries will conduct themselves as though they had one in place. And, generally speaking, you should find it easier to conduct the plan’s investment business in accordance with a set of established, prudent standards if those standards are in writing, and not crafted at a point in time when you are desperately trying to make sense of the markets. In sum, you want an IPS in place before you need an IPS in place. 

It is worth noting that, though it is not legally required, Labor Department auditors routinely ask for a copy of the plan’s IPS as one of their first requests. And therein lies the rationale behind the counsel of some in the legal profession to forgo having a formal IPS; because if there is one thing worse than not having an investment policy statement, it is having an investment policy statement—in writing—that is not followed.

5. Not removing ‘bad’ funds from your plan menu

Whether or not you have an official IPS, you are expected to conduct a review of the plan’s investment options as though you do. Sooner or later, that review will turn up a fund (or two) that no longer meets the criteria established for the plan. That’s when you will find the true “mettle” of your investment policy; do you have the discipline to do the right thing and drop the fund(s), or will you succumb to the very human temptation to leave it on the menu (though perhaps discouraging or even preventing future investment)? Oh, and make no mistake—there will be someone with a balance in that fund. Still, how can leaving an inappropriate fund on your menu—and allowing participants to invest in it—be a good thing?

Being a plan fiduciary is a tough job—and one that, it’s probably fair to say—is underappreciated, if not undercompensated. Despite that, in my experience, most who find themselves in that role I think do an admirable job of living up to the spirit, if not the letter, of their responsibilities.

If you’re taking the time to read this, odds are you are probably doing a better-than-average job as a plan fiduciary (or at least the person who shared it with you is). I hope you find this list informative, and that you draw insight and comfort from its contents, as well as a reminder of the awesome responsibilities of an ERISA plan fiduciary.

- Nevin E. Adams, JD

Limiting Fiduciary Liability (Costs)

A recent survey of insurers highlights the criteria that a number of the nation’s leading fiduciary liability insurers identified as the biggest sources of fiduciary risk—within the control of plan fiduciaries. 

Now, arguably, the report—titled “What Drives Fiduciary Liability?”—might have been more accurately titled “What Drives Fiduciary Liability Insurance Costs?”—or even more precisely “What Drives Fiduciary Liability Insurance Costs That You Can Do Something About?” Indeed, the report’s authors note that it was specifically focused on sources of risk that are within the control of fiduciaries. That’s key, because there are things that attract litigation (such as plan size or even stock price) that aren’t. 

Moreover, the survey respondents (there were 8 of the 12 that Aon said account for 85% of the total gross written premium placed by the firms in 2020) were asked only to evaluate pricing criteria as having a significant, small or nonexistent impact—though one might want to find something between significant and small, at least.

The survey’s authors identified five key takeaways—and while there are more elements discussed in the report, that seems a good place to start:

1. Fees are very important.

Well, to quote Homer Simpson, “doh.” Indeed, the only surprises here are that (only) 88% of the respondents identified periodic fee benchmarking reviews by the investment committee as a “significant” driver of insurance premiums; (just) 75% said it was significant if the plan uses revenue-sharing or Sub-TA type revenues; and (a mere) 63% said that using retail mutual fund share classes would fall in that category. Granted, with only 8 respondents (albeit with big market share), we’re talking small numbers.

Moreover, note that these points aren’t about what the fees are, and certainly not what they are relative to the services provided (the true measure of “reasonable”), but about fee structures and process. It is, in other words, about what might be seen as the “appearance” of impropriety. Indeed, as has been borne out in litigation, there’s no legal issue with any of the foregoing—but all of these practices (or, in the case of the review, non-practices) have been challenged as if they were themselves a violation, or at least an indicator, of a fiduciary breach. 

Suffice it to say that if the plan is currently doing (or not doing, in the case of a review) these things, you should be sure to have prudently considered the reasons—and to have documented that consideration—but can likely expect to pay more in insurance premiums, regardless. 

