The Swagger
I had the privilege to speak on a 403(b) panel at the recent DOL/ASPPA “DOL Speaks” seminar, with Lisa Alexander and Susan Reese of the DOL. Our own panel went very well, with Susan and Lisa both speaking directly to and recognizing the transition problems related to this new 403(b) world. As Lisa repeatedly pointed out, many of the rules causing the challenges have always been there, but not given much attention by 403(b) employers or their advisors. The audience showed some frustration, but that arises from there not being answers to a lot of the tough questions we now face. But our take away is that the DOL is spending time and smart effort in recognizing the difficult issues now being raised, and is considering ways to approach them. You will from time to time see in this blog me disagreeing with their chosen approach, but it will never be a criticism of the seriousness of their choices nor of the professional manner in which they are being handled.
This conference was my first serious view of the direction of the EBSA under Phylis Borzi, and it is already showing some swagger under her leadership. My first clue came from the EBSA’s staff’s position with regard to the material being presented. We are all very used to the typical government staff comment during most such seminars that any comments of staff in their presentations reflect their own personal opinions, not that of their employing agency.
Well, at this seminar, the DOL took accountability. None of their speakers issued this disclaimer. My own presentation material was reviewed with the view that in a seminar labeled “DOL Speaks”, it couldn’t very well disclaim what its staff members were saying. So the staff statements took on an import we have little seen at other such conferences. This was a rare act of bureaucratic courage.
Phylis’s comments about the EBSA’s priorities sounded a more hardened approach to enforcing the public policy underlying ERISA. It reminded me some of my favorite line from one of the all time great movies, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. A “little bit more of looking out for the other guy” is what I recall Jimmy Stewart saying. Plan participants have always had this kind of advocate in the EBSA, but those efforts look to clearly become more focused.
Annuities to be addressed
At long last, both the DOL and the IRS will be taking a look at the technical rules related to the offering of annuities in 40(k) plans. The DOL announced that they will be soon be publishing an RFI on annuity issues, while the IRS announced that they will be considering auto-annuitization. This will be both challenging and fun, particularly as it comes to making annuities sensibly transparent, able to be effectively compared, and in designing programs that make sense for those with modest accumulations.
And for those of you still looking for Part 2 of my fiduciary analysis of annuities, its on the boards and will be out shortly.