The Daily Brief for Benefits Professionals
BenefitsWire
Retirement Plans
September 24, 2026
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9 items · ~2 min read
Top of the Brief
Labor Critics Demand FBI Investigation into Bogus 401(k) Rule Support“Suspicious public comments submitted for DOL’s upcoming alternative investments ruling prompt investigation call by House and Senate officials House and Senate committee leaders are calling for investigations into potentially fraudulent public comments after thousands of near-identical comments were submitted in support of Department of Labor proposals that would allow more alternative assets in 401(k) plans.”
In this issue
Regulatory Action and Guidance (1) · General Benefits (5) · Retirement Plans (2) · Litigation (1)
Regulatory Action and Guidance
1 item“Suspicious public comments submitted for DOL’s upcoming alternative investments ruling prompt investigation call by House and Senate officials House and Senate committee leaders are calling for investigations into potentially fraudulent public comments after thousands of near-identical comments were submitted in support of Department of Labor proposals that would allow more alternative assets in 401(k) plans.” MORE >>
Source: 401(k) Specialist
General Benefits
5 items[Legislation & Budget]
Developing Proposal Would Enable Workers in ‘Physically Demanding Jobs’ to Claim Social Security at 60“The bill comes as estimates say trust fund depletion under existing benefit and revenue provisions could come in 2032.” MORE >>
Source: PLANSPONSOR
“According to the acquisition announcement, RVK advises just over 200 institutional clients with approximately $4.3 trillion in assets. Its clients include public and private retirement plans, endowments, foundations, insurers and health systems. The deal is expected to close in January, subject to regulatory approval, and its financial terms were not disclosed.” MORE >>
Source: The Commonsense 401(k) Project
“The following checklist highlights key issues for corporate counsel with respect to employee benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements....” MORE >>
Source: Williams Mullen
[Retirement Plans]
HSA Assets Surge 19% as Lower Fees, Better Investments Fuel Growth“Morningstar’s 2026 HSA study shows significant increase in assets, but not necessarily related to new eligibility provided in updated federal rules A healthy boost in health savings account holdings suggests more Americans are taking advantage of those pre-tax benefits, though recent legislation has yet to produce its intended bump in HSA participation. The 10th annual Health Savings Account Landscape Report, released Wednesday by Morningstar, found that total HSA assets increased by 19% in 2025, with the industry taking in net financial inflows of $14.9 billion.” MORE >>
Source: 401(k) Specialist
[Retirement Plans]
Retirement income is the next challenge for employers“More than half of nonretired Americans worry about outliving their assets in retirement, according to a new study, yet many don’t have an income strategy in place for when they stop working. On average, Americans who are still in the workforce believe they must generate $5,094 in monthly income to retire comfortably, up slightly from $5,032 a year ago, Schroders’ 2026 U.S. Retirement Survey found.” MORE >>
Source: Employee Benefit News
Retirement Plans
2 items[General Benefits]
Developing DC Plan Participants Struggle to Understand Private Markets Despite Interest“An Invesco survey found defined contribution plan participants struggled to identify assets that counted as private markets.” MORE >>
Source: PLANSPONSOR
“Private Markets in Retirement Plans: Returns, Risks and the Importance of Plan Design, a new project by the CFA Institute Research and Policy Center, revealed that a small portion of private market investment can indeed pay off in a DC plan, though it’s not a one-size-fits-all guarantee for universal success. Rather, the organization noted that private markets can be beneficial only if plan sponsors use a precise analysis of expected outcomes among the many private market asset classes, and then carefully calibrate default fund allocations and design features to match their participants’ needs.” MORE >>
Source: 401(k) Specialist
Litigation
1 item“According to the court’s decision, dismissal on summary judgment was improper because disputed issues of fact remain that should proceed to trial. In particular, the judge pointed to the issue of whether Dish properly monitored the TDFs’ performance.” MORE >>
Source: Hall Benefits Law