2. Committee minutes are important, but it matters less who takes them.

Only a third of the survey respondents said that taking formal minutes was a “significant” factor (the rest said the impact was “small”—bearing in mind that the only other option was “nonexistent”), so I have a feeling that the Aon report authors exercised a little editorial “discretion” in positioning that as important. In fact, that seemed very low to me, certainly in view of the impact in persuading a judge (much less a DOL auditor) that you do, in fact, have a prudent process in place. Perhaps it reflects what still seems to be a consistent caution from the legal community: that such things can be a “smoking gun” in litigation. On the other hand, I’ve seen committee minutes be effective shields in having cases dismissed at the pleading stage, so…

The report does indicate that there is no particular advantage in having an advisor or legal counsel act as scribe, though the latter might well limit the “smoking gun” risk.

3. Investment advisors are viewed as a moderate influencer of premiums.

This one was a bit of a head-scratcher as well—perhaps reflecting the varying quality and expertise of the investment advisors whose expertise might be tapped. The Aon report said the responses were split almost evenly among the impact of an advisor being deemed as significant, small or nonexistent, and even when going on to qualify that statement (with the quality of the advisor), only a quarter (that’s two firms) said it would have a significant impact on pricing. (Half described the impact as “small.”) 

There were some qualifiers here—the impact was seen as small by one “unless related party in which case significant impact” (and I’m assuming a negative one), another stated that an “experienced advisor is expected,” and still another cautioned that while this was a factor, “…outside vendors are not foolproof and the insured retains fiduciary liability with respect to them.” 

4. Employer stock in DC plans remains a top concern for insurers.

This one appears to matter—a lot. Then again, it wasn’t unanimous—88% rated it as a significant factor, though that figure dropped to 50% when there is a limit on the size of the investment, which is increasingly common. Indeed, so-called “stock drop” suits seem to (still) crop up every time there is a disappointing earnings announcement or some piece of bad PR that drives down the stock price. 

That said, it’s one thing to bring suit—and yet, it remains a hard suit to win based on recent case history. 

Not mentioned: the inclusion of proprietary funds. It’s seldom a standalone rationale for bringing suit, but—well, it’s increasingly common, at least among organizations that have that capability.

5. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) options in DC plans play a minor role in pricing fiduciary liability insurance.

The inclusion of this particular item was a bit of a head-scratcher, though the results—62% said it had no impact on the premium pricing—were not. In fairness, and as noted by the survey’s authors, the survey was fielded after the Biden administration’s announcement that it was not going to enforce the rule put in place by the Trump administration, but my guess (and theirs) is that it simply reflects the relatively small take-up rate by plans and the tepid adoption by participants. Indeed, one of the survey respondents commented that the impact “depends on the % of plan assets or # of investment options offered. As well as if the plan were to attempt to force a requirement to its participants.” 

Ultimately, and as one of the survey respondents noted, “While we look at a number of items that are in the survey, the problem is that there is pressure to settle, in some cases because the cost to defend would be greater than the settlement value. Defense costs and settlement amounts in the so-called fee cases are incredibly high, even where the client has robust fiduciary processes.”

Still, forewarned is forearmed. Like vaccines, addressing those issues might not completely forestall litigation—but it would surely make for a less painful set of “symptoms.”

- Nevin E. Adams, JD

History’s Lessons for Plan Fiduciaries

 

The study of history is a passion of mine, and while it seems a bit trite, the old adage that those who don’t remember the past are doomed to repeat it seems more apropos by the day. Regardless, I never cease to be touched by the experience of walking the grounds where famous individuals or great historic events took place. 

A few years back I had the opportunity to be in Philadelphia for a few days beyond the customary speaking event “fly-by,” and was thrilled to be able to tour Independence Hall where, in 1776, the Continental Congress crafted what we will shortly celebrate as the Declaration of Independence. Those who think that partisan divides, cynical self-interest, and political acrimony are recent “innovations” in government would perhaps be shocked to learn that regional tensions have always been part-and-parcel of our republic… even before it was a republic. 

The room was smaller than I had imagined—and I couldn’t imagine what it must have felt like on a July day with no air conditioning. The chairs (though doubtless replicas) looked… uncomfortable, to say the least. The idea that the debates—and ultimately the consensus (of sorts) that was wrested from this group of disparate individuals with varied (and competing) objectives in that room was—to me, anyway, nothing short of extraordinary. To this day the reality that our nation was born from—and has survived—those contradictions is a testament to the power of the ideals expressed on that July day in 1776, even if some would require the passage of time (and a Civil War) to achieve. 

