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    ERISA Mastery: Navigating Fiduciary Duties and Compliance Risks

    32 min
    |
    |
    Mar 5, 2026
    BusinessFinanceLeadership

    Uncover the hidden legal pitfalls of employee benefits as we explore the 'prudent expert' standard, costly non-compliance penalties, and essential strategies for staying audit-ready in 2025.

    ERISA Mastery: Navigating Fiduciary Duties and Compliance Risks

    Best quote from ERISA Mastery: Navigating Fiduciary Duties and Compliance Risks

    “

    ERISA is very clear: plan sponsors hold a position of trust over other people’s money. If you control the purse strings, you carry the risk; it doesn't matter if you didn't mean any harm.

    ”

    This audio lesson was created by a BeFreed community member

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    Key Takeaways

    1

    The Hidden Risks of ERISA Compliance

    0:00
    0:22
    0:42
    0:52
    2

    The Framework of Fiduciary Duty

    1:01
    1:16
    1:46
    1:56
    2:25
    2:33
    3:03
    3:20
    3:47
    4:07
    4:36
    4:41
    3

    The Paper Trail of Compliance

    4:50
    5:03
    5:21
    2:33
    5:58
    6:05
    6:27
    6:38
    7:00
    7:04
    7:27
    7:39
    8:03
    8:13
    8:36
    4

    The Right to Appeal and the Claims Process

    8:44
    9:01
    9:19
    9:24
    9:41
    2:33
    10:15
    10:21
    10:39
    10:49
    11:06
    11:15
    11:41
    11:52
    12:12
    12:24
    5

    The High Stakes of Self-Funded Plans

    12:32
    12:47
    13:04
    13:07
    13:25
    13:36
    13:55
    14:05
    14:25
    2:33
    14:46
    15:00
    15:29
    15:39
    15:53
    16:09
    6

    The Interconnected Web of COBRA and HIPAA

    16:23
    16:41
    16:53
    14:05
    17:24
    17:31
    17:48
    0:22
    18:19
    18:25
    18:49
    19:01
    19:13
    19:23
    19:38
    7

    The Specialized World of Retirement Disclosures

    19:52
    20:04
    20:16
    2:33
    20:38
    2:33
    21:11
    13:07
    21:34
    21:40
    22:01
    22:06
    22:27
    22:37
    22:54
    23:08
    8

    Practical Tools and the 2025 Compliance Calendar

    23:22
    23:36
    23:59
    2:33
    24:20
    24:26
    24:49
    2:33
    25:05
    25:16
    25:39
    25:43
    25:59
    26:07
    26:29
    26:34
    26:46
    9

    The Path Forward for Plan Sponsors

    26:54
    27:14
    27:34
    2:33
    27:59
    13:07
    28:23
    28:29
    28:43
    4:07
    29:14
    2:33
    29:34
    29:37
    29:43
    29:52
    10

    Reflection and Closing Thoughts

    29:59
    30:20
    30:35
    30:50
    31:06
    31:09
    31:24
    31:34
    19:23
    31:57
    31:59

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