Plan advisors most exposed during fiduciary rule transition period

With the DOL fiduciary rule, retirement plan advisors must take precautions to protect themselves -- here are some considerations. (Photo: AP)

Advisors to defined contribution plans are carrying more liability than brokers and advisors in the retail space during the transition period for the Labor Department’s fiduciary rule, according to analysts at Broadridge Financial Solutions, which provides communication services for 21 of the 25 largest plan record-keepers.

“The reality is as a (plan) advisor, if you have a conflict related to either proprietary product, forms of compensation, or limitations of access to products that you offer your clients, you need to be affirmatively disclosing those conflicts to your client now,” said Andrew Besheer, a project leader for Broadridge’s DOL Fiduciary Rule Solutions program, during a webinar hosted by the firm.