Target Date Disclosure, 73987-73995 [2010-29509]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 229 / Tuesday, November 30, 2010 / Proposed Rules
73987
CIVIL MONETARY PENALTIES AUTHORITIES ADMINISTERED BY FDA AND ADJUSTED MAXIMUM PENALTY AMOUNTS—
Continued
U.S.C. section
Former
maximum
penalty
amount
(in dollars) 1
333 note .......................
N/A
333 note .......................
N/A
333 note .......................
N/A
333 note .......................
N/A
333 note .......................
N/A
333 note .......................
N/A
333 note .......................
N/A
335b(a) ........................
335b(a) ........................
360pp(b)(1) ..................
360pp(b)(1) ..................
275,000
1,100,000
1,100
330,000
Date of last
penalty figure
or adjustment
Assessment method
For the six or subsequent violation within a 48-month
period by a retailer with an approved training program.
For the first violation by a retailer without an approved
training program.
For the second violation within a 12-month period by a
retailer without an approved training program.
For the third violation within a 24-month period by a retailer without an approved training program.
For the fourth violation within a 24-month period by a retailer without an approved training program.
For the fifth violation within a 36-month period by a retailer without an approved training program.
For the six or subsequent violation within a 48-month
period by a retailer without an approved training program.
Per violation for an individual ...........................................
Per violation for ‘‘any other person’’ .................................
Per violation per person ...................................................
For any related series of violations ..................................
Adjusted maximum
penalty amount
(in dollars)
2009
10,000 (not adjusted).
2009
250 (not adjusted).
2009
500 (not adjusted).
2009
1,000 (not adjusted).
2009
2,000 (not adjusted).
2009
5,000 (not adjusted).
2009
10,000 (not adjusted).
2008
2008
2008
2008
300,000.
1,200,000.
1,100 (not adjusted).
355,000.
2008
2008
11,000 (not adjusted).
120,000.
42 U.S.C.
263b(h)(3) ....................
300aa–28(b)(1) ............
1 Maximum
11,000
110,000
Per violation ......................................................................
Per occurrence .................................................................
penalties assessed under The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act do not have a ‘‘former maximum penalty.’’
Dated: November 23, 2010.
Leslie Kux,
Acting Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2010–30040 Filed 11–29–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employee Benefits Security
Administration
29 CFR Part 2550
RIN 1210–AB38
Target Date Disclosure
Employee Benefits Security
Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Proposed regulation.
AGENCY:
The Department published in
the Federal Register of October 24, 2007
a final regulation (the qualified default
investment alternative regulation)
providing relief from certain fiduciary
responsibilities for fiduciaries of
participant-directed individual account
plans who, in the absence of directions
from a participant, invest the
participant’s account in a qualified
default investment alternative. On
October 20, 2010, the Department
published a final regulation that
requires the disclosure of certain plan
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SUMMARY:
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and investment-related information,
including fee and expense information,
to participants and beneficiaries in
participant-directed individual account
plans (the participant-level disclosure
regulation). This document contains
proposed amendments to the qualified
default investment alternative
regulation to provide more specificity as
to the information that must be
disclosed in the required notice to
participants and beneficiaries
concerning investments in qualified
default investment alternatives,
including target date or similar
investments. This document also
contains a proposed amendment to the
participant-level disclosure regulation
that would require the disclosure of the
same information concerning target date
or similar investments to all participants
and beneficiaries in participant-directed
individual account plans.
DATES: Written comments on the
proposed regulation should be received
by the Department of Labor no later than
January 14, 2011.
ADDRESSES: To facilitate the receipt and
processing of comments, EBSA
encourages interested persons to submit
their comments electronically to eORI@dol.gov, or by using the Federal
eRulemaking portal https://
www.regulations.gov (following
instructions for submission of
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comments). Persons submitting
comments electronically are encouraged
not to submit paper copies. Persons
interested in submitting comments on
paper should send or deliver their
comments (preferably three copies) to:
Office of Regulations and
Interpretations, Employee Benefits
Security Administration, Room N–5655,
U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC 20210, Attention: Target Date
Amendments. All comments will be
available to the public, without charge,
online at https://www.regulations.gov
and https://www.dol.gov/ebsa, and at the
Public Disclosure Room, Employee
Benefits Security Administration, U.S.
Department of Labor, Room N–1513,
200 Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20210.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kristen L. Zarenko, Office of
Regulations and Interpretations,
Employee Benefits Security
Administration, (202) 693–8500. This is
not a toll-free number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
Section 624(a) of the Pension
Protection Act of 2006 (Pension
Protection Act) added a new section
404(c)(5) to ERISA. Section 404(c)(5)(A)
of ERISA provides that, for purposes of
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section 404(c)(1) of ERISA, a participant
in an individual account plan shall be
treated as exercising control over the
assets in the account with respect to the
amount of contributions and earnings
which, in the absence of an investment
election by the participant, are invested
by the plan in accordance with
regulations prescribed by the Secretary
of Labor. On October 24, 2007, the
Department of Labor (Department)
published a final regulation
implementing the provisions of section
404(c)(5) of ERISA.1 Correcting
amendments to the final regulation were
published on April 30, 2008.2 A
fiduciary of a plan that complies with
the final regulation, as amended, will
not be liable for any loss, or by reason
of any breach, that occurs as a result of
investment in a qualified default
investment alternative. The regulation
describes the types of investments that
qualify as default investment
alternatives under section 404(c)(5) of
ERISA and the other requirements that
must be satisfied in order for a fiduciary
to obtain the relief from liability
described above.
The final regulation provides that, in
order for a fiduciary to obtain relief,
participants and beneficiaries must
receive information concerning the
investments that may be made on their
behalf. Specifically, paragraph (c)(3) of
the final rule requires that participants
and beneficiaries be furnished both an
initial notice (generally thirty days in
advance of a participant’s eligibility to
participate in the plan) and an annual
notice for subsequent plan years.
Paragraph (d) of the final rule sets forth
the information that must be included
in these notices. In addition to the
notice requirement, paragraph (c)(4) of
the final regulation required that
fiduciaries provide certain investmentrelated information that must be
disclosed under the Department’s 404(c)
regulation. Specifically, paragraph (c)(4)
requires fiduciaries to provide to
defaulted participants or beneficiaries
the material described in sections
2550.404c–1(b)(2)(i)(B)(1)(viii) and (ix)
and 2550.404c–1(b)(2)(i)(B)(2).
Since publication of the final rule, the
Department has received many
questions about the notice requirement,
for example concerning the timing
requirements for the notice and how
much information must be disclosed
concerning investment fees and
expenses. The Department addressed
these and other issues in a series of
questions and answers concerning the
final rule that was published in a Field
1 72
2 73
FR 60452 (Oct. 24, 2007).
FR 23349 (Apr. 30, 2008).
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Assistance Bulletin in April 2008.3 With
respect to the disclosure of investment
fee and expense information, the
Department indicated at that time that it
was developing a regulation to establish
disclosure requirements for all
participant-directed individual account
plans. The Department anticipated that
furnishing the investment information
required by such regulation, when
finalized, would satisfy the investmentrelated fee and expense disclosures
required by the qualified default
investment alternative regulation.
Nonetheless, the Department continues
to receive requests for more formal
guidance as to how the content
requirements of the qualified default
investment alternative notice may be
satisfied. As discussed below, the
Department proposes amending the
qualified default investment alternative
regulation to provide more specificity as
to the information that must be
disclosed.
In addition to questions about the
notice requirement, recent attention has
been paid to the increased use of ‘‘target
date’’ or ‘‘lifecycle’’ funds and other
similar investments (TDFs) as an
investment alternative in participantdirected retirement plans, such as
401(k) plans.4 The Department’s final
regulation included TDFs as one of the
permissible categories of investment
funds or products that may be used as
a qualified default investment
alternative, if all of the requirements of
the final rule have been satisfied. The
growing popularity of these products
led to a focus in recent years on issues
relating to the design, operation, and
selection of TDFs for 401(k) plans, both
as investment alternatives for plans
generally and as qualified default
investment alternatives for participants
that do not provide investment
direction. The designation of all
investment alternatives, including
TDFs, to be made available under a
private sector retirement plan is
governed by the fiduciary responsibility
provisions of ERISA. Persons with this
responsibility must prudently select and
monitor investment alternatives,
including alternatives intended to be
qualified default investment
alternatives.
In 2008, the Department’s ERISA
Advisory Council studied several
aspects of TDFs as 401(k) plan
investment alternatives, including the
challenges and risks they may pose to
participants who invest in TDFs, the
3 See Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008–03
(April 29, 2008).
4 Employee Benefits Research Institute Issue Brief
#327, March 2009.
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different types of TDFs, and appropriate
criteria for selecting and monitoring
TDFs. In its report to the Secretary of
Labor, the Council recommended that
the Department provide additional
guidance to both plan fiduciaries and
plan participants to enhance
understanding of TDFs and the risks
associated with TDF investing.5 In
addition, there has been Congressional
interest in target date fund issues.6 In
June 2009, the Department and the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(Commission) held a joint public
hearing to explore issues related to
TDFs, including how they are managed
at the investment level, how they are
selected by plan fiduciaries and by
investors, and how information about
them is disclosed to plan participants
and investors.
Following the public hearing and
extensive review of the testimony
presented and supplemental materials
concerning TDFs, the Department was
persuaded that both plan fiduciaries and
plan participants would benefit from
additional guidance concerning TDFs.
Accordingly, the Department and the
Commission recently published a joint
Investor Bulletin to better educate
investors and plan participants who are
considering investing in TDFs.7 The
Commission also recently proposed
rules to address concerns regarding the
potential for investor
misunderstandings about TDFs.8 The
Department further intends to publish a
series of tips intended to assist plan
fiduciaries in obtaining and evaluating
relevant information when selecting and
monitoring TDFs as investment options
for participant-directed retirement
plans.
The Department also determined that
improvements can be made in the
information that is disclosed to
participants and beneficiaries
concerning their plan investment in
TDFs, whether by their own investment
direction or pursuant to the qualified
default investment alternative
regulation. To ensure that consistent
information concerning TDFs is
furnished to defaulted participants and
to participants who give investment
5 See 2008 ERISA Advisory Council Working
Group Report on Hard to Value Assets and Target
Date Funds, found at: https://www.dol.gov/ebsa/
publications/2008ACreport1.html.
6 See https://aging.senate.gov/
record.cfm?id=308665&&; https://aging.senate.gov/
hearing_detail.cfm?id=309027& and https://
aging.senate.gov/hearing_detail.cfm?id=319426&.
7 The Investor Bulletin, published May 6, 2010,
is available at: https://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/
TDFInvestorBulletin.pdf.
8 Commission Release Nos. 33–9126, 34–62300,
IC–29301, at https://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-1210/s71210.shtml.
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directions, the Department is publishing
in this Notice proposed amendments to
both the qualified default investment
alternative regulation and the
participant-level disclosure regulation.
The amendment to the participant-level
disclosure regulation, at § 2550.404a–5
(75 FR 64910, October 20, 2010), will be
included in paragraph (i)(4) of that
regulation, which was reserved for this
purpose. More detailed information
about the participant-level disclosure
regulation, including the general
investment-related disclosure
requirements, can be found in the
Supplementary Information for that
regulation.
B. Description of Amendments
This proposal amends paragraphs
(c)(4) and (d)(3), (4), and (5) of the
qualified default investment alternative
regulation to more specifically describe
certain investment-related information
that must be included in the required
notice to participants and beneficiaries.
This information is intended to
complement the new investment-related
disclosure requirements contained in
the participant-level disclosure
regulation.
