U.S. rolls out new consumer-oriented rules for retirement brokers

On Wednesday, the Labor Department unveiled long-awaited rules aimed at reducing conflicts of interest from financial brokers, especially those advising and purchasing stocks, bonds, and other investments for smaller savers. The new rules, which could affect $14 trillion in retirement investments, require brokers acting as retirement advisers to act as "fiduciaries," or trustees legally bound to represent their clients' "best interests." 401(k) accounts are already covered by the "best interests" requirements, but IRA and other retirement brokers currently only have to offer "suitable" investment recommendations. The White House estimates that brokers' conflicts of interest cost U.S. families $17 billion a year.

"This is a huge win for the middle class," Labor Secretary Thomas Perez told reporters on Tuesday. "We are putting in place a fundamental principle of consumer protection." Critics of the current rules say they allow brokers to charge onerous fees or recommend products that give them undisclosed commissions. The Obama administration first proposed the new rules six years ago, and Perez said his department made several changes to accommodate industry concerns, including pushing the compliance date back to April 2017, during the next administration.

The financial industry is looking over the final rules, and may still try to water them down further or kill them off under the next president. "Unless we see fundamental changes, this rule will remain unworkable, and we will consider every approach to address our concerns," David Hirschmann at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Tuesday.

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