Employee Benefits Security Administration November 20, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document withdraws final rules under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and parallel provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, relating to the provision of investment advice to participants and beneficiaries in individual account plans, such as 401(k) plans, and beneficiaries of individual retirement accounts (and certain similar plans). Final rules were published in the Federal Register on January 21, 2009 (74 FR 3822). The effective and applicability dates of the final rules had been deferred until May 17, 2010, in order to permit a review of policy and legal issues raised with respect to the rules. As discussed in this Notice, the Department has determined to withdraw the final rules. The Department also intends to soon propose a revised rule limited to the application of the statutory exemption relating to investment advice.