Paragraph (c)(4) of the rule is being
revised to reflect amendments to the
Department’s 404(c) regulation that
were made as part of the participantlevel disclosure regulation. Rather than
referring to requirements previously
contained in the 404(c) regulation, this
paragraph of the qualified default
investment alternative regulation now
requires fiduciaries to provide the
comparable materials that are described
in section 2550.404a–5(d)(3) and (4) of
the participant-level disclosure
regulation.9
Paragraph (d)(3) of the rule requires
that the notice include: ‘‘[a] Description
of the qualified default investment
alternative, including a description of
the investment objectives, risk and
return characteristics (if applicable), and
fees and expenses attendant to the
investment alternative[.]’’ 10 To ensure
that plan fiduciaries understand the
specific investment information that
must be disclosed to defaulted
participants and beneficiaries about
qualified default investment
alternatives, and to better conform these
requirements to those of all participantdirected individual account plans
pursuant to the Department’s
participant-level disclosure regulation,
9 Consistent with the participant-level disclosure
regulation, the material required by section
2550.404a–5(d)(4), which is referred to in paragraph
(c)(4) of this amendment, must be furnished upon
request.
10 § 2550.404(c)–5(d)(3).
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proposed paragraph (d)(3) contains six
separate elements. The description of
the qualified default investment
alternative must first include the name
of the investment’s issuer. Second, the
description must include the
investment’s objectives or goals. Third,
the description must include the
investment’s principal strategies
(including a general description of the
types of assets held by the investment),
and principal risks (e.g., as required by
Securities and Exchange Commission
Form N–1A). Fourth, the description
must include the investment’s historical
performance data (e.g., 1-, 5-, and 10year returns) and, if applicable, any
fixed return, annuity, guarantee, death
benefit, or other ancillary features; as
well as a statement indicating that an
investment’s past performance is not
necessarily an indication of how the
investment will perform in the future.
Fifth, the description must include the
investment’s attendant fees and
expenses, including: Any fees charged
directly against the amount invested in
connection with acquisition, sale,
transfer of, or withdrawal (e.g., sales
loads, sales charges, deferred sales
charges, redemption fees, surrender
charges, exchange fees, account fees,
and purchase fees); any annual
operating expenses (e.g., expense ratio);
and any ongoing expenses in addition to
annual operating expenses (e.g.,
mortality and expense fees). For
purposes of these requirements to
disclose an investment’s objectives or
goals, principal strategies and principal
risks, historical performance, and fees
and expenses, the Department requests
comment on the extent to which these
requirements should conform to the
final participant-level disclosure
regulation; for example, should the
more specific standards for investmentrelated information contained in the
participant-level disclosure regulation
be incorporated by reference into the
qualified default investment alternative
regulation? The Department believes
that conforming the requirements will
make it easier for plan fiduciaries and
administrators to comply and help to
avoid confusion among participants and
beneficiaries who will receive the
required disclosures.
The sixth requirement will ensure
that participants and beneficiaries
obtain comprehensive information
about TDFs that apply age or target
retirement-based asset allocations,
described in paragraph (e)(4)(i) of the
qualified default investment alternative
regulation. Specifically, to the extent the
information is not already disclosed
pursuant to the preceding requirements
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of paragraph (d)(3) of the rule, the
description must satisfy three
requirements. The first is an explanation
of the asset allocation, how the asset
allocation will change over time, and
the point in time when the investment
will reach its most conservative asset
allocation, including a chart, table, or
other graphical representation that
illustrates such change in asset
allocation over time and that does not
obscure or impede a participant’s or
beneficiary’s understanding of the
information explained pursuant to this
requirement. The Department
understands that many investment
issuers and service providers already
include simple and straight-forward
graphs, pie chart series, or other
illustrations to assist investors by
showing them how asset allocations in
TDFs change over time. To the extent
such illustrations are not already
furnished to participants and
beneficiaries, the Department is
persuaded that any additional burden
associated with preparation of a
compliant illustration will prove highly
beneficial to enhance participants’ and
beneficiaries’ understanding of a TDF’s
asset allocation and how it will change
over time.
The second requirement depends on
whether the alternative is named, or
otherwise described, with reference to a
particular date (e.g., a target date). For
example, many funds include a target
retirement date in the name itself (e.g.,
a ‘‘2030 fund’’ or a ‘‘2040 fund’’). In some
cases the name of the alternative may
not include a date, but a retirement or
other target date may be referenced or
implied in the description of the
alternative’s objectives or goals, or
principal strategies or principal risks;
this requirement applies to those
alternatives as well. The notice must
explain the age group for whom the
investment is designed, the relevance of
the date, and any assumptions about a
participant’s or beneficiary’s
contribution and withdrawal intentions
on or after such date. The third
requirement is a statement that the
participant or beneficiary may lose
money by investing in the qualified
default investment alternative,
including losses near and following
retirement, and that there is no
guarantee that investment in the
qualified default investment alternative
will provide adequate retirement
income. All of the information required
to be disclosed concerning TDFs and
similar products is consistent with the
analysis discussed in the Department’s
recent guidance to plan participants and
expected guidance to plan fiduciaries
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concerning the factors that must be
taken into account when selecting and
monitoring, or investing in, these
products. The Department is interested
in comments as to whether, and to what
extent, the final rule should include
disclosure elements or concepts
contained in the Commission’s
rulemaking.11
To ensure that all participants and
beneficiaries in participant-directed
individual account plans, not only
participant and beneficiaries who are
invested in a qualified default
investment alternative, receive the same
information about TDFs, the Department
also is proposing in this Notice to
include the same three disclosure
requirements concerning TDFs in the
participant-level disclosure regulation.
Specifically, these new requirements, if
adopted, will be added to paragraph
§ 2550.404a–5(i)(4) of the participantlevel disclosure regulation, which was
reserved for this purpose. To ensure
consistency between these regulations,
the Department expects that any
changes made to the TDF disclosure
requirements in response to comments
on this Notice will be reflected in both
the qualified default investment
alternative regulation and the
participant-level disclosure regulation.
Paragraph (d)(4) of the qualified
default investment alternative
regulation requires that the notice to
participants contain a ‘‘description of
the right of the participants and
beneficiaries on whose behalf assets are
invested in a qualified default
investment alternative to direct the
investment of those assets to any other
investment alternative under the plan,
including a description of any
applicable restrictions, fees or expenses
in connection with such transfer[.]’’ 12 In
the proposal published today, this
paragraph has been modified. If any
such fees or restrictions are applicable,
this paragraph would only require a
statement that certain fees and
limitations may apply in connection
with such transfer. The requirement to
disclose the fees and expenses
themselves would be moved to
paragraph (d)(3)(v), discussed above; if
other limitations may apply, the notice
must so state.
Finally, paragraph (d)(5) of the
qualified default investment alternative
regulation would be broadened to
clarify that comprehensive information
about the qualified default investment
alternative, as well as the other
investment alternatives available under
the plan, is available to participants and
11 See
beneficiaries. Currently, paragraph
(d)(5) only requires ‘‘[a]n explanation of
where the participants and beneficiaries
can obtain investment information
concerning the other investment
alternatives available under the plan.’’ 13
As amended by this proposal, this
paragraph requires an explanation of
where the participants and beneficiaries
can obtain additional investment
information concerning the qualified
default investment alternative and the
other investment alternatives available
under the plan. The Department
included this modification to conform
to the participant-level disclosure
regulation. Specifically, the Department
expects that paragraph (d)(5), if adopted
in final form, will ensure that defaulted
participants and beneficiaries know
where to obtain any additional
investment information required to be
disclosed pursuant to the final
participant-level disclosure regulation
concerning all of the plan’s investment
alternatives, including qualified default
investment alternatives.
C. Furnishing Required Disclosures
In conjunction with the adoption of
the final participant-level disclosure
regulation, § 2550.404a–5 (75 FR 64910,
October 20, 2010), the Department
explained in the Supplementary
Information that, given the differing
views on the use of and standards for
electronic disclosure, it would be
undertaking a review of the safe harbor
applicable to the use of electronic media
for furnishing information to plan
participants and beneficiaries (29 CFR
2520.104b–1(c)). The Department
further indicated that, in the very near
future, it will be publishing a Federal
Register notice requesting public
comments, views, and data relating to
the electronic distribution of plan
information to plan participants and
beneficiaries. The Department also
noted that, pending the completion of
its review and the issuance of further
guidance, the general disclosure
regulation at 29 CFR 2520.104b–1
applies to material furnished under the
participant-level disclosure regulation,
including the safe harbor for electronic
disclosures at paragraph (c) of the
general disclosure regulation. The
Department anticipates that resolution
of the issues involved with the
electronic disclosure of plan
information will directly affect the
manner in which materials required by
the amendments contained in this
notice may be furnished to participants
and beneficiaries. Accordingly,
interested persons are encouraged to
footnote 8, above.
12 § 2550.404(c)–5(d)(4).
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13 § 2550.404(c)–5(d)(5).
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participate in the Department’s
forthcoming solicitation of comments on
the use of electronic media for
furnishing plan information.
D. Effective Date
The Department proposes that the
amendments to regulation sections
2550.404a–5 and 2550.404c–5 contained
in this notice will be effective 90 days
after publication of the final rule in the
Federal Register. The Department
invites comment on whether the final
rule should be effective on a different
date.
E. Regulatory Impact Analysis
Executive Order 12866 Statement
Under Executive Order 12866, the
Department must determine whether a
regulatory action is ‘‘significant’’ and
therefore subject to the requirements of
the Executive Order and subject to
review by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Under section 3(f) of the
Executive Order, a ‘‘significant
regulatory action’’ is an action that is
likely to result in a rule (1) Having an
effect on the economy of $100 million
or more in any one year, or adversely
and materially affecting a sector of the
economy, productivity, competition,
jobs, the environment, public health or
safety, or State, local or tribal
governments or communities (also
referred to as ‘‘economically
significant’’); (2) creating serious
inconsistency or otherwise interfering
with an action taken or planned by
another agency; (3) materially altering
the budgetary impacts of entitlement
grants, user fees, or loan programs or the
rights and obligations of recipients
thereof; or (4) raising novel legal or
policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President’s priorities, or
the principles set forth in the Executive
Order. Although the Department
believes that this regulatory action is not
economically significant within the
meaning of section 3(f)(1) of the
Executive Order, the action has been
determined to be significant within the
meaning of section 3(f)(4) of the
Executive Order, and accordingly, OMB
has reviewed this notice of proposed
rulemaking pursuant to the Executive
Order. The Department provides the
following assessment of the potential
costs and benefits associated with the
proposed regulation below.
Need for Regulatory Action
As discussed earlier in this preamble,
on October 24, 2007, the Department
published a final regulation
implementing the provisions of section
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404(c)(5) of ERISA.14 A fiduciary of a
plan that complies with the final
regulation, as amended, will not be
liable for any loss, or by reason of any
breach, that is the direct and necessary
result of investing all or a part of a
participant’s or beneficiary’s account in
a qualified default investment
alternative. As noted in the regulation,
this relief does not apply to fiduciary
duties or liability related to the selection
or monitoring of particular qualified
default investment alternatives. The
regulation describes the types of
investments that qualify as default
investment alternatives under section
404(c)(5) of ERISA and the other
requirements that must be satisfied in
order for a fiduciary to obtain the relief
from liability described above.
As discussed earlier, the Department’s
final qualified default investment
alternative regulation includes TDFs as
one of the permissible categories of
investment funds or products that may
be used as a qualified default
investment alternative, if all of the
requirements of the final rule have been
satisfied. Since the issuance of the
Department’s final qualified default
investment alternative regulation, plans
have increased their use of TDFs as an
investment alternative.15 At the end of
the first quarter of 2009, the amount of
employer sponsored defined
contribution plan assets invested in
TDFs totaled $145 billion, compared to
$37 billion in 2003.16 A recent survey
found that nearly 60 percent of plans
have made TDFs the qualified default
investment alternative for participants
that do not provide investment direction
and nearly 60 percent of participantdirected individual account plans, such
as 401(k) plans, offer TDFs as an
investment alternative.17
The financial market downturn that
started in 2008 increased volatility and
lowered returns of TDFs.18 Many TDFs
designed for people recently nearing or
entering retirement suffered large losses.
