Retirement plans can now invest in alternative assets more easily

The US Labor Department is proposing new rules that make it simpler for retirement plans to invest in things like private equity and hedge funds. This means more retirement savers might see these types of investments offered in their 401(k)s.

This change opens the door for more retirement money to flow into investments that were previously hard to access. For decades, retirement plans stuck to stocks and bonds. Now, the government is making it easier to include assets that could offer different kinds of returns, but also carry different risks. This could reshape how retirement portfolios are built for millions of Americans.