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Open letter to DOL: fix fee disclosure faux pas now

A year after the DOLs 401(k) Fee Disclosure Rule, a 2013 Limra study shows 50 percent of retirement plan participants still dont know what they pay and, worse yet, 40 percent still think their 401(k) is free. What gives?

By Chris Carosa | Updated on December 18, 2013

It’s amazing what you learn at networking events. I was at one the other evening. As others imbibed their adult beverages, I stood, as usual, alone, sipping my Diet Pepsi. An industry friend spies me and walks on over, keen for some shop talk. I tell him about some of the newer things I’m doing and he, well, he was loaded for bear. He had to get something off his chest, but, in a room full of realtors, placement firm recruiters and the usual cadre of small mom & pop business owners, he needed to find someone “in the biz,” someone who could empathize with his dilemma. After only a few words, I knew where he was going.

The fellow services 401k plans. He’s a plan fiduciary, a good guy. He’s mainly working the 3(38) side of things. He had just come from a client meeting and the CEO was livid. Like most CEOs, he engages his own private investment adviser. He was quite surprised to learn he was paying such a “large” amount for “investment advice” in his 401k account. The CEO rightfully claimed he neither was receiving nor wanted to receive any investment advice. He was happy with his private investment adviser, thank you very much.

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