In late December, US Senator Ron Wyden introduced the Retirement Parity for Student Loans Act (Student Loan Act), which would allow employers to make matching contributions under 401(k), 403(b) and SIMPLE plans with respect...more
The IRS recently announced the cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for various employer-sponsored retirement and welfare plans for 2019. Although some of the dollar limits currently in effect for 2018...more
On Friday, August 17, 2018, the IRS released a private letter ruling (PLR) which will help clear the way for employers to provide a new type of student loan repayment benefit as part of their 401(k) plans. By issuing the PLR,...more
On August 17, 2018, the IRS released a private letter ruling which will help clear the way for employers to provide a new type of student loan repayment benefit as part of their 401(k) plans. This ruling is important because...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released “Issue Snapshots” on a number of topics related to tax-qualified retirement plans, including both pension and savings plans. Historically, the snapshots have explained...more
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made significant changes to the tax code and will have a significant impact on businesses and individual taxpayers. However, although initial proposals included potentially significant changes to...more
1/3/2018
/ 401k ,
457(b) Plans ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
IRA Rollovers ,
Natural Disasters ,
New Legislation ,
Retirement Plan ,
Roth IRA ,
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ,
Tax Reform ,
Tax Relief
On Monday, November 27, 2017, the Social Security Administration announced that the it is lowering the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax for 2018 to $128,400. The Social Security Administration...more
The US Department of the Treasury recently issued guidance that retirement plan sponsors should consider as part of their obligation to take reasonable steps to locate missing participants. Specifically, the Treasury issued a...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced the cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for various employer-sponsored retirement and welfare plans for 2018. Although some of the dollar limits...more
The IRS recently issued new mortality tables for 2018, which will likely increase pension funding liabilities for many plan sponsors. Plan sponsors should consider options to delay the use of the new mortality tables for...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) conduct different types of benefit plan audits, such as retirement plans and health and welfare plans, and for various reasons. In a presentation, Jeffrey...more
Puerto Rico enacted new legislation in February that will require changes to tax-qualified retirement plans covering Puerto Rico employees, including both Puerto Rico-only and dual-qualified (US and Puerto Rico) retirement...more
Near the end of 2016, the US Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service published two significant sets of proposed regulations on issues pertaining to defined benefit pension plans, including mortality table...more
Health system employers should make sure they are familiar with three key employee benefit issues: (1) the new Department of Labor (DOL) fiduciary rule that currently becomes effective April 10, 2017 (but may be delayed in...more
In Depth -
Beginning with W-2 forms filed with respect to 2016 wages, a new law requires employers to file the government copy by January 31, 2017, for both paper and electronic copies. The accelerated deadline also...more
The Internal Revenue Service recently announced the cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits for various employer-sponsored retirement and welfare plans for 2017. Although some of the dollar limits currently...more
In Depth -
Recent reports show that the number of retirement plan audits by government agencies is increasing. A survey released by Willis Towers Watson indicates that one in every three plan sponsors has experienced a...more
In Depth -
The IRS and US Department of Treasury have issued final and temporary regulations which address benefit and self-employment tax issues regarding partners in a partnership which is the sole owner of a second,...more
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued Notice 2016-16, which provides safe harbor 401(k) plan sponsors with increased flexibility to make mid-year plan changes. Notice 2016-16 sets forth new rules for when and...more
Recently the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration announced the cost-of-living adjustments to the applicable dollar limits on various employer-sponsored retirement and welfare plans and the...more
On July 31, 2015, President Obama signed the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015, temporarily extending the Highway Trust Fund to provide continued funding for federal transportation...more
10/20/2015
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Barack Obama ,
Defined Benefit Plans ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Mandates ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Form 5500 ,
Form 990 ,
Health Savings Accounts ,
Highway Trust Fund ,
Large Employer ,
Life Insurance ,
New Legislation ,
Pensions ,
Plan Administrators ,
SAR ,
Shared Responsibility Rule ,
Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act ,
Tax Exempt Entities ,
Time Extensions ,
TRICARE ,
Veterans
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued two significant notices for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension plans, particularly those considering lump-sum windows as a “de-risking” option for their plans....more
9/3/2015
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
De-Risking ,
Defined Benefit Plans ,
Funding Requirements ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRS ,
Lump Sum Offers ,
Lump Sum Payments ,
New Guidance ,
PBGC ,
Pensions ,
Private Letter Rulings ,
Section 401 ,
U.S. Treasury
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently released “Assessing the Quality of Employee Benefit Plan Audits,” a comprehensive report reviewing the quality of audit work...more
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued guidance providing defined contribution plan administrators with additional flexibility on the timing requirements for distribution of the required annual fee disclosure to...more
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued Revenue Ruling 2014-24, which expressly permits retirement plans that are tax qualified only in Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico-only plans) to continue to pool assets with...more