For example, on average, participants
invested in TDFs dated 2010 and 2015
lost about a quarter of their value in
2008. Many of these funds typically
held about half of the holdings in
stocks, following glide paths that did
not significantly reduce that percentage
for 5 years or more after the average
investor retired.19 The Background
discussion, above, summarizes
responses to this development, for
example from the U.S. Senate Special
Committee on Aging, and activities
undertaken by the Department and the
Securities and Exchange Commission
since then.
Experts within the investment
community agree that TDF disclosures
to participants and beneficiaries need to
be improved. For example, the
Investment Company Institute (ICI)
Target Date Fund Disclosure Working
Group reviewed existing TDF
disclosures and in a June 2009 Report,
recommended that TDFs display
prominently five key pieces of
information to help enhance investors’
understanding such as the relevance of
the target date used in a fund’s name,
the assumptions the fund makes
regarding the investor’s withdrawal
intentions at and after the target date,
the age group for whom the fund is
designed, an illustration of the glide
path that the TDF follows to reduce its
equity exposure and become more
conservative over time, and a statement
that the risks associated with a TDF
include the risk of loss near, at, or after
the target date and that there is no
guarantee that the fund will provide
adequate income at and through the
investor’s retirement.20
Based on the foregoing, the
Department is proposing to amend its
final qualified default investment
alternative and participant-level
14 72 FR 60452 (Oct. 24, 2007). Correcting
amendments to the final regulation were published
on April 30, 2008 (73 FR 23349).
15 Donahue, Andrew. Testimony Concerning
Target Date Funds. Before the United States Senate
Special Committee on Aging. October 28, 2009.
16 Borzi, Phyllis. Testimony of Phyllis C. Borzi.
Before the United States Senate Special Committee
on Aging. October 28, 2009.
17 Profit Sharing/401k Council of America, 52nd
Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and 401(k) plans,
for plan year 2008.
18 Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP,
Target Date Funds: Historical Volatility/Return
Profiles, unpublished presentation to the U.S.
Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security
Administration (Sept. 30, 2009). In particular, the
research found that the 1-year volatility was
generally greater than the 3-year volatility and the
1-year returns were lower than the 3-year returns.
Deloitte also found that funds with target date 2010
were more volatile in 2008 than they were in 2007.
In addition, Deloitte reports that volatility among
2010 TDFs correlated with the fraction of the funds
that are invested in stock and small 2010 funds are
more heterogeneous in rates of return and in
volatility than large funds.
19 Borzi, Phyllis. Testimony of Phyllis C. Borzi.
Before the United States Senate Special Committee
on Aging. October 28, 2009.
20 See e.g. Principles to Enhance Understanding
of Target Date Funds: Recommended by the ICI
Target Date Fund Disclosure Working Group. June
18, 2009. https://www.ici.org/pdf/
ppr_09_principles.pdf.
In order to address some of the deficiencies in
communication relating to TDFs, the Investment
Company Institute made a series of
recommendations for disclosure, many of which
overlap with the requirements contained in these
proposed regulations. See e.g. Charlson, Josh et al.
Target Date Series Research Paper: 2010 Industry
Survey, Morningstar, 2010. https://
corporate.morningstar.com/US/documents/
MethodologyDocuments/MethodologyPapers/
TargetDateFundSurvey_2010.pdf.
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73991
disclosure regulations to improve the
information that is disclosed to
participants and beneficiaries regarding
TDFs.
Affected Entities
Based on the latest available
information, the Department estimates
that there are approximately 483,000
participant-directed individual account
plans.21 The Department’s proposed
amendment to its final qualified default
investment alternative rule would affect
the approximately 114,000 participantdirected individual account plans that
use TDFs as their qualified default
investment alternative and the proposed
amendment to its participant-level
disclosure final rule would affect
278,000 participant-directed individual
account plans that offer TDFs as an
investment alternative.22 The
Department also estimates that 43.6
million participants and beneficiaries
are covered by plans using TDFs as an
investment alternative.
Benefits
The Department expects that the
enhanced disclosures required by the
proposed regulation would benefit
participants and beneficiaries by
providing them with critical
information they need to evaluate the
quality of TDFs and how specific TDFs
match their risk profile. This should
lead to improved investment results and
retirement planning decisions. The TDF
disclosures would foster a better
understanding of how TDFs operate and
the glide path that is associated with
each fund. The Department believes that
the disclosures under this proposed
regulation, combined with the greater
transparency required by the
Department’s participant-level
disclosure regulation, would allow
participants and beneficiaries to
determine whether the efficient way in
which TDFs allow them to invest in a
mix of asset classes and rebalance their
asset allocation periodically is worth the
price differential they generally pay for
such funds.23
21 Based
on 2007 Form 5500 filings.
Department’s estimate is based on the
Profit Sharing/401k Council of America, 52nd
Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and 401(k) plans,
for plan year 2008. This survey finds that 57.7
percent of participant-directed individual account
plans offer TDFs as an investment option (483,000
* .577 = 278,691). It also finds that 39.6 percent of
participant-directed individual account plans have
automatic enrollment and that 59.7 percent of those
plans use TDFs as the QDIA (483,000 * .396 * .597
= 114,187).
23 Collins, Margaret. Target-Date Funds May Miss
Mark for Unsavvy Savers. Bloomberg https://
www.bloomberg.com/apps/
news?pid=20603037&sid=aSGY6tmw7IXs. The
22 The
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Although the Department is unable to
quantify the benefits associated with the
proposed regulation, it is confident that
the benefits justify their costs.
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Costs
The Department estimates that the
proposed regulation would result in
66.2 million TDF disclosures being
distributed. The associated total hour
burden for affected plans is estimated to
be 29,000 hours with an equivalent cost
of $1.8 million annually. The estimated
cost burden for plans to distribute the
notices is $4.1 million annually.
Because these costs are associated with
information collection requests covered
by the Paperwork Reduction Act, the
data and methodology used in
developing the cost estimates are more
fully discussed in the Paperwork
Reduction Act section, below.
Paperwork Reduction Act
As part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent
burden, the Department of Labor
conducts a preclearance consultation
program to provide the general public
and federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed
and continuing collections of
information in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA
95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This helps
to ensure that requested data can be
provided in the desired format,
reporting burden (time and financial
resources) is minimized, collection
instruments are clearly understood, and
the impact of collection requirements on
respondents can be properly assessed.
Currently, EBSA is soliciting
comments concerning the information
collection request (ICR) included in the
Proposed Rule on the Fiduciary
Requirements for Disclosure and Default
Investment Alternatives Under
Participant Directed Individual Account
Plans. A copy of the ICR may be
obtained by contacting the PRA
addressee shown below.
The Department has submitted a copy
of the proposed rule to OMB in
accordance with 44 U.S.C. 3507(d) for
review of its information collections.
The Department and OMB are
particularly interested in comments
that:
• Evaluate whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
author finds that the median fee for TDFs is
approximately .85 (depending on the age of the
saver). However, some expense ratios are as low as
.19 percent, while others are as high as 1.50
percent.
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• Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and
assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Comments should be sent to the Office
of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget,
Room 10235, New Executive Office
Building, Washington, DC 20503;
Attention: Desk Officer for the
Employee Benefits Security
Administration. OMB requests that
comments be received within 30 days of
publication of the proposed rule to
ensure their consideration.
PRA Addressee: Address requests for
copies of the ICR to G. Christopher
Cosby, Office of Policy and Research,
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee
Benefits Security Administration, 200
Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N–
5718, Washington, DC 20210.
Telephone (202) 693–8410; Fax: (202)
219–5333. These are not toll-free
numbers. ICRs submitted to OMB also
are available at https://www.RegInfo.gov.
(a) Proposed Amendment to Qualified
Default Investment Alternative
Regulation
Under the proposed amendment to
paragraph (d)(3) of the Department’s
qualified default investment alternative
regulation, the notice provided to
participants and beneficiaries that use
TDFs as a qualified default investment
alternative (the QDIA notice) would be
required to contain comprehensive
information about TDFs. This
information is described in detail earlier
in this preamble, along with other
changes to the information required to
be disclosed in the QDIA notice that do
not relate specifically to TDFs.
The Department understands that
many investment issuers and service
providers currently furnish straightforward graphs, pie chart series, and
other illustrations to demonstrate to
investors how asset allocations in TDFs
change over time and other information
that would be required to be disclosed
in the QDIA notice by the proposed
regulation. Therefore, the burden that
would be imposed by this proposed
regulation stems primarily from
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incorporating the more comprehensive
TDF disclosure into the QDIA notice.
The Department invites comments
regarding this assumption.
The Department believes that a
financial professional should be able to
incorporate the TDF disclosures into the
QDIA notice, on average, in
approximately 15 minutes at a labor rate
of approximately $63 per hour.24 The
Department estimates that the hour
burden imposed on the approximately
114,000 affected plans would be 28,520
hours (114,079 plans * 0.25 hours) with
an equivalent cost of $1.79 million
(114,079 plans * .25 hours per plan *
$62.81/hour).
The Department estimates that the
disclosure would add two pages to the
QDIA notice, and that an estimated 18.4
million participants would be required
to receive the disclosures.25 The
Department expects that 38 percent of
participants would receive the
disclosure by electronic means, leaving
an estimated 11.4 million paper
disclosures that would be sent via mail.
The Department estimates that 6.8
percent of participants are new to a
plan 26 in a given year; therefore,
780,000 27 participants generally would
be required to receive the QDIA notice
at least 30 days in advance of the date
of plan eligibility. No mailing costs are
included in the cost estimates, because
the TDF disclosure would be
incorporated into the QDIA notice. In
total, 12.2 million paper disclosures
would be required. Assuming paper
costs of $.05 per page, the Department
estimates that the cost burden
associated with this proposed
regulation’s amendment to the QDIA
notice would be $1.2 million.
24 EBSA estimates of labor rates include wages,
other benefits, and overhead based on the National
Occupational Employment Survey (May 2008,
Bureau of Labor Statistics) and the Employment
Cost Index (June 2009, Bureau of Labor Statistics).
25 The Department estimate of 18.4 million
participants is derived as follows: 76.6 percent of
eligible workers participate in employer-sponsored
pension plans. Based on 2007 Form 5500 data, the
Department estimates that 59.6 million individuals
are active participants in participant-directed
individual account plans. Using those two numbers,
the Department estimates that 77.8 million workers
are eligible to participate in participant-directed
individual account plans (77.8 million * .766 = 59.6
million). The Department estimates that 39.6
percent of plans have automatic enrollment, and
59.7 percent of these plans use TDFs as their QDIA
(77.8 million*.396 * .597=18.4 million).
26 These individuals receive the QDIA notice
twice in their first year of participation: Once when
they are eligible to participate in the plan and once
when all participants receive the plan’s annual
QDIA notice.
27 18.4 million * .062 * .068=.78 million
(rounded).
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(b) Proposed Amendment to ParticipantLevel Disclosure Regulation
The proposed amendment to the
Department’s participant-level
disclosure regulation would require
participant-directed individual account
plans that offer TDFs as a designated
investment alternative to include the
TDF disclosures as an appendix to the
participant-level disclosures required by
29 CFR 2550.404a–5(d)(1) and (d)(2).
The Department assumes that plans
would incur a de minimis cost to
prepare the appendix, because, as stated
above, investment issuers and service
providers already have the TDF
information readily available to provide
to plans. No additional mailing costs are
expected, because the TDF disclosures
would be attached as an appendix to,
and distributed with, the participantlevel disclosure. Thus, the only
anticipated additional costs would
pertain to the additional paper costs
associated with including the additional
TDF appendix with the participant-level
disclosure.
The TDF appendix is expected, on
average, to add two pages to the
participant-level disclosure. As
discussed above, the Department
estimates that 43.6 million participants
are covered by participant-directed
individual account plans that offer TDFs
as an investment alternative.28 The
Department estimates that 6.8 percent of
participants are new to a plan in a given
year; therefore, 2.96 million additional
disclosures would be required 29
resulting in a total of 46.5 million TDF
fund appendices being distributed
annually. The Department estimates that
38 percent of the disclosures would be
distributed electronically at a de
minimis cost, leaving 28.8 million paper
disclosures to be distributed via mail.
