Retirement Security Rule dead
A federal judge has declared the Retirement Security Rule “officially dead,” ending years of uncertainty for fiduciary standards in retirement advice — a major regulatory shift platforms can’t ignore reported. That vacuum clears short-term compliance headaches but also invites renewed scrutiny and gives firms a marketing edge if they move quickly on transparent fee and disclosure changes.
The Department of Labor filed) a joint motion seeking to vacate the Retirement Security Rule on March 10, 2026; U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle in the Eastern District of Texas approved an unopposed vacatur motion on March 12, 2026. news.bloomberglaw.com Two federal district courts in Texas issued nationwide injunctions in July 2024 that halted the rule’s planned Sept. 23, 2024 implementation, and the litigation was mounted by industry plaintiffs including the Federation of Americans for Consumer Choice and the American Council of Life Insurers. 401kspecialistmag.com The DOL’s regulatory agenda, overseen by the Employee Benefits Security Administration, lists a target to publish a replacement rule and finalize it by May 2026. planadviser.com Because the DOL’s amendments and PTE changes tied to the 2024 rule will not take effect, the traditional five‑part ERISA fiduciary test and existing PTEs remain the operative legal framework for rollover advice, according to industry legal summaries. acaglobal.com The SEC’s updated Marketing Rule FAQs (Jan. 15, 2026) and recent staff guidance on performance presentation give firms a compliance‑safe channel to highlight fee and disclosure changes in marketing materials while a new DOL rule is drafted. sec.gov
