Richard Matta

Richard Matta advises clients with respect to the structuring and marketing of investment products and financial services to 401(a) tax-qualified retirement plans, voluntary employees beneficiary association (VEBA) plans, 403(b) and 457 plans, IRAs, and other tax-exempt investors. His practice focuses on the intersection of ERISA Title I with securities, tax, corporate, banking, and other applicable laws.

Richard Matta has many years’ experience advising large-plan fiduciaries, financial institutions, and investment professionals regarding plan investments in financial products such as mutual funds, hedge and private equity funds, bank collective trusts, real estate, derivatives, and other alternative investments. He also advises on investment advisory and “managed account” programs, brokerage and wrap products, recordkeeping platforms, outsourced CIO services, independent fiduciary services, securities lending, bank sweeps, trust and custody services, and service provider “alliance” agreements.

He also counsels a number of other law firms and their clients in connection with complex and specialized ERISA, IRA, and governmental plan issues. Rick has worked with clients in obtaining scores of Department of Labor prohibited transaction exemptions and advisory opinions, as well as SEC and FINRA guidance and IRS rulings. He advises large defined benefit plan sponsors and fiduciaries on issues relating to the acquisition and holding of employer securities and de-risking transactions such as in-kind contributions of assets and participant cash-outs. He also advises high net worth individuals on “self-directed” IRA issues including investments in private funds, real estate, and operating businesses.

Rick co-chairs Groom’s IRA Practice Group where he advises financial institutions on IRA and HSA products—custody, brokerage, advisory, and other services—and prohibited transaction issues.