Assuming paper costs of $0.10 per
participant ($.05 per page), the proposed
amendment to the participant-level
disclosure regulation would impose an
additional cost of approximately $2.9
million to the participant-level
disclosure.
(c) Summary
Overall, the proposed amendments to
the qualified default investment
alternative and participant-level
disclosure regulations would result in
approximately 66.2 million TDF
disclosures being distributed. The total
hour burden associated with the
additional disclosures would be an
28 The Department’s estimate is based on the
Profit Sharing/401k Council of America, 52nd
Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and 401(k) plans,
for plan year 2008.
29 43.6 million * .068 = 2.96 million.
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estimated 29,000 hours with an
equivalent cost of $1.8 million (all
allocated to the qualified default
investment alternative regulation). The
Department estimates that the total cost
burden for the disclosures would be
$4.1 million ($1,217,000 (qualified
default investment alternative);
$2,884,000 (participant-level
disclosure)).
These paperwork burden estimates
are summarized as follows:
Type of Review: Revised collections.
Agency: Employee Benefits Security
Administration, Department of Labor.
Title: Default Investment Alternatives
Under Participant Directed Individual
Account Plans (QDIA Regulation
Amendment) and Fiduciary
Requirements for Disclosure in
Participant-Directed Individual Account
Plans (Participant-Level Disclosure
Regulation Amendment).
OMB Control Number: 1210–0132;
1210–0090.
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit; not-for-profit institutions.
Respondents: 114,000 (QDIA
Regulation Amendment); 278,000
(Participant-Level Disclosure
Amendment).
Responses: 66,157,539 (19,636,964
QDIA Regulation Amendment;
46,520,575 Participant-Level Disclosure
Regulation Amendment).
Frequency of Response: Annually.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 29,000 hours (first year and
subsequent years; all allocated to QDIA
Regulation Amendment).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost:
$4,102,000 (first year and subsequent
years); $1,217,500 (QDIA Regulation
Amendment); $2,884,500 (ParticipantLevel Disclosure Regulation
Amendment).
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) (RFA) imposes
certain requirements with respect to
Federal rules that are subject to the
notice and comment requirements of
section 553(b) of the Administrative
Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 551 et seq.) and
which are likely to have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities. Unless the
head of an agency certifies that a
proposed rule is not likely to have a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities,
section 603 of the RFA requires that the
agency present an initial regulatory
flexibility analysis at the time of the
publication of the notice of proposed
rulemaking describing the impact of the
rule on small entities and seeking public
comment on such impact.
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73993
For purposes of the RFA, the
Department continues to consider a
small entity to be an employee benefit
plan with fewer than 100 participants.30
Further, while some large employers
may have small plans, in general small
employers maintain most small plans.
Thus, the Department believes that
assessing the impact of this proposed
rule on small plans is an appropriate
substitute for evaluating the effect on
small entities. The definition of small
entity considered appropriate for this
purpose differs, however, from a
definition of small business that is
based on size standards promulgated by
the Small Business Administration
(SBA) (13 CFR 121.201) pursuant to the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631
et seq.). The Department therefore
requests comments on the
appropriateness of the size standard
used in evaluating the impact of this
proposed rule on small entities.
The Department certifies, as required
by the RFA, that while the proposed
regulation would impact a substantial
number of small entities, the economic
impact of the proposed rule would not
be significant. The Department
estimates that the cost per plan to
prepare the notice would be less than
$20, because much of the required
information is expected to be readily
available from service providers.
Moreover, the anticipated cost per
participant for plans to send the
qualified default investment alternative
and participant-level fee TDF
disclosures are estimated to be $0.20
annually.
Based on industry survey data, the
Department believes that small plans
would be less likely to be affected by
this regulation, because while small
plans are slightly more likely to be
participant-directed, they are less likely
to default participants into TDFs or
provide access to such funds as an
investment alternative. The survey
showed that 56.3 percent of plans with
5,000 or more participants have
automatic enrollment compared to just
15.8 percent of plans with 1–49
participants, and that while 64 percent
of participant-directed plans with more
than 5,000 participants offer TDFs as an
investment option, only 47.9 percent of
such plans with 1–49 participants offer
TDFs as an investment option.31 The
30 The basis for this definition is found in section
104(a)(2) of the Act, which permits the Secretary of
Labor to prescribe simplified annual reports for
pension plans that cover fewer than 100
participants..
31 Profit Sharing/401k Council of America, 52nd
Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plans,
for plan year 2008.
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burden that would be imposed by the
proposed regulation on small plans also
would be mitigated by the fact that most
of the information required for the TDF
disclosures is expected to be readily
available from service providers.
Congressional Review Act
The proposed rule is subject to the
Congressional Review Act provisions of
the Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (5
U.S.C. 801 et seq.) and, if finalized, will
be transmitted to Congress and the
Comptroller General for review. The
proposed rule is not a ‘‘major rule’’ as
that term is defined in 5 U.S.C. 804,
because it is not likely to result in
(1) An annual effect on the economy of
$100 million or more; (2) a major
increase in costs or prices for
consumers, individual industries, or
Federal, State, or local government
agencies, or geographic regions; or
(3) significant adverse effects on
competition, employment, investment,
productivity, innovation, or on the
ability of United States-based
enterprises to compete with foreignbased enterprises in domestic and
export markets.
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Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
For purposes of the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L.
104–4), as well as Executive Order
12875, the proposed rule does not
include any Federal mandate that may
result in expenditures by State, local, or
tribal governments in the aggregate of
more than $100 million, adjusted for
inflation, or increase expenditures by
the private sector of more than $100
million, adjusted for inflation.
Federalism Statement
Executive Order 13132 (August 4,
1999) outlines fundamental principles
of federalism, and requires the
adherence to specific criteria by Federal
agencies in the process of their
formulation and implementation of
policies that have substantial direct
effects on the States, the relationship
between the national government and
States, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities among the various
levels of government. The proposed
regulation does not have federalism
implications because it has no
substantial direct effect on the States, on
the relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government. Section 514 of
ERISA provides, with certain exceptions
specifically enumerated, that the
provisions of Titles I and IV of ERISA
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supersede any and all laws of the States
as they relate to any employee benefit
plan covered under ERISA. The
requirements that would be
implemented in the proposed rule do
not alter the fundamental reporting and
disclosure requirements of the statute
with respect to employee benefit plans,
and as such have no implications for the
States or the relationship or distribution
of power between the national
government and the States.
List of Subjects in 29 CFR Part 2550
Employee benefit plans, Exemptions,
Fiduciaries, Investments, Pensions,
Prohibited transactions, Real estate,
Securities, Surety bonds, Trusts and
Trustees.
For the reasons set forth in the
preamble, the Department of Labor
proposes to amend 29 CFR part 2550 as
follows:
PART 2550—RULES AND
REGULATIONS FOR FIDUCIARY
RESPONSIBILITY
1. The authority citation for part 2550
is revised to read as follows:
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 1135 and Secretary
of Labor’s Order No. 6–2009, 74 FR 21524
(May 7, 2009). Sec. 2550.401c–1 also issued
under 29 U.S.C. 1101. Sec. 2550.404a–1 also
issued under sec. 657, Pub. L. 107–16, 115
Stat. 38. Sections 2550.404c–1 and
2550.404c–5 also issued under 29 U.S.C.
1104. Sec. 2550.408b–1 also issued under 29
U.S.C. 1108(b)(1) and sec. 102,
Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1978, 5 U.S.C.
App. 1. Sec. 2550.408b–19 also issued under
sec. 611, Pub. L. 109–280, 120 Stat. 780, 972,
and sec. 102, Reorganization Plan No. 4 of
1978, 5 U.S.C. App. 1. Sec. 2550.412–1 also
issued under 29 U.S.C. 1112.
2. Amend § 2550.404a–5 by revising
paragraph (i)(4) to read as follows:
§ 2550.404a–5 Fiduciary requirements for
disclosure in participant-directed individual
account plans.
*
*
*
*
*
(i) * * *
(4) Target date or similar funds. In the
case of a designated investment
alternative that is described in 29 CFR
2550.404c–5(e)(4)(1) (e.g., ‘‘life-cycle’’ or
‘‘target date’’ funds) the plan
administrator shall, in addition to the
information required by paragraph (d)(1)
and, if applicable, paragraph (i) of this
section, furnish to each participant or
beneficiary the following information as
an appendix or appendices to the chart
or similar document intended to satisfy
paragraph (d)(2) of this section—
(i) An explanation of the alternative’s
asset allocation, how the asset allocation
will change over time, and the point in
time when the alternative will reach its
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most conservative asset allocation;
including a chart, table, or other
graphical representation that illustrates
such change in asset allocation over
time and that does not obscure or
impede a participant’s or beneficiary’s
understanding of the information
explained pursuant to this paragraph
(i)(4)(i);
(ii) If the alternative is named, or
otherwise described, with reference to a
particular date (e.g., a target date), an
explanation of the age group for whom
the alternative is designed, the
relevance of the date, and any
assumptions about a participant’s or
beneficiary’s contribution and
withdrawal intentions on or after such
date; and
(iii) A statement that the participant
or beneficiary may lose money by
investing in the alternative, including
losses near and following retirement,
and that there is no guarantee that the
alternative will provide adequate
retirement income.
*
*
*
*
*
3. Amend § 2550.404c–5 by revising
paragraphs (c)(4), (d)(3), (d)(4), and
(d)(5) to read as follows:
§ 2550.404c–5 Fiduciary relief for
investments in qualified default investment
alternatives.
*
*
*
*
*
(c) * * *
(4) A fiduciary provides to a
participant or beneficiary the material
set forth in 29 CFR 2550.404a–5(d)(3)
and (4) relating to a participant’s or
beneficiary’s investment in a qualified
default investment alternative;
*
*
*
*
*
(d) * * *
(3) A description of the qualified
default investment alternative,
including:
(i) The name of the investment’s
issuer;
(ii) The investment’s objectives or
goals;
(iii) The investment’s principal
strategies (including a general
description of the types of assets held by
the investment) and principal risks;
(iv) The investment’s historical
performance data and a statement
indicating that an investment’s past
performance is not necessarily an
indication of how the investment will
perform in the future; and, if applicable,
a description of any fixed return,
annuity, guarantee, death benefit, or
other ancillary features;
(v) The investment’s attendant fees
and expenses, including:
(A) Any fees charged directly against
the amount invested in connection with
acquisition, sale, transfer of, or
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withdrawal (e.g., commissions, sales
loads, sales charges, deferred sales
charges, redemption fees, surrender
charges, exchange fees, account fees,
and purchase fees);
(B) Any annual operating expenses
(e.g., expense ratio); and
(C) Any ongoing expenses in addition
to annual operating expenses (e.g.,
mortality and expense fees); and
(vi) For an investment fund product
or model portfolio intended to satisfy
paragraph (e)(4)(i) of this section, and to
the extent not already disclosed
pursuant to this paragraph (d)(3):
(A) An explanation of the asset
allocation, how the asset allocation will
change over time, and the point in time
when the qualified default investment
alternative will reach its most
conservative asset allocation; including
a chart, table, or other graphical
representation that illustrates such
change in asset allocation over time and
that does not obscure or impede a
participant’s or beneficiary’s
understanding of the information
explained pursuant to this paragraph
(d)(3)(vi)(A);
(B) If the qualified default investment
alternative is named, or otherwise
described, with reference to a particular
date (e.g., a target date), an explanation
of the age group for whom the
investment is designed, the relevance of
the date, and any assumptions about a
participant’s or beneficiary’s
contribution and withdrawal intentions
on or after such date; and
(C) If applicable, a statement that the
participant or beneficiary may lose
money by investing in the qualified
default investment alternative,
including losses near and following
retirement, and that there is no
guarantee that the investment will
provide adequate retirement income.