But, as we commemorate this Independence Day holiday, there are, I think, lessons to be learned from that experience that can be applied to our work with retirement plans, particularly those who serve those plans as fiduciaries. 

Inertia is a powerful force.

By the time the Second Continental Congress convened, the “shot heard round the world” had already been fired at Lexington, but many of the representatives in Philadelphia still held out hope for some kind of peaceful reconciliation. Little wonder that, even in the midst of hostilities, there was a strong inclination on the part of several key individuals to put things back the way they had been, to patch them over, rather than to take on the world’s most accomplished military force.

As human beings we are largely predisposed to leave things the way they are, rather than making abrupt and dramatic change. Whether this “inertia” comes from a fear of the unknown, a certain laziness about the extra work that might be required, or a sense that advocating change suggests an admission that there was something “wrong” before, it seems fair to say that plan sponsors are, generally speaking, and in the absence of a compelling reason for change, inclined to rationalize staying put.

Little wonder that we often see new fund options added, while old and unsatisfactory funds linger on the plan menu, a general hesitation to undertake an evaluation of long-standing providers in the absence of severe service issues, and reluctance to adopt potentially disruptive (and, admittedly, often expensive) plan features like automatic enrollment or deferral acceleration.

While many of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention were restricted by the entities that appointed them in terms of how they could vote on the issues presented, plan fiduciaries are bound by a higher obligation—that their decisions be made solely in the best interests of plan participants and their beneficiaries—regardless of any other organizational or personal obligations they may have outside their committee role.

Selection of committee members is crucial.

The Second Continental Congress was comprised of representatives from what amounted to 13 different governments, with delegates selected by processes ranging from extralegal conventions, ad hoc committees, to elected assemblies –with varying degrees of voting authority granted to them, to boot. Needless to say, that made reaching consensus even more complicated than under “ordinary” circumstances.

Today the process of putting together an investment or plan committee runs the gamut—everything from simply extrapolating roles from an organization chart to a random assortment of individuals to a thoughtful consideration of individuals and their qualifications to act as a plan fiduciary. But if you want a good result, you need to have the right individuals—and, certainly in the case of ERISA fiduciaries, if those individuals lack the requisite knowledge on a particular issue, they need to access that expertise from individuals who do.

Know that there are risks.

Those that gathered in Philadelphia that summer of 1776 came from all walks of life, but it seems fair to say that most had something to lose by signing on to a declaration of independence. True, many were merchants (some wealthy, including President of Congress John Hancock), and perhaps they could see a day when their actions would accrue to their economic benefit. Still, they could hardly have undertaken that declaration without a very real concern that in so doing they might well have signed their death warrants. As Ben Franklin is said to have commented just before signing the Declaration, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Despite the threat of litigation, it is not quite that serious for ERISA plan fiduciaries. However, there is the matter of personal liability—not only for your actions, but for those of your fellow fiduciaries—and thus, you might be required to restore any losses to the plan or to restore any profits gained through improper use of plan assets. So, it’s a good idea not only to know who your co-fiduciaries are—but to keep an eye on what they do, and are permitted to do.

It’s important to put it in writing.

While the Declaration of Independence technically had no legal effect, with the possible exception of the Gettysburg Address (which was heavily inspired by the former), its impact not only on the establishment of the United States, but as a social and political inspiration for many throughout the world is unquestioned, and perhaps unprecedented. Putting that declaration—and the sentiments expressed—in writing gave it a force and influence far beyond its original purpose.

Plan fiduciaries are sometimes cautioned (often by legal counsel) about committing to writing certain decisions, notably an investment policy statement. In fairness, the law does not require one, though ERISA basically anticipates that plan fiduciaries will conduct themselves as though they had one in place. And, generally speaking, plan sponsors (and the advisors they work with) find it easier to conduct the plan’s investment business in accordance with a set of established, prudent standards if those standards are in writing—rather than being crafted at a point in time when you are desperately trying to make sense of the markets. That said, and in the defense of caution, if there’s something worse than not having an IPS, it’s having an IPS that isn’t followed.

