Investment — Articles

DOL Issues Investment Advice Fiduciary Class Exemption

The DOL issued a new prohibited transaction exemption that maintains the impartial conduct standard in effect since 2018 for financial advisors and retail investors to adhere to.

Employer Plan, IRAAscensusDecember 17, 2020Compliance & Operations, IRA, Qualified Retirement Plan, DOL, Fiduciary, Investment

Unrelated Business Taxable Income Explained

What is UBTI? What types of income are exempt from UBTI? Who is responsible for determining whether an IRA has incurred UBTI? How is the UBTI tax filed and paid?

expert, IRAAscensusFebruary 20, 2020Compliance & Operations, IRA, Investment, Q&A

Lawsuits Filed Against SEC Regulation Best Interest Rule

Two lawsuits have recently been filed seeking to invalidate the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s new fiduciary standards.

Employer Plan, IRAAscensusSeptember 19, 2019Guidance & Legislation, IRA, Retirement Plan, Fiduciary, Investment

SEC Approves Regulation Best Interest Guidance

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently released a guidance package for broker-dealers and investment advisers who provide investment recommendations and investment advisory services to clients. The guidance clarifies the standard of conduct for investment advisers.

Bridging the Retirement Savings Accumulation Gap for Millennials

Research shows that the millennial generation is the best generation of savers since the Great Depression. Paying off debt is important to them. But many are falling short on saving for retirement.

IRAAscensusJuly 19, 2018Business Insights, HSA, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, Contribution, Investment

HSAs Can Serve as Investment Tool Beyond Current Healthcare Expenses

Time and experience are shifting how individuals look at HSAs. Thinking beyond immediate health expenses, a greater number of consumers are looking at HSAs as vehicles for their future health care needs.

HSAAscensusJune 14, 2018Investment, Business Insights, Industry Trends & Statistics

Devenir HSA Market Survey Shows Strong Growth in 2017

Health savings accounts recorded double-digit account and asset growth in 2017 as the number of individuals covered by high deductible health plans continues to increase year over year. Employers are a huge driver of this growth.

IRA Owner Behavior Trends From EBRI Show Plan Rollovers Still Strong

Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) hold one-quarter of all retirement plan assets in the U.S., yet only a small percentage of IRA owners contribute to their IRAs each year, according to an analysis of IRA data by the Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI).

IRA, Employer PlanAscensusMay 17, 2018Compliance & Operations, Distribution, Contribution, Investment

IRA Investments—Are there restrictions?

We are considering offering additional investment opportunities. What are the limitations? Are life insurance and collectibles the only two investments prohibited in an IRA?

IRA, expertAscensusApril 19, 2018Compliance & Operations, Investment, Q&A

How the New DOL Fiduciary Rule Applies to IRAs and HSAs

The financial industry has been hearing about the Department of Labor fiduciary (conflict-of-interest) rule for several years. These rules apply to IRAs, HSAs, and Coverdell ESAs, as well as employer-sponsored retirement plans. While some aspects will not apply until mid-2019, financial organizations should fully evaluate how the rules affect their products and services.