(4) A description of the right of the
participants and beneficiaries on whose
behalf assets are invested in a qualified
default investment alternative to direct
the investment of those assets to any
other investment alternative under the
plan and, if applicable, a statement that
certain fees and limitations may apply
in connection with such transfer; and
(5) An explanation of where the
participants and beneficiaries can obtain
additional investment information
concerning the qualified default
investment alternative and the other
investment alternatives available under
the plan.
*
*
*
*
*
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:12 Nov 29, 2010
Jkt 223001
Signed at Washington, DC, this 16th day of
November, 2010.
Phyllis C. Borzi
Assistant Secretary, Employee Benefits
Security Administration, Department of
Labor.
[FR Doc. 2010–29509 Filed 11–29–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–29–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
30 CFR Parts 70, 71, 72, 75, and 90
RIN 1219–AB64
Lowering Miners’ Exposure to
Respirable Coal Mine Dust, Including
Continuous Personal Dust Monitors
Mine Safety and Health
Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Proposed rule; rescheduling of
public hearings; correction.
AGENCY:
The Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MSHA) is rescheduling
the dates of two public hearings and
announcing the date and location of an
additional public hearing on the
proposed rule addressing Lowering
Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Coal
Mine Dust, Including Continuous
Personal Dust Monitors. This notice also
corrects one error in the preamble to the
proposed rule. On November 15, 2010,
MSHA published the dates and
locations of six public hearings to be
held on the proposed rule.
MSHA published the proposed rule
on October 19, 2010; it is available on
MSHA’s Web site at https://
www.msha.gov/REGS/FEDREG/
PROPOSED/2010PROP/2010-25249.pdf.
The proposed rule would revise the
Agency’s existing standards on miners’
occupational exposure to respirable coal
mine dust and lower miners’ exposure
to respirable coal mine dust.
DATES: The public hearing dates and
locations are listed in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this document.
Post-hearing comments must be
received by midnight Eastern Standard
Saving Time on February 28, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Comments must be
identified with ‘‘RIN 1219–AB64’’ and
may be sent by any of the following
methods:
(1) Federal e-Rulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
(2) Electronic mail: zzMSHAcomments@dol.gov. Include ‘‘RIN 1219–
AB64’’ in the subject line of the message.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
73995
(3) Facsimile: 202–693–9441. Include
‘‘RIN 1219–AB64’’ in the subject line of
the message.
(4) Regular Mail: MSHA, Office of
Standards, Regulations, and Variances,
1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350,
Arlington, Virginia 22209–3939.
(5) Hand Delivery or Courier: MSHA,
Office of Standards, Regulations, and
Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard,
Room 2350, Arlington, Virginia. Sign in
at the receptionist’s desk on the 21st
floor.
MSHA will post all comments on the
Internet without change, including any
personal information provided.
Comments can be accessed
electronically at https://www.msha.gov
under the ‘‘Rules & Regs’’ link.
Comments may also be reviewed in
person at the Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances, 1100
Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350,
Arlington, Virginia. Sign in at the
receptionist’s desk on the 21st floor.
MSHA maintains a list that enables
subscribers to receive e-mail notification
when the Agency publishes rulemaking
documents in the Federal Register. To
subscribe, go to https://www.msha.gov/
subscriptions/subscribe.aspx.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Patricia W. Silvey, Director, Office of
Standards, Regulations, and Variances,
MSHA, at Silvey.Patricia@dol.gov
(E-mail), 202–693–9440 (Voice), or 202–
693–9441 (Fax).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Hearings
On November 15, 2010, MSHA
announced that it would hold six public
hearings on the proposed rule (75 FR
69617). Due to a scheduling conflict and
in response to requests from the public,
to provide maximum opportunity for
public participation in this rulemaking,
MSHA is rescheduling two public
hearings and adding an additional
public hearing. The dates of public
hearings that were scheduled in
Washington, PA, and Arlington, VA, are
changed to February 8, 2011, and
February 15, 2011, respectively. The
locations of these two hearings remain
the same. MSHA will hold an additional
public hearing on February 10, 2011, in
Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
MSHA will accept post-hearing
written comments and other appropriate
information for the record from any
interested party, including those not
presenting oral statements. Comments
must be received by midnight Eastern
Standard Saving Time on February 28,
2011. For the convenience of interested
parties, the chart below includes the
dates and locations of all seven public
hearings:
E:\FR\FM\30NOP1.SGM
30NOP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 73987-73995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-29509]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employee Benefits Security Administration
29 CFR Part 2550
RIN 1210-AB38
Target Date Disclosure
AGENCY: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Proposed regulation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department published in the Federal Register of October
24, 2007 a final regulation (the qualified default investment
alternative regulation) providing relief from certain fiduciary
responsibilities for fiduciaries of participant-directed individual
account plans who, in the absence of directions from a participant,
invest the participant's account in a qualified default investment
alternative. On October 20, 2010, the Department published a final
regulation that requires the disclosure of certain plan and investment-
related information, including fee and expense information, to
participants and beneficiaries in participant-directed individual
account plans (the participant-level disclosure regulation). This
document contains proposed amendments to the qualified default
investment alternative regulation to provide more specificity as to the
information that must be disclosed in the required notice to
participants and beneficiaries concerning investments in qualified
default investment alternatives, including target date or similar
investments. This document also contains a proposed amendment to the
participant-level disclosure regulation that would require the
disclosure of the same information concerning target date or similar
investments to all participants and beneficiaries in participant-
directed individual account plans.
DATES: Written comments on the proposed regulation should be received
by the Department of Labor no later than January 14, 2011.
ADDRESSES: To facilitate the receipt and processing of comments, EBSA
encourages interested persons to submit their comments electronically
to e-ORI@dol.gov, or by using the Federal eRulemaking portal https://www.regulations.gov (following instructions for submission of
comments). Persons submitting comments electronically are encouraged
not to submit paper copies. Persons interested in submitting comments
on paper should send or deliver their comments (preferably three
copies) to: Office of Regulations and Interpretations, Employee
Benefits Security Administration, Room N-5655, U.S. Department of
Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, Attention:
Target Date Amendments. All comments will be available to the public,
without charge, online at https://www.regulations.gov and https://www.dol.gov/ebsa, and at the Public Disclosure Room, Employee Benefits
Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-1513, 200
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristen L. Zarenko, Office of
Regulations and Interpretations, Employee Benefits Security
Administration, (202) 693-8500. This is not a toll-free number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
Section 624(a) of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (Pension
Protection Act) added a new section 404(c)(5) to ERISA. Section
404(c)(5)(A) of ERISA provides that, for purposes of
[[Page 73988]]
section 404(c)(1) of ERISA, a participant in an individual account plan
shall be treated as exercising control over the assets in the account
with respect to the amount of contributions and earnings which, in the
absence of an investment election by the participant, are invested by
the plan in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of
Labor. On October 24, 2007, the Department of Labor (Department)
published a final regulation implementing the provisions of section
404(c)(5) of ERISA.\1\ Correcting amendments to the final regulation
were published on April 30, 2008.\2\ A fiduciary of a plan that
complies with the final regulation, as amended, will not be liable for
any loss, or by reason of any breach, that occurs as a result of
investment in a qualified default investment alternative. The
regulation describes the types of investments that qualify as default
investment alternatives under section 404(c)(5) of ERISA and the other
requirements that must be satisfied in order for a fiduciary to obtain
the relief from liability described above.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 72 FR 60452 (Oct. 24, 2007).
\2\ 73 FR 23349 (Apr. 30, 2008).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The final regulation provides that, in order for a fiduciary to
obtain relief, participants and beneficiaries must receive information
concerning the investments that may be made on their behalf.
Specifically, paragraph (c)(3) of the final rule requires that
participants and beneficiaries be furnished both an initial notice
(generally thirty days in advance of a participant's eligibility to
participate in the plan) and an annual notice for subsequent plan
years. Paragraph (d) of the final rule sets forth the information that
must be included in these notices. In addition to the notice
requirement, paragraph (c)(4) of the final regulation required that
fiduciaries provide certain investment-related information that must be
disclosed under the Department's 404(c) regulation. Specifically,
paragraph (c)(4) requires fiduciaries to provide to defaulted
participants or beneficiaries the material described in sections
2550.404c-1(b)(2)(i)(B)(1)(viii) and (ix) and 2550.404c-
1(b)(2)(i)(B)(2).
Since publication of the final rule, the Department has received
many questions about the notice requirement, for example concerning the
timing requirements for the notice and how much information must be
disclosed concerning investment fees and expenses. The Department
addressed these and other issues in a series of questions and answers
concerning the final rule that was published in a Field Assistance
Bulletin in April 2008.\3\ With respect to the disclosure of investment
fee and expense information, the Department indicated at that time that
it was developing a regulation to establish disclosure requirements for
all participant-directed individual account plans. The Department
anticipated that furnishing the investment information required by such
regulation, when finalized, would satisfy the investment-related fee
and expense disclosures required by the qualified default investment
alternative regulation. Nonetheless, the Department continues to
receive requests for more formal guidance as to how the content
requirements of the qualified default investment alternative notice may
be satisfied. As discussed below, the Department proposes amending the
qualified default investment alternative regulation to provide more
specificity as to the information that must be disclosed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ See Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-03 (April 29, 2008).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to questions about the notice requirement, recent
attention has been paid to the increased use of ``target date'' or
``lifecycle'' funds and other similar investments (TDFs) as an
investment alternative in participant-directed retirement plans, such
as 401(k) plans.\4\ The Department's final regulation included TDFs as
one of the permissible categories of investment funds or products that
may be used as a qualified default investment alternative, if all of
the requirements of the final rule have been satisfied. The growing
popularity of these products led to a focus in recent years on issues
relating to the design, operation, and selection of TDFs for 401(k)
plans, both as investment alternatives for plans generally and as
qualified default investment alternatives for participants that do not
provide investment direction. The designation of all investment
alternatives, including TDFs, to be made available under a private
sector retirement plan is governed by the fiduciary responsibility
provisions of ERISA. Persons with this responsibility must prudently
select and monitor investment alternatives, including alternatives
intended to be qualified default investment alternatives.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Employee Benefits Research Institute Issue Brief
327, March 2009.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In 2008, the Department's ERISA Advisory Council studied several
aspects of TDFs as 401(k) plan investment alternatives, including the
challenges and risks they may pose to participants who invest in TDFs,
the different types of TDFs, and appropriate criteria for selecting and
monitoring TDFs. In its report to the Secretary of Labor, the Council
recommended that the Department provide additional guidance to both
plan fiduciaries and plan participants to enhance understanding of TDFs
and the risks associated with TDF investing.\5\ In addition, there has
been Congressional interest in target date fund issues.\6\ In June
2009, the Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission
(Commission) held a joint public hearing to explore issues related to
TDFs, including how they are managed at the investment level, how they
are selected by plan fiduciaries and by investors, and how information
about them is disclosed to plan participants and investors.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ See 2008 ERISA Advisory Council Working Group Report on Hard
to Value Assets and Target Date Funds, found at: https://www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/2008ACreport1.html.
\6\ See https://aging.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=308665&&; https://aging.senate.gov/hearing_detail.cfm?id=309027& and https://aging.senate.gov/hearing_detail.cfm?id=319426&.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Following the public hearing and extensive review of the testimony
presented and supplemental materials concerning TDFs, the Department
was persuaded that both plan fiduciaries and plan participants would
benefit from additional guidance concerning TDFs. Accordingly, the
Department and the Commission recently published a joint Investor
Bulletin to better educate investors and plan participants who are
considering investing in TDFs.\7\ The Commission also recently proposed
rules to address concerns regarding the potential for investor
misunderstandings about TDFs.\8\ The Department further intends to
publish a series of tips intended to assist plan fiduciaries in
obtaining and evaluating relevant information when selecting and
monitoring TDFs as investment options for participant-directed
retirement plans.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ The Investor Bulletin, published May 6, 2010, is available
at: https://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/TDFInvestorBulletin.pdf.