There is an old ERISA adage that says, “Prudence is process.” However, an updated version of that adage might be “prudence is process—but only if you can prove it.” To that end, a written record of the activities of plan committee(s) is an essential ingredient in validating not only the results, but also the thought process behind those deliberations. More significantly, those minutes can provide committee members—both past and future—with a sense of the environment at the time decisions were made, the alternatives presented and the rationale offered for each, as well as what those decisions were. 

Those might not serve to inspire future generations—but they can be an invaluable tool in reassessing those decisions at the appropriate time(s) in the future and making adjustments as warranted—properly documented, of course.

Actions can speak louder than words.

As dramatic and inspiring as the words of the Declaration of Independence surely were (and are), if they never got beyond the document in which they appeared, it’s unlikely we’d be talking about them today. Indeed, it’s likely that, without the actions committed to in that Declaration, their signatures on the document would have only ensured that they wound up on the gallows.

Anyone who has ever had a grand idea shackled to the deliberations of a moribund committee, or who has had to kowtow to the sensibilities of a recalcitrant compliance department, can empathize with the process that produced the Declaration of Independence we’ll commemorate this week.

Yes, Independence Day is a great opportunity to reflect and remember that our actions have consequence(s)—and that while plan committee meetings and deliberations may sometimes seem like little more than obligatory (and tedious) reviews of arcane information, it’s worth remembering that those decisions affect people’s lives—and, ultimately, their financial independence. 

- Nevin E. Adams, JD

5 Things Your Plan Committee Members Need to Know

Over the past decade and change, there have been a number of high-profile excessive fee suits brought against retirement plan fiduciaries, notably the plan committees that oversee these programs. Here’s what your plan committee members should know.

1. Why they are a member of the committee.

Today the process of putting together an investment or plan committee runs the gamut – everything from simply extrapolating roles from an organization chart to a random assortment of individuals to a thoughtful consideration of individuals and their qualifications to act as a plan fiduciary.

There is, or should be, a legitimate, articulatable reason why each and every member of your plan/investment committee was selected. They, and every other member of the committee, should know that reason. If you can’t articulate that reason (or can’t with a straight face), they shouldn’t be on the committee – for their own sake, and the sake of every other committee member.

Note also that, over time, committees have a tendency to expand, sometimes based more on factors like internal organizational politics than on valuable perspectives or expertise. But human dynamics are such that the larger the group, the more diffused (and sometimes deferred) the decision-making. So, it’s worth revisiting that articulatable reason – and making sure it’s still valid – on at least an annual basis.

2. That, as a member of the plan committee, each of them is probably a fiduciary. 

Committee members often do their work in relative anonymity – or did before the recent spate of ERISA litigation. That said, in a recent excessive fee case (Sacerdote v. N.Y. Univ.), the court – while delivering a verdict for the plan fiduciaries – nonetheless called out several committee members who “…displayed a surprising lack of in-depth knowledge concerning the financial aspects of managing a multi-billion-dollar pension portfolio and a lack of true appreciation for the significance of her role as a fiduciary” – including, in one case, a member who “…did not consider herself a fiduciary (but rather believed the Committee was the fiduciary).”

In that case, a federal judge also stated that “the hiring or appointment of a co-fiduciary does not relieve the original fiduciary of its independent duties,” that “no fiduciary may passively rely on information provided by a co-fiduciary,” and that a “fiduciary who delegates fiduciary responsibilities nonetheless retains a duty to exercise prudence” – a process that she likened to a “good old-fashioned ‘kicking the tires’ of the appointed fiduciary’s work…”.

Their role on the committee may be bounded in by the focus of that group – a focus on the investment and investment menu, for example. That said, if they’re on a plan committee, and they are influencing plan assets, they’re a fiduciary, and they should not only know that, but know what that means.

