Following an election that resulted in narrow Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, it will be difficult for the U.S. Congress to advance major financial-reform legislation. Therefore, the focus this year will be on the Securities and Exchange Commission, which will have a Democratic majority on its five-member panel during the Biden administration, according to panelists on a Feb. 18 InvestmentNews webinar.
“The primary focus of Congress will be to provide political space for [Biden’s] new regulators to operate and to shine a light on the work the SEC and [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau] can do to make things better for investors and consumers,” said Maryland Securities Commissioner Melanie Senter Lubin.
Ken Bentsen Jr., chief executive of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, and Barbara Roper, director of investor protection at the Consumer Federation of America, were the other two panelists on the one-hour webcast.
[Watch: View the entire one-hour webcast]
Among the topics covered in the wide-ranging conversation were:
IRAs now hold nearly twice the assets of 401(k) plans — and most of that money didn't arrive through annual contributions.
A new survey finds that many women prioritize financial security but continue to leave savings in accounts that may not keep pace with inflation.
Roundhill, Bitwise and GraniteShares funds remain on hold while the agency weighs how novel ETFs should be regulated.
"Shares of alternative assets managers have lagged this year as investors grow wary of private-credit exposure."
The fintech platform is touting a new AI-free Planning Observations feature, which draws on IRS tax records to uncover opportunities for advisors.
Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income
Direct indexing is on pace to outgrow ETFs and mutual funds. Northern Trust's Ken Lassner explains why the advisors who get it wish they had started sooner.