\8\ Commission Release Nos. 33-9126, 34-62300, IC-29301, at
https://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-12-10/s71210.shtml.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Department also determined that improvements can be made in the
information that is disclosed to participants and beneficiaries
concerning their plan investment in TDFs, whether by their own
investment direction or pursuant to the qualified default investment
alternative regulation. To ensure that consistent information
concerning TDFs is furnished to defaulted participants and to
participants who give investment
[[Page 73989]]
directions, the Department is publishing in this Notice proposed
amendments to both the qualified default investment alternative
regulation and the participant-level disclosure regulation. The
amendment to the participant-level disclosure regulation, at Sec.
2550.404a-5 (75 FR 64910, October 20, 2010), will be included in
paragraph (i)(4) of that regulation, which was reserved for this
purpose. More detailed information about the participant-level
disclosure regulation, including the general investment-related
disclosure requirements, can be found in the Supplementary Information
for that regulation.
B. Description of Amendments
This proposal amends paragraphs (c)(4) and (d)(3), (4), and (5) of
the qualified default investment alternative regulation to more
specifically describe certain investment-related information that must
be included in the required notice to participants and beneficiaries.
This information is intended to complement the new investment-related
disclosure requirements contained in the participant-level disclosure
regulation.
Paragraph (c)(4) of the rule is being revised to reflect amendments
to the Department's 404(c) regulation that were made as part of the
participant-level disclosure regulation. Rather than referring to
requirements previously contained in the 404(c) regulation, this
paragraph of the qualified default investment alternative regulation
now requires fiduciaries to provide the comparable materials that are
described in section 2550.404a-5(d)(3) and (4) of the participant-level
disclosure regulation.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ Consistent with the participant-level disclosure regulation,
the material required by section 2550.404a-5(d)(4), which is
referred to in paragraph (c)(4) of this amendment, must be furnished
upon request.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paragraph (d)(3) of the rule requires that the notice include:
``[a] Description of the qualified default investment alternative,
including a description of the investment objectives, risk and return
characteristics (if applicable), and fees and expenses attendant to the
investment alternative[.]'' \10\ To ensure that plan fiduciaries
understand the specific investment information that must be disclosed
to defaulted participants and beneficiaries about qualified default
investment alternatives, and to better conform these requirements to
those of all participant-directed individual account plans pursuant to
the Department's participant-level disclosure regulation, proposed
paragraph (d)(3) contains six separate elements. The description of the
qualified default investment alternative must first include the name of
the investment's issuer. Second, the description must include the
investment's objectives or goals. Third, the description must include
the investment's principal strategies (including a general description
of the types of assets held by the investment), and principal risks
(e.g., as required by Securities and Exchange Commission Form N-1A).
Fourth, the description must include the investment's historical
performance data (e.g., 1-, 5-, and 10-year returns) and, if
applicable, any fixed return, annuity, guarantee, death benefit, or
other ancillary features; as well as a statement indicating that an
investment's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how
the investment will perform in the future. Fifth, the description must
include the investment's attendant fees and expenses, including: Any
fees charged directly against the amount invested in connection with
acquisition, sale, transfer of, or withdrawal (e.g., sales loads, sales
charges, deferred sales charges, redemption fees, surrender charges,
exchange fees, account fees, and purchase fees); any annual operating
expenses (e.g., expense ratio); and any ongoing expenses in addition to
annual operating expenses (e.g., mortality and expense fees). For
purposes of these requirements to disclose an investment's objectives
or goals, principal strategies and principal risks, historical
performance, and fees and expenses, the Department requests comment on
the extent to which these requirements should conform to the final
participant-level disclosure regulation; for example, should the more
specific standards for investment-related information contained in the
participant-level disclosure regulation be incorporated by reference
into the qualified default investment alternative regulation? The
Department believes that conforming the requirements will make it
easier for plan fiduciaries and administrators to comply and help to
avoid confusion among participants and beneficiaries who will receive
the required disclosures.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ Sec. 2550.404(c)-5(d)(3).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The sixth requirement will ensure that participants and
beneficiaries obtain comprehensive information about TDFs that apply
age or target retirement-based asset allocations, described in
paragraph (e)(4)(i) of the qualified default investment alternative
regulation. Specifically, to the extent the information is not already
disclosed pursuant to the preceding requirements of paragraph (d)(3) of
the rule, the description must satisfy three requirements. The first is
an explanation of the asset allocation, how the asset allocation will
change over time, and the point in time when the investment will reach
its most conservative asset allocation, including a chart, table, or
other graphical representation that illustrates such change in asset
allocation over time and that does not obscure or impede a
participant's or beneficiary's understanding of the information
explained pursuant to this requirement. The Department understands that
many investment issuers and service providers already include simple
and straight-forward graphs, pie chart series, or other illustrations
to assist investors by showing them how asset allocations in TDFs
change over time. To the extent such illustrations are not already
furnished to participants and beneficiaries, the Department is
persuaded that any additional burden associated with preparation of a
compliant illustration will prove highly beneficial to enhance
participants' and beneficiaries' understanding of a TDF's asset
allocation and how it will change over time.
The second requirement depends on whether the alternative is named,
or otherwise described, with reference to a particular date (e.g., a
target date). For example, many funds include a target retirement date
in the name itself (e.g., a ``2030 fund'' or a ``2040 fund''). In some
cases the name of the alternative may not include a date, but a
retirement or other target date may be referenced or implied in the
description of the alternative's objectives or goals, or principal
strategies or principal risks; this requirement applies to those
alternatives as well. The notice must explain the age group for whom
the investment is designed, the relevance of the date, and any
assumptions about a participant's or beneficiary's contribution and
withdrawal intentions on or after such date. The third requirement is a
statement that the participant or beneficiary may lose money by
investing in the qualified default investment alternative, including
losses near and following retirement, and that there is no guarantee
that investment in the qualified default investment alternative will
provide adequate retirement income. All of the information required to
be disclosed concerning TDFs and similar products is consistent with
the analysis discussed in the Department's recent guidance to plan
participants and expected guidance to plan fiduciaries
[[Page 73990]]
concerning the factors that must be taken into account when selecting
and monitoring, or investing in, these products. The Department is
interested in comments as to whether, and to what extent, the final
rule should include disclosure elements or concepts contained in the
Commission's rulemaking.\11\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\ See footnote 8, above.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To ensure that all participants and beneficiaries in participant-
directed individual account plans, not only participant and
beneficiaries who are invested in a qualified default investment
alternative, receive the same information about TDFs, the Department
also is proposing in this Notice to include the same three disclosure
requirements concerning TDFs in the participant-level disclosure
regulation. Specifically, these new requirements, if adopted, will be
added to paragraph Sec. 2550.404a-5(i)(4) of the participant-level
disclosure regulation, which was reserved for this purpose. To ensure
consistency between these regulations, the Department expects that any
changes made to the TDF disclosure requirements in response to comments
on this Notice will be reflected in both the qualified default
investment alternative regulation and the participant-level disclosure
regulation.
Paragraph (d)(4) of the qualified default investment alternative
regulation requires that the notice to participants contain a
``description of the right of the participants and beneficiaries on
whose behalf assets are invested in a qualified default investment
alternative to direct the investment of those assets to any other
investment alternative under the plan, including a description of any
applicable restrictions, fees or expenses in connection with such
transfer[.]'' \12\ In the proposal published today, this paragraph has
been modified. If any such fees or restrictions are applicable, this
paragraph would only require a statement that certain fees and
limitations may apply in connection with such transfer. The requirement
to disclose the fees and expenses themselves would be moved to
paragraph (d)(3)(v), discussed above; if other limitations may apply,
the notice must so state.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ Sec. 2550.404(c)-5(d)(4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, paragraph (d)(5) of the qualified default investment
alternative regulation would be broadened to clarify that comprehensive
information about the qualified default investment alternative, as well
as the other investment alternatives available under the plan, is
available to participants and beneficiaries. Currently, paragraph
(d)(5) only requires ``[a]n explanation of where the participants and
beneficiaries can obtain investment information concerning the other
investment alternatives available under the plan.'' \13\ As amended by
this proposal, this paragraph requires an explanation of where the
participants and beneficiaries can obtain additional investment
information concerning the qualified default investment alternative and
the other investment alternatives available under the plan. The
Department included this modification to conform to the participant-
level disclosure regulation. Specifically, the Department expects that
paragraph (d)(5), if adopted in final form, will ensure that defaulted
participants and beneficiaries know where to obtain any additional
investment information required to be disclosed pursuant to the final
participant-level disclosure regulation concerning all of the plan's
investment alternatives, including qualified default investment
alternatives.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ Sec. 2550.404(c)-5(d)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Furnishing Required Disclosures
In conjunction with the adoption of the final participant-level
disclosure regulation, Sec. 2550.404a-5 (75 FR 64910, October 20,
2010), the Department explained in the Supplementary Information that,
given the differing views on the use of and standards for electronic
disclosure, it would be undertaking a review of the safe harbor
applicable to the use of electronic media for furnishing information to
plan participants and beneficiaries (29 CFR 2520.104b-1(c)). The
Department further indicated that, in the very near future, it will be
publishing a Federal Register notice requesting public comments, views,
and data relating to the electronic distribution of plan information to
plan participants and beneficiaries. The Department also noted that,
pending the completion of its review and the issuance of further
guidance, the general disclosure regulation at 29 CFR 2520.104b-1
applies to material furnished under the participant-level disclosure
regulation, including the safe harbor for electronic disclosures at
paragraph (c) of the general disclosure regulation. The Department
anticipates that resolution of the issues involved with the electronic
disclosure of plan information will directly affect the manner in which
materials required by the amendments contained in this notice may be
furnished to participants and beneficiaries. Accordingly, interested
persons are encouraged to participate in the Department's forthcoming
solicitation of comments on the use of electronic media for furnishing
plan information.
D. Effective Date
The Department proposes that the amendments to regulation sections
2550.404a-5 and 2550.404c-5 contained in this notice will be effective
90 days after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register.
The Department invites comment on whether the final rule should be
effective on a different date.
E. Regulatory Impact Analysis
Executive Order 12866 Statement
Under Executive Order 12866, the Department must determine whether
a regulatory action is ``significant'' and therefore subject to the
requirements of the Executive Order and subject to review by the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB). Under section 3(f) of the Executive
Order, a ``significant regulatory action'' is an action that is likely
to result in a rule (1) Having an effect on the economy of $100 million
or more in any one year, or adversely and materially affecting a sector
of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment,
public health or safety, or State, local or tribal governments or
communities (also referred to as ``economically significant''); (2)
creating serious inconsistency or otherwise interfering with an action
taken or planned by another agency; (3) materially altering the
budgetary impacts of entitlement grants, user fees, or loan programs or
the rights and obligations of recipients thereof; or (4) raising novel
legal or policy issues arising out of legal mandates, the President's
priorities, or the principles set forth in the Executive Order.
Although the Department believes that this regulatory action is not
economically significant within the meaning of section 3(f)(1) of the
Executive Order, the action has been determined to be significant
within the meaning of section 3(f)(4) of the Executive Order, and
accordingly, OMB has reviewed this notice of proposed rulemaking
pursuant to the Executive Order. The Department provides the following
assessment of the potential costs and benefits associated with the
proposed regulation below.
Need for Regulatory Action
As discussed earlier in this preamble, on October 24, 2007, the
Department published a final regulation implementing the provisions of
section
[[Page 73991]]
404(c)(5) of ERISA.\14\ A fiduciary of a plan that complies with the
final regulation, as amended, will not be liable for any loss, or by
reason of any breach, that is the direct and necessary result of
investing all or a part of a participant's or beneficiary's account in
a qualified default investment alternative. As noted in the regulation,
this relief does not apply to fiduciary duties or liability related to
the selection or monitoring of particular qualified default investment
alternatives. The regulation describes the types of investments that
qualify as default investment alternatives under section 404(c)(5) of
ERISA and the other requirements that must be satisfied in order for a
fiduciary to obtain the relief from liability described above.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\14\ 72 FR 60452 (Oct. 24, 2007). Correcting amendments to the
final regulation were published on April 30, 2008 (73 FR 23349).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As discussed earlier, the Department's final qualified default
investment alternative regulation includes TDFs as one of the
permissible categories of investment funds or products that may be used
as a qualified default investment alternative, if all of the
requirements of the final rule have been satisfied. Since the issuance
of the Department's final qualified default investment alternative
regulation, plans have increased their use of TDFs as an investment
alternative.\15\ At the end of the first quarter of 2009, the amount of
employer sponsored defined contribution plan assets invested in TDFs
totaled $145 billion, compared to $37 billion in 2003.\16\ A recent
survey found that nearly 60 percent of plans have made TDFs the
qualified default investment alternative for participants that do not
provide investment direction and nearly 60 percent of participant-
directed individual account plans, such as 401(k) plans, offer TDFs as
an investment alternative.\17\
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\15\ Donahue, Andrew. Testimony Concerning Target Date Funds.
