DOL Fiduciary Rule Goes Live
The highly contended DOL Fiduciary rule is now live. The new rule expands the definition of "fiduciaries" under the ERISA Act to include all professionals who sell or advise on retirement accounts (vs the previous definition which limited fiduciaries to those engaged in fee based agreements). As opposed to simply locating a suitable product, the new rule effectively requires professionals to locate the most suitable product, with the clients' best interests in mind. Among other compliance requirements, this entails increased disclosures of fees and commissions. While the effect on insurance premiums is still to be determined, premiums are expected to rise as a result.
