Peter Wiedenbeck

Peter Wiedenbeck is the Joseph H. Zumbalen Professor of the Law of Property at Washington University School of Law, specializing in federal income tax law and ERISA-regulated employee benefit plans. He has authored foundational texts including ERISA Principles (Cambridge University Press, 2023) and Basic Federal Income Taxation (Aspen, 8th ed. 2024), while teaching core courses in taxation and employee benefits.

His educational credentials include:

• J.D. from University of Michigan (1979)
• B.Sc. from University of Toronto (1976)

Wiedenbeck's research centers on Federal Income Taxation, Employee Benefits, and Wealth Transfer Taxation with particular focus on ERISA's regulatory framework. His scholarship critically examines fiduciary duty erosion, pension investment transparency, and the intersection of tax policy with retirement security, often revealing systemic vulnerabilities in benefit plan governance. Current work investigates executive compensation threats to retirement systems and modern disclosure challenges.

Publication trends show sustained focus on ERISA compliance mechanisms, with recent articles analyzing disclosure effectiveness (2024), fiduciary standard implementation (2021), and retirement plan sustainability amid executive compensation pressures (2023). His work consistently bridges theoretical legal analysis with practical regulatory solutions for employee benefit systems.

Key honors include:

• Joseph H. Zumbalen Professorship (2004)
• Washington University Distinguished Faculty Award (2003)
• Multiple Teacher of the Year Awards (2003, 1997, 1995)
• Fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel (2014)

Wiedenbeck actively shapes policy as current chair of the U.S. Department of Labor's Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans (2022), having previously served on the council (2020-2021) and as invited witness (2017). He contributes to national discourse through membership in the National Academy of Social Insurance (2005) and past service on the Presidential Task Force on the Arts and Humanities (1981).

No laboratory or dedicated research team affiliations are documented in available sources.