Private-equity firms notched a win in Washington with the Trump administration paving the way for the industry to tap a pot of money that has long been off limits: the trillions of dollars held in Americans' retirement accounts.
The Labor Department issued guidance Wednesday effectively allowing 401(k) plans to invest in buyout firms. The agency said the move will bolster investment options for consumers and let them access an asset class that can provide better returns than stocks and bonds.
In a statement, Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia said the action "will help Americans saving for retirement gain access to alternative investments that often provide strong returns."
The announcement is a significant deregulatory decision that private-equity lobbyists have sought for years. It is expected to face harsh criticism from consumer groups and progressive Democratic lawmakers, who argue that high-fee private equity firms are inappropriate for inexperienced investors because the industry locks up clients' money for years and backs businesses seen as far more risky than a plain-vanilla bond fund.
Public pension funds that manage employees' retirement savings have a long history of investing in private equity. But complex regulations and concerns about being sued have until now kept individuals' 401(k) plans out. The private-equity industry has ramped up its campaign to change the rules during the Trump administration, which has made cutting back regulations a core element of its economic platform.
The Labor Department's guidance was focused on professionally managed investment funds that include several types of assets. The agency said it wasn't green-lighting private equity investments to be offered as a stand-alone option.
The announcement was praised by Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton, whose agency has been considering ways to get retail investors access to asset classes that have been largely reserved for the wealthy.
Under current SEC regulations, firms such as Apollo Global Management Inc., Blackstone Group Inc., Carlyle Group Inc. and KKR & Co. are mostly limited to raising money from the super rich, sovereign wealth funds and pension funds.
Groom Law Group principal David Levine, whose firm requested the Labor Department guidance on behalf of its clients, said the move would have a notable effect on workers saving for retirement.
"By issuing the guidance, the Department of Labor has taken great steps to democratize the use of private equity in many Americans' largest investment asset -- their retirement accounts," he said.
Business on 06/04/2020