private equity

The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General recently issued a report detailing concerns with the valuation of alternative investments (such as private equity funds, hedge funds, and real estate) held by ERISA plans.  ERISA requires plan sponsors and fiduciaries to value investments for several purposes, including to determine funding obligations, select investments, monitor investment performance, and file accurate financial statements.  The report notes that many plan fiduciaries rely on valuations provided by managers of alternative investments without analyzing the basis for the valuation or seeking independent review.  The report suggests that this practice poses substantial risks to the retirement system and urges the Labor Department to require more rigorous valuation methodology.
Continue Reading ERISA Plans’ Valuation of Private Equity and Other Alternative Investments Draws Increased Scrutiny

A federal appeals court recently ruled that a private equity fund might be responsible for the unfunded pension liabilities of its bankrupt portfolio company.  This ruling could have broader repercussions for private investment funds and the companies they own.  If the companies are considered to be related employers under the rules that govern employee benefits, they might acquire other unexpected obligations, such as the obligation to provide health care to their employees.
Continue Reading Private Investment Funds Face Potential Liability for Portfolio Companies’ Employee Benefits

Private equity and other investment fund managers can exhale (at least a little bit) following a recent court ruling that investment funds are not liable for the ERISA obligations of their portfolio companies.  The ruling expressly rejects a 2007 Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) letter ruling and contradicts an earlier court decision that supported the PBGC’s position that a private equity fund could be liable for the pension liabilities of one of its portfolio companies.  While the new ruling by no means settles the issue, investment fund managers should welcome this development.
Continue Reading Investment Funds Not Liable for Pension Plans of Portfolio Companies, Court Rules