Before the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging. October
28, 2009.
\16\ Borzi, Phyllis. Testimony of Phyllis C. Borzi. Before the
United States Senate Special Committee on Aging. October 28, 2009.
\17\ Profit Sharing/401k Council of America, 52nd Annual Survey
of Profit Sharing and 401(k) plans, for plan year 2008.
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The financial market downturn that started in 2008 increased
volatility and lowered returns of TDFs.\18\ Many TDFs designed for
people recently nearing or entering retirement suffered large losses.
For example, on average, participants invested in TDFs dated 2010 and
2015 lost about a quarter of their value in 2008. Many of these funds
typically held about half of the holdings in stocks, following glide
paths that did not significantly reduce that percentage for 5 years or
more after the average investor retired.\19\ The Background discussion,
above, summarizes responses to this development, for example from the
U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and activities undertaken by
the Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission since then.
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\18\ Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, Target Date
Funds: Historical Volatility/Return Profiles, unpublished
presentation to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits
Security Administration (Sept. 30, 2009). In particular, the
research found that the 1-year volatility was generally greater than
the 3-year volatility and the 1-year returns were lower than the 3-
year returns. Deloitte also found that funds with target date 2010
were more volatile in 2008 than they were in 2007. In addition,
Deloitte reports that volatility among 2010 TDFs correlated with the
fraction of the funds that are invested in stock and small 2010
funds are more heterogeneous in rates of return and in volatility
than large funds.
\19\ Borzi, Phyllis. Testimony of Phyllis C. Borzi. Before the
United States Senate Special Committee on Aging. October 28, 2009.
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Experts within the investment community agree that TDF disclosures
to participants and beneficiaries need to be improved. For example, the
Investment Company Institute (ICI) Target Date Fund Disclosure Working
Group reviewed existing TDF disclosures and in a June 2009 Report,
recommended that TDFs display prominently five key pieces of
information to help enhance investors' understanding such as the
relevance of the target date used in a fund's name, the assumptions the
fund makes regarding the investor's withdrawal intentions at and after
the target date, the age group for whom the fund is designed, an
illustration of the glide path that the TDF follows to reduce its
equity exposure and become more conservative over time, and a statement
that the risks associated with a TDF include the risk of loss near, at,
or after the target date and that there is no guarantee that the fund
will provide adequate income at and through the investor's
retirement.\20\
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\20\ See e.g. Principles to Enhance Understanding of Target Date
Funds: Recommended by the ICI Target Date Fund Disclosure Working
Group. June 18, 2009. https://www.ici.org/pdf/ppr_09_principles.pdf.
In order to address some of the deficiencies in communication
relating to TDFs, the Investment Company Institute made a series of
recommendations for disclosure, many of which overlap with the
requirements contained in these proposed regulations. See e.g.
Charlson, Josh et al. Target Date Series Research Paper: 2010
Industry Survey, Morningstar, 2010. https://corporate.morningstar.com/US/documents/MethodologyDocuments/MethodologyPapers/TargetDateFundSurvey_2010.pdf.
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Based on the foregoing, the Department is proposing to amend its
final qualified default investment alternative and participant-level
disclosure regulations to improve the information that is disclosed to
participants and beneficiaries regarding TDFs.
Affected Entities
Based on the latest available information, the Department estimates
that there are approximately 483,000 participant-directed individual
account plans.\21\ The Department's proposed amendment to its final
qualified default investment alternative rule would affect the
approximately 114,000 participant-directed individual account plans
that use TDFs as their qualified default investment alternative and the
proposed amendment to its participant-level disclosure final rule would
affect 278,000 participant-directed individual account plans that offer
TDFs as an investment alternative.\22\ The Department also estimates
that 43.6 million participants and beneficiaries are covered by plans
using TDFs as an investment alternative.
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\21\ Based on 2007 Form 5500 filings.
\22\ The Department's estimate is based on the Profit Sharing/
401k Council of America, 52nd Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and
401(k) plans, for plan year 2008. This survey finds that 57.7
percent of participant-directed individual account plans offer TDFs
as an investment option (483,000 * .577 = 278,691). It also finds
that 39.6 percent of participant-directed individual account plans
have automatic enrollment and that 59.7 percent of those plans use
TDFs as the QDIA (483,000 * .396 * .597 = 114,187).
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Benefits
The Department expects that the enhanced disclosures required by
the proposed regulation would benefit participants and beneficiaries by
providing them with critical information they need to evaluate the
quality of TDFs and how specific TDFs match their risk profile. This
should lead to improved investment results and retirement planning
decisions. The TDF disclosures would foster a better understanding of
how TDFs operate and the glide path that is associated with each fund.
The Department believes that the disclosures under this proposed
regulation, combined with the greater transparency required by the
Department's participant-level disclosure regulation, would allow
participants and beneficiaries to determine whether the efficient way
in which TDFs allow them to invest in a mix of asset classes and
rebalance their asset allocation periodically is worth the price
differential they generally pay for such funds.\23\
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\23\ Collins, Margaret. Target-Date Funds May Miss Mark for
Unsavvy Savers. Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20603037&sid=aSGY6tmw7IXs. The author finds that the median
fee for TDFs is approximately .85 (depending on the age of the
saver). However, some expense ratios are as low as .19 percent,
while others are as high as 1.50 percent.
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[[Page 73992]]
Although the Department is unable to quantify the benefits
associated with the proposed regulation, it is confident that the
benefits justify their costs.
Costs
The Department estimates that the proposed regulation would result
in 66.2 million TDF disclosures being distributed. The associated total
hour burden for affected plans is estimated to be 29,000 hours with an
equivalent cost of $1.8 million annually. The estimated cost burden for
plans to distribute the notices is $4.1 million annually. Because these
costs are associated with information collection requests covered by
the Paperwork Reduction Act, the data and methodology used in
developing the cost estimates are more fully discussed in the Paperwork
Reduction Act section, below.
Paperwork Reduction Act
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burden, the Department of Labor conducts a preclearance consultation
program to provide the general public and federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections of
information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA
95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This helps to ensure that requested data
can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and
financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly
understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents
can be properly assessed.
Currently, EBSA is soliciting comments concerning the information
collection request (ICR) included in the Proposed Rule on the Fiduciary
Requirements for Disclosure and Default Investment Alternatives Under
Participant Directed Individual Account Plans. A copy of the ICR may be
obtained by contacting the PRA addressee shown below.
The Department has submitted a copy of the proposed rule to OMB in
accordance with 44 U.S.C. 3507(d) for review of its information
collections. The Department and OMB are particularly interested in
comments that:
Evaluate whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
Minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of responses.
Comments should be sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, New Executive
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; Attention: Desk Officer for the
Employee Benefits Security Administration. OMB requests that comments
be received within 30 days of publication of the proposed rule to
ensure their consideration.
PRA Addressee: Address requests for copies of the ICR to G.
Christopher Cosby, Office of Policy and Research, U.S. Department of
Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, 200 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Room N-5718, Washington, DC 20210.
Telephone (202) 693-8410; Fax: (202) 219-5333. These are not toll-
free numbers. ICRs submitted to OMB also are available at https://www.RegInfo.gov.
(a) Proposed Amendment to Qualified Default Investment Alternative
Regulation
Under the proposed amendment to paragraph (d)(3) of the
Department's qualified default investment alternative regulation, the
notice provided to participants and beneficiaries that use TDFs as a
qualified default investment alternative (the QDIA notice) would be
required to contain comprehensive information about TDFs. This
information is described in detail earlier in this preamble, along with
other changes to the information required to be disclosed in the QDIA
notice that do not relate specifically to TDFs.
The Department understands that many investment issuers and service
providers currently furnish straight-forward graphs, pie chart series,
and other illustrations to demonstrate to investors how asset
allocations in TDFs change over time and other information that would
be required to be disclosed in the QDIA notice by the proposed
regulation. Therefore, the burden that would be imposed by this
proposed regulation stems primarily from incorporating the more
comprehensive TDF disclosure into the QDIA notice. The Department
invites comments regarding this assumption.
The Department believes that a financial professional should be
able to incorporate the TDF disclosures into the QDIA notice, on
average, in approximately 15 minutes at a labor rate of approximately
$63 per hour.\24\ The Department estimates that the hour burden imposed
on the approximately 114,000 affected plans would be 28,520 hours
(114,079 plans * 0.25 hours) with an equivalent cost of $1.79 million
(114,079 plans * .25 hours per plan * $62.81/hour).
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\24\ EBSA estimates of labor rates include wages, other
benefits, and overhead based on the National Occupational Employment
Survey (May 2008, Bureau of Labor Statistics) and the Employment
Cost Index (June 2009, Bureau of Labor Statistics).
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The Department estimates that the disclosure would add two pages to
the QDIA notice, and that an estimated 18.4 million participants would
be required to receive the disclosures.\25\ The Department expects that
38 percent of participants would receive the disclosure by electronic
means, leaving an estimated 11.4 million paper disclosures that would
be sent via mail. The Department estimates that 6.8 percent of
participants are new to a plan \26\ in a given year; therefore, 780,000
\27\ participants generally would be required to receive the QDIA
notice at least 30 days in advance of the date of plan eligibility. No
mailing costs are included in the cost estimates, because the TDF
disclosure would be incorporated into the QDIA notice. In total, 12.2
million paper disclosures would be required. Assuming paper costs of
$.05 per page, the Department estimates that the cost burden associated
with this proposed regulation's amendment to the QDIA notice would be
$1.2 million.
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\25\ The Department estimate of 18.4 million participants is
derived as follows: 76.6 percent of eligible workers participate in
employer-sponsored pension plans. Based on 2007 Form 5500 data, the
Department estimates that 59.6 million individuals are active
participants in participant-directed individual account plans. Using
those two numbers, the Department estimates that 77.8 million
workers are eligible to participate in participant-directed
individual account plans (77.8 million * .766 = 59.6 million). The
Department estimates that 39.6 percent of plans have automatic
enrollment, and 59.7 percent of these plans use TDFs as their QDIA
(77.8 million*.396 * .597=18.4 million).
\26\ These individuals receive the QDIA notice twice in their
first year of participation: Once when they are eligible to
participate in the plan and once when all participants receive the
plan's annual QDIA notice.
\27\ 18.4 million * .062 * .068=.78 million (rounded).
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[[Page 73993]]
(b) Proposed Amendment to Participant-Level Disclosure Regulation
The proposed amendment to the Department's participant-level
disclosure regulation would require participant-directed individual
account plans that offer TDFs as a designated investment alternative to
include the TDF disclosures as an appendix to the participant-level
disclosures required by 29 CFR 2550.404a-5(d)(1) and (d)(2).
The Department assumes that plans would incur a de minimis cost to
prepare the appendix, because, as stated above, investment issuers and
service providers already have the TDF information readily available to
provide to plans. No additional mailing costs are expected, because the
TDF disclosures would be attached as an appendix to, and distributed
with, the participant-level disclosure. Thus, the only anticipated
additional costs would pertain to the additional paper costs associated
with including the additional TDF appendix with the participant-level
disclosure.