Of course, fiduciary status is based on one’s responsibilities with the plan, not a title. Simply stated, those who have discretion in administering and managing the plan, or if you control the plan’s assets (such as choosing the investment options or choosing the firm that chooses those options), are fiduciaries to the extent of that discretion or control – and that certainly includes committees that either make decisions regarding the hiring or firing of plan fiduciaries, or those that make decisions regarding the plan’s assets.

3. What being a plan fiduciary means.

Fiduciaries have important responsibilities and are subject to standards of conduct because they act on behalf of participants in a retirement plan and their beneficiaries. In addition to paying only reasonable plan expenses, these responsibilities include acting solely in the interest of plan participants and their beneficiaries and with the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to them, following the terms of plan documents, and carrying out their duties prudently. More precisely with the skill and aptitude of a person expert in such matters.

Even when the plan hires a professional investment advisor to help them – something that ERISA demands of plan fiduciaries when they lack the skill and knowledge of a prudent expert – in the NYU case above, the same judge pointed out that even then the committee could not “unthinkingly defer” to that advisor’s expertise. Rather, she said, in order to fulfill their duties, “…the Committee members must meaningfully probe” the advisor’s recommendations “and make informed but independent decisions.”

ERISA fiduciaries are personally liable, and may be required to restore any losses to the plan or to restore any profits gained through improper use of plan assets. What does that liability mean? Consider that, in the Enron case, the outside directors and committee members settled for about $100 million, most of which was paid by the fiduciary insurer. However, the individuals also had to pay approximately $1.5 million from their own pockets.

And since fiduciaries have potential liability for the actions of their co-fiduciaries, it’s also a good idea to… know who their co-fiduciaries are.

4. What’s in the plan’s Investment Policy Statement.

First, let’s acknowledge that the law doesn’t require that you have a written investment policy statement. Of course, if the law does not specifically require a written investment policy statement (IPS) – think of it as investment guidelines for the plan – ERISA nonetheless basically anticipates that plan fiduciaries will conduct themselves as though they had one in place. And indeed, the vast majority of plans do have a written IPS – more than 90%, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America’s 61st Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plans.

More than that, generally speaking, you should find it easier to conduct the plan’s investment business in accordance with a set of established, prudent standards if those standards are in writing, and not crafted at a point in time when you are desperately trying to make sense of the markets. In sum, you want an IPS in place before you need an IPS in place.

5. What you’ll do to support them in this important duty.

Every plan, and every plan committee is unique. But the responsibility, and the prudent expert standard to which those responsibilities must be held has been called “the highest known to the law.” In forming and conducting the committee its imperative not only that the members be selected wisely, but that they be informed and engaged so that they can adequately and fully discharge those responsibilities.

One recent court decision (Wildman v. Am. Century Servs.) in favor of the plan committee defendants explains that the committee met regularly three times a year, and had “special meetings if something arose that needed to be discussed before the regularly scheduled meetings.” Moreover, the defendants testified that those meetings “were productive and lasted as long as was needed to fully address each issue on the agenda. On average, the meetings lasted an hour to an hour and a half.”

The plan provided “training and information about their fiduciary duties, including a ‘Fiduciary Toolkit,’ which outlined their duties as fiduciaries, as well as a summary plan document, and articles regarding fiduciary duties in general.” That kit included a copy of the current Investment Policy Statement, and the court noted that “the Committee members read these materials and took their responsibilities as fiduciaries seriously.”

And if your committee does that – well, then you’ll have the makings of a great plan committee.

- Nevin E. Adams, JD

5 Plan Committee Lessons from the Second Continental Congress

As we prepare to celebrate the Declaration that marks the birth of this nation, it seems a good time to reflect on some lessons from that experience that hold true even today.

Inertia is a powerful force.

By the time the Second Continental Congress convened, the “shot heard round the world” had already been fired at Lexington, but many of the representatives in Philadelphia still held out hope for some kind of peaceful reconciliation. Little wonder that, even in the midst of hostilities, there was a strong inclination on the part of several key individuals to put things back the way they had been, to patch them over, rather than to take on the world’s most accomplished military force.

