401(k) Plan Loan fiduciary rules

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s participant loan changes (which delays the account offset on loan defaults related to unemployment or plan termination) triggers something we would all rather not look at:  the “uncomfortable” manner in which ERISA’s fiduciary rules apply to loans and their administration.These changes should cause plan sponsors and recordkeepers to consider new choices about their handling of loan defaults, something they haven’t had to do in nearly 18 years. This matters because changing a plan’s loan rules is not a minor technical act. Loans are investments subject to the same ERISA prudence rules as any other plan investment, and changes to loan procedures impacts the investment.
Continue Reading Tax Act’s Participant Loan Changes Compels Fresh Review of “Uncomfortable” Loan Fiduciary Obligations