The TDF appendix is expected, on average, to add two pages to the
participant-level disclosure. As discussed above, the Department
estimates that 43.6 million participants are covered by participant-
directed individual account plans that offer TDFs as an investment
alternative.\28\ The Department estimates that 6.8 percent of
participants are new to a plan in a given year; therefore, 2.96 million
additional disclosures would be required \29\ resulting in a total of
46.5 million TDF fund appendices being distributed annually. The
Department estimates that 38 percent of the disclosures would be
distributed electronically at a de minimis cost, leaving 28.8 million
paper disclosures to be distributed via mail. Assuming paper costs of
$0.10 per participant ($.05 per page), the proposed amendment to the
participant-level disclosure regulation would impose an additional cost
of approximately $2.9 million to the participant-level disclosure.
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\28\ The Department's estimate is based on the Profit Sharing/
401k Council of America, 52nd Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and
401(k) plans, for plan year 2008.
\29\ 43.6 million * .068 = 2.96 million.
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(c) Summary
Overall, the proposed amendments to the qualified default
investment alternative and participant-level disclosure regulations
would result in approximately 66.2 million TDF disclosures being
distributed. The total hour burden associated with the additional
disclosures would be an estimated 29,000 hours with an equivalent cost
of $1.8 million (all allocated to the qualified default investment
alternative regulation). The Department estimates that the total cost
burden for the disclosures would be $4.1 million ($1,217,000 (qualified
default investment alternative); $2,884,000 (participant-level
disclosure)).
These paperwork burden estimates are summarized as follows:
Type of Review: Revised collections.
Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of
Labor.
Title: Default Investment Alternatives Under Participant Directed
Individual Account Plans (QDIA Regulation Amendment) and Fiduciary
Requirements for Disclosure in Participant-Directed Individual Account
Plans (Participant-Level Disclosure Regulation Amendment).
OMB Control Number: 1210-0132; 1210-0090.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit
institutions.
Respondents: 114,000 (QDIA Regulation Amendment); 278,000
(Participant-Level Disclosure Amendment).
Responses: 66,157,539 (19,636,964 QDIA Regulation Amendment;
46,520,575 Participant-Level Disclosure Regulation Amendment).
Frequency of Response: Annually.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 29,000 hours (first year and
subsequent years; all allocated to QDIA Regulation Amendment).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost: $4,102,000 (first year and
subsequent years); $1,217,500 (QDIA Regulation Amendment); $2,884,500
(Participant-Level Disclosure Regulation Amendment).
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) (RFA) imposes
certain requirements with respect to Federal rules that are subject to
the notice and comment requirements of section 553(b) of the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 551 et seq.) and which are
likely to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of
small entities. Unless the head of an agency certifies that a proposed
rule is not likely to have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities, section 603 of the RFA requires
that the agency present an initial regulatory flexibility analysis at
the time of the publication of the notice of proposed rulemaking
describing the impact of the rule on small entities and seeking public
comment on such impact.
For purposes of the RFA, the Department continues to consider a
small entity to be an employee benefit plan with fewer than 100
participants.\30\ Further, while some large employers may have small
plans, in general small employers maintain most small plans. Thus, the
Department believes that assessing the impact of this proposed rule on
small plans is an appropriate substitute for evaluating the effect on
small entities. The definition of small entity considered appropriate
for this purpose differs, however, from a definition of small business
that is based on size standards promulgated by the Small Business
Administration (SBA) (13 CFR 121.201) pursuant to the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.). The Department therefore requests comments
on the appropriateness of the size standard used in evaluating the
impact of this proposed rule on small entities.
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\30\ The basis for this definition is found in section 104(a)(2)
of the Act, which permits the Secretary of Labor to prescribe
simplified annual reports for pension plans that cover fewer than
100 participants..
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The Department certifies, as required by the RFA, that while the
proposed regulation would impact a substantial number of small
entities, the economic impact of the proposed rule would not be
significant. The Department estimates that the cost per plan to prepare
the notice would be less than $20, because much of the required
information is expected to be readily available from service providers.
Moreover, the anticipated cost per participant for plans to send the
qualified default investment alternative and participant-level fee TDF
disclosures are estimated to be $0.20 annually.
Based on industry survey data, the Department believes that small
plans would be less likely to be affected by this regulation, because
while small plans are slightly more likely to be participant-directed,
they are less likely to default participants into TDFs or provide
access to such funds as an investment alternative. The survey showed
that 56.3 percent of plans with 5,000 or more participants have
automatic enrollment compared to just 15.8 percent of plans with 1-49
participants, and that while 64 percent of participant-directed plans
with more than 5,000 participants offer TDFs as an investment option,
only 47.9 percent of such plans with 1-49 participants offer TDFs as an
investment option.\31\ The
[[Page 73994]]
burden that would be imposed by the proposed regulation on small plans
also would be mitigated by the fact that most of the information
required for the TDF disclosures is expected to be readily available
from service providers.
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\31\ Profit Sharing/401k Council of America, 52nd Annual Survey
of Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plans, for plan year 2008.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congressional Review Act
The proposed rule is subject to the Congressional Review Act
provisions of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of
1996 (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.) and, if finalized, will be transmitted to
Congress and the Comptroller General for review. The proposed rule is
not a ``major rule'' as that term is defined in 5 U.S.C. 804, because
it is not likely to result in (1) An annual effect on the economy of
$100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for
consumers, individual industries, or Federal, State, or local
government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse
effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity,
innovation, or on the ability of United States-based enterprises to
compete with foreign-based enterprises in domestic and export markets.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
For purposes of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L.
104-4), as well as Executive Order 12875, the proposed rule does not
include any Federal mandate that may result in expenditures by State,
local, or tribal governments in the aggregate of more than $100
million, adjusted for inflation, or increase expenditures by the
private sector of more than $100 million, adjusted for inflation.
Federalism Statement
Executive Order 13132 (August 4, 1999) outlines fundamental
principles of federalism, and requires the adherence to specific
criteria by Federal agencies in the process of their formulation and
implementation of policies that have substantial direct effects on the
States, the relationship between the national government and States, or
on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various
levels of government. The proposed regulation does not have federalism
implications because it has no substantial direct effect on the States,
on the relationship between the national government and the States, or
on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various
levels of government. Section 514 of ERISA provides, with certain
exceptions specifically enumerated, that the provisions of Titles I and
IV of ERISA supersede any and all laws of the States as they relate to
any employee benefit plan covered under ERISA. The requirements that
would be implemented in the proposed rule do not alter the fundamental
reporting and disclosure requirements of the statute with respect to
employee benefit plans, and as such have no implications for the States
or the relationship or distribution of power between the national
government and the States.
List of Subjects in 29 CFR Part 2550
Employee benefit plans, Exemptions, Fiduciaries, Investments,
Pensions, Prohibited transactions, Real estate, Securities, Surety
bonds, Trusts and Trustees.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Department of Labor
proposes to amend 29 CFR part 2550 as follows:
PART 2550--RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY
1. The authority citation for part 2550 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 1135 and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 6-
2009, 74 FR 21524 (May 7, 2009). Sec. 2550.401c-1 also issued under
29 U.S.C. 1101. Sec. 2550.404a-1 also issued under sec. 657, Pub. L.
107-16, 115 Stat. 38. Sections 2550.404c-1 and 2550.404c-5 also
issued under 29 U.S.C. 1104. Sec. 2550.408b-1 also issued under 29
U.S.C. 1108(b)(1) and sec. 102, Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1978, 5
U.S.C. App. 1. Sec. 2550.408b-19 also issued under sec. 611, Pub. L.
109-280, 120 Stat. 780, 972, and sec. 102, Reorganization Plan No. 4
of 1978, 5 U.S.C. App. 1. Sec. 2550.412-1 also issued under 29
U.S.C. 1112.
2. Amend Sec. 2550.404a-5 by revising paragraph (i)(4) to read as
follows:
Sec. 2550.404a-5 Fiduciary requirements for disclosure in
participant-directed individual account plans.
* * * * *
(i) * * *
(4) Target date or similar funds. In the case of a designated
investment alternative that is described in 29 CFR 2550.404c-5(e)(4)(1)
(e.g., ``life-cycle'' or ``target date'' funds) the plan administrator
shall, in addition to the information required by paragraph (d)(1) and,
if applicable, paragraph (i) of this section, furnish to each
participant or beneficiary the following information as an appendix or
appendices to the chart or similar document intended to satisfy
paragraph (d)(2) of this section--
(i) An explanation of the alternative's asset allocation, how the
asset allocation will change over time, and the point in time when the
alternative will reach its most conservative asset allocation;
including a chart, table, or other graphical representation that
illustrates such change in asset allocation over time and that does not
obscure or impede a participant's or beneficiary's understanding of the
information explained pursuant to this paragraph (i)(4)(i);
(ii) If the alternative is named, or otherwise described, with
reference to a particular date (e.g., a target date), an explanation of
the age group for whom the alternative is designed, the relevance of
the date, and any assumptions about a participant's or beneficiary's
contribution and withdrawal intentions on or after such date; and
(iii) A statement that the participant or beneficiary may lose
money by investing in the alternative, including losses near and
following retirement, and that there is no guarantee that the
alternative will provide adequate retirement income.
* * * * *
3. Amend Sec. 2550.404c-5 by revising paragraphs (c)(4), (d)(3),
(d)(4), and (d)(5) to read as follows:
Sec. 2550.404c-5 Fiduciary relief for investments in qualified
default investment alternatives.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(4) A fiduciary provides to a participant or beneficiary the
material set forth in 29 CFR 2550.404a-5(d)(3) and (4) relating to a
participant's or beneficiary's investment in a qualified default
investment alternative;
* * * * *
(d) * * *
(3) A description of the qualified default investment alternative,
including:
(i) The name of the investment's issuer;
(ii) The investment's objectives or goals;
(iii) The investment's principal strategies (including a general
description of the types of assets held by the investment) and
principal risks;
(iv) The investment's historical performance data and a statement
indicating that an investment's past performance is not necessarily an
indication of how the investment will perform in the future; and, if
applicable, a description of any fixed return, annuity, guarantee,
death benefit, or other ancillary features;
(v) The investment's attendant fees and expenses, including:
(A) Any fees charged directly against the amount invested in
connection with acquisition, sale, transfer of, or
[[Page 73995]]
withdrawal (e.g., commissions, sales loads, sales charges, deferred
sales charges, redemption fees, surrender charges, exchange fees,
account fees, and purchase fees);
(B) Any annual operating expenses (e.g., expense ratio); and
(C) Any ongoing expenses in addition to annual operating expenses
(e.g., mortality and expense fees); and
(vi) For an investment fund product or model portfolio intended to
satisfy paragraph (e)(4)(i) of this section, and to the extent not
already disclosed pursuant to this paragraph (d)(3):
(A) An explanation of the asset allocation, how the asset
allocation will change over time, and the point in time when the
qualified default investment alternative will reach its most
conservative asset allocation; including a chart, table, or other
graphical representation that illustrates such change in asset
allocation over time and that does not obscure or impede a
participant's or beneficiary's understanding of the information
explained pursuant to this paragraph (d)(3)(vi)(A);
(B) If the qualified default investment alternative is named, or
otherwise described, with reference to a particular date (e.g., a
target date), an explanation of the age group for whom the investment
is designed, the relevance of the date, and any assumptions about a
participant's or beneficiary's contribution and withdrawal intentions
on or after such date; and
(C) If applicable, a statement that the participant or beneficiary
may lose money by investing in the qualified default investment
alternative, including losses near and following retirement, and that
there is no guarantee that the investment will provide adequate
retirement income.
(4) A description of the right of the participants and
beneficiaries on whose behalf assets are invested in a qualified
default investment alternative to direct the investment of those assets
to any other investment alternative under the plan and, if applicable,
a statement that certain fees and limitations may apply in connection
with such transfer; and
(5) An explanation of where the participants and beneficiaries can
obtain additional investment information concerning the qualified
default investment alternative and the other investment alternatives
available under the plan.
* * * * *
Signed at Washington, DC, this 16th day of November, 2010.
Phyllis C. Borzi
Assistant Secretary, Employee Benefits Security Administration,
Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2010-29509 Filed 11-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-P