As human beings we are largely predisposed to leave things the way they are, rather than making abrupt and dramatic change. Whether this “inertia” comes from a fear of the unknown, a certain laziness about the extra work that might be required, or a sense that advocating change suggests an admission that there was something “wrong” before, it seems fair to say that plan sponsors are, generally speaking, and in the absence of a compelling reason for change, inclined to rationalize staying put.

Little wonder that we often see new fund options added, while old and unsatisfactory funds linger on the plan menu, a general hesitation to undertake an evaluation of long-standing providers in the absence of severe service issues, and reluctance to adopt potentially disruptive (and, admittedly, often expensive) plan features like automatic enrollment or deferral acceleration.

While many of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention were restricted by the entities that appointed them in terms of how they could vote on the issues presented, plan fiduciaries are bound by a higher obligation – that their decisions be made solely in the best interests of plan participants and their beneficiaries – regardless of any other organizational or personal obligations they may have outside their committee role.

Selection of committee members is crucial.

The Second Continental Congress was comprised of representatives from what amounted to 13 different governments, with delegates selected by processes ranging from extralegal conventions, ad hoc committees, to elected assemblies – with varying degrees of voting authority granted to them, to boot. Needless to say, that made reaching consensus even more complicated than under “ordinary” circumstances.

Today the process of putting together an investment or plan committee runs the gamut – everything from simply extrapolating roles from an organization chart to a random assortment of individuals to a thoughtful consideration of individuals and their qualifications to act as a plan fiduciary. But if you want a good result, you need to have the right individuals – and, certainly in the case of ERISA fiduciaries, if those individuals lack the requisite knowledge on a particular issue, they need to access that expertise from individuals who do.

Know that there are risks.

The men that gathered in Philadelphia that summer of 1776 came from all walks of life, but it seems fair to say that most had something to lose by signing on to a declaration of independence. True, many were merchants (some wealthy, including President of Congress John Hancock), and perhaps they could see a day when their actions would accrue to their economic benefit. Still, they could hardly have undertaken that declaration of independence without a very real concern that in so doing they might well have signed their death warrants. As Ben Franklin is said to have commented just before signing the Declaration, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

It’s not quite that serious for ERISA plan fiduciaries. However, there is the matter of personal liability – not only for your actions, but for those of your fellow fiduciaries – and thus, you might be required to restore any losses to the plan or to restore any profits gained through improper use of plan assets. So, it’s a good idea not only to know who your co-fiduciaries are – but to keep an eye on what they do, and are permitted to do.

It’s important to put it in writing.

While the Declaration of Independence technically had no legal effect, with the possible exception of the Gettysburg Address (which was heavily inspired by the former), its impact not only on the establishment of the United States, but as a social and political inspiration for many throughout the world is unquestioned, and perhaps unprecedented. Putting that declaration – and the sentiments expressed – in writing gave it a force and influence far beyond its original purpose.

Plan fiduciaries are sometimes cautioned (often by legal counsel) about committing to writing certain decisions, notably an investment policy statement. In fairness, the law does not require one, though ERISA basically anticipates that plan fiduciaries will conduct themselves as though they had one in place. And, generally speaking, plan sponsors (and the advisors they work with) find it easier to conduct the plan’s investment business in accordance with a set of established, prudent standards if those standards are in writing – rather than being crafted at a point in time when you are desperately trying to make sense of the markets. That said, and in the defense of caution, if there’s something worse than not having an IPS, it’s having an IPS that isn’t followed.

There is an old ERISA adage that says, “Prudence is process.” However, an updated version of that adage might be “prudence is process – but only if you can prove it.” To that end, a written record of the activities of plan committee(s) is an essential ingredient in validating not only the results, but also the thought process behind those deliberations. More significantly, those minutes can provide committee members – both past and future – with a sense of the environment at the time decisions were made, the alternatives presented and the rationale offered for each, as well as what those decisions were.

Those might not serve to inspire future generations – but they can be an invaluable tool in reassessing those decisions at the appropriate time(s) in the future and making adjustments as warranted – properly documented, of course.

Actions can speak louder than words.

As dramatic and inspiring as the words of the Declaration of Independence surely were (and are), if they never got beyond the document in which they appeared, it’s unlikely we’d be talking about them today. Indeed, it’s likely that, without the actions committed to in that Declaration, their signatures on the document would have only ensured that they wound up on the gallows.

