As time goes by, the needs of a company and the needs of the participants evolve, and a plan may need to be amended to keep up with those changes. This is a good time of year to review plan provisions and determine if any changes are needed before the next plan year. Below are some possible considerations:Automatic enrollment can boost plan participation. Participants who don’t make an election will have 401(k) deferrals withheld automatically. There are several types of automatic enrollme...

As situations arise during the plan year, it’s always better to double check the plan provisions rather than address a plan failure after the fact. In some situations, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, but that isn’t true in retirement plans. Correcting mistakes can be very costly. Do not hesitate to reach out to us for clarification on what the plan allows. For example:When a participant (staff or owner) requests a distribution, there is a process to f...

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) requires coverage to protect the plan from losses due to fraud and dishonesty.There are three main types of bond coverage for retirement plans: fidelity bonds, fiduciary liability insurance, and cyber liability insurance. Not all three coverages are required, but understanding what is available and what they cover will help you determine the best protection for your plan.ERISA Fidelity BondAn ERISA fidelity bond protects the plan against losses...

Defined Contribution plans: Form 5500 news!Effective for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, the determination of a large or small plan will be based on the number of participants with an account balance as of the beginning of the year, rather than the number of participants eligible for the plan.This is welcome news for plans that required an accountant’s audit as a large plan because there were more than 100 eligible participants but not all of those participants had balanc...

As part of the enrollment process, participants are asked to elect a beneficiary. However, this step is often not completed or kept up to date as time goes on, which can make death distributions more complicated than they need to be. When a participant names a beneficiary, it helps to ensure their account balance will be distributed to the person intended. However, updating the designation is also very important as life events occur.When a plan includes automatic enrollment provisions, it does h...

As a plan sponsor, do you feel your employees have a clear understanding of the company’s retirement plan?Do most utilize it as a tool to save for retirement—and, if not, do they understand the benefit that they are missing? According to the 2022 PLANSPONSOR Participant Survey, 115 of 774 (14.9%) respondents opted not to participate in a workplace defined contribution plan for various reasons. 18.3% of those that declined to participate said it was because they need to better underst...

Within 18 months: Effectiveness of notice provided for eligible rollover distributions: A 402(f) notice, often referred to as a Special Tax Notice, must be provided to the recipient of a distribution that is eligible for rollover. The notice must contain required language regarding rollover options and the tax implications that may apply. The Government Accountability Office must issue a report to Congress on the effectiveness of these notices.No later than two (2) years after the date of e...

When Plan Sponsors are asked to provide company and employee census information for a recent plan year, the details being collected affect the contributions that must be calculated and funded as well as which compliance tests the plan must satisfy. The same questions are asked year after year because changes in the company affect the plan a great deal. Information collected may include:Employee census: Details about all employees on payroll must be provided, whether they are full time, part...

In 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act increased the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) age for retirement plan participants from age 70 1/2 to 72. Additionally, it introduced opportunities for Long Term Part Time (LTPT) employees to make deferral contributions to retirement plans in situations where they have not yet met the plan’s eligibility requirements. An updated version of the SECURE Act—the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022—was signed by P...

Save even more for retirement in 2023 due to record breaking increases in limits. On October 21, 2022, the IRS announced the Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) affecting the dollar limitations for retirement plans for 2023. Retirement plan limits increased well over the 2022 limits, the largest increase in over 45 years. COLA increases are intended to allow participant contributions and benefits to keep up with the “cost of living” from year to year. Here are the highlights from the ...