Anyone who has ever had a grand idea shackled to the deliberations of a moribund committee, or who has had to kowtow to the sensibilities of a recalcitrant compliance department, can empathize with the process that produced the Declaration of Independence we’ll commemorate this week.

While plan committee meetings may sometimes seem like little more than obligatory (and tedious) reviews of arcane information, it’s worth remembering that those decisions affect people’s lives – and, ultimately, their financial independence.

- Nevin E. Adams, JD

The 3 Biggest Mistakes Fiduciaries Make

A recent Alliance Bernstein survey found that plan sponsors’ awareness of their fiduciary role, much less the responsibility, has deteriorated significantly in recent years. In fact, their survey found that less than half of plan sponsors knew they were fiduciaries.

Here are, in my estimation, the three biggest mistakes fiduciaries make.

Not knowing they are fiduciaries.

As noted above, a significant – and apparently growing – number of individuals who are, in fact, plan fiduciaries are oblivious to that reality. The reasons for that are varied, though the Alliance Bernstein survey suggests that knowledge gap is wider among those who serve on a plan committee than with those who have primary responsibility for the plan.

Of course, fiduciary status is based on one’s responsibilities with the plan, not a title. Simply stated, if you have discretion in administering and managing the plan, or if you control the plan’s assets (such as choosing the investment options or choosing the firm that chooses those options), you are a fiduciary to the extent of that discretion or control. If you are able to hire a fiduciary, you’re almost certainly a fiduciary.

Speaking of committees, if you’re responsible for selecting those who are on the committee(s) that administer the plan, you’re a fiduciary. Not to mention if you happen to be on a committee that makes decisions regarding the plan’s assets…

Not knowing the liability that comes with being a plan fiduciary.

ERISA fiduciaries are personally liable, and may be required to restore any losses to the plan or to restore any profits gained through improper use of plan assets. That’s right, the legal liability is personal (you can, however, buy insurance to protect against that personal liability – but that’s not the fiduciary liability insurance some have in place, nor is it typically covered by your standard corporate director liability insurance).

What does that liability mean? Consider that, in the Enron case, the outside directors and committee members settled for about $100 million, most of which was paid by the fiduciary insurer. However, the individuals also had to pay approximately $1.5 million from their own pockets.

And all fiduciaries have potential liability for the actions of their co-fiduciaries. So it’s a good idea to know who your co-fiduciaries are – and to keep an eye on what they do, and are permitted to do.

Thinking that they can outsource their fiduciary liability.

Even when they aren’t fully aware of their liability exposure – and certainly once they are – plan fiduciaries have a strong interest in shielding themselves from the consequences of that exposure.
They often think that by hiring another plan fiduciary – and frequently that’s a financial advisor –  they have managed to absolve themselves from that responsibility.

As it turns out, ERISA has a couple of very specific exceptions; more precisely, ways in which you can limit – but not eliminate – your fiduciary obligations. One exception has to do with the specific decisions made by a qualified investment manager – but even then, the plan fiduciary remains responsible for the prudent selection and monitoring of that investment manager’s activities on behalf of the plan.

The second exception has to do with specific investment decisions made by properly informed and empowered individual participants in accordance with ERISA section 404(c). Here also, even if the plan meets the 404(c) criteria (and it is by no means certain it will), the plan fiduciary remains responsible for the prudent selection and monitoring of the options on the investment menu.

It is important to remember that ERISA’s “prudent man” rule is a standard of care, and when fiduciaries act for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits, they must act at the level of a hypothetical knowledgeable person and must reach informed and reasoned decisions consistent with that standard. Fiduciaries who are concerned that they fall short of that standard – and let’s face it, many, perhaps most, are placed in those roles without training – may want to look to the counsel of the Department of Labor, which has said that “[l]acking that expertise, a fiduciary will want to hire someone with that professional knowledge to carry out the investment and other functions.”

Doing so may not insulate you from all liability – but turning to experts is not only prudent, it surely minimizes the likelihood of making big mistakes.

- Nevin E. Adams, JD