Articles
Congratulations! It’s a Retirement Plan!
So, you’ve sold your business and now you’re asking the question “What happens to the retirement plan?” You are not alone. In the world of mergers and acquisitions, it is not uncommon for retirement plans to be overlooked in the process. The options available depend...
Department of Labor Issues Cybersecurity Guidance
On April 14, 2021, the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued long-awaited guidance designed to protect participants from both internal and external cybersecurity threats. The guidance is far-reaching and is directed at plan sponsors, plan...
Is there Pandemic Relief for Late Deposits
Proper handling of employee 401(k) deferral contributions and loan repayments is one of the most important responsibilities a plan sponsor undertakes. Failure to timely deposit employee deferrals and participant loan repayments is considered by many service providers...
The MEP/PEP Debate: Are We Better Together?
When we talk about retirement plans, many employers think of single employer retirement plans. A single employer retirement plan is simply a plan sponsored by one employer (or a related group of employers) for the benefit of its employees. In contrast, a multiple...
Terminated Employees? Important Relief is Here.
On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was signed into law. The Act combines the $1.4 trillion omnibus federal spending package for the 2021 fiscal year and a $900 billion COVID-19 stimulus package that enhances and expands certain provisions...
Cycle 3 Plan Document Restatements
Approximately every six years, the IRS requires that pre-approved qualified retirement plans update (or restate) their plan document to reflect recent legislative and regulatory changes. Plan restatements are divided into staggered six-year cycles depending on the...
The CARES ACT Update
2020 has been a difficult year with many unexpected challenges. For companies that sponsor retirement plans, some of these challenges came in the form of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. While the CARES Act provided much needed relief to...
Required Year-End Participant Notices
As the end of the year approaches, our to-do lists become longer but our bandwidth becomes condensed. To compound matters, when you sponsor a retirement plan, you know you will be in close contact with your TPA firm about the various year-end notices that must be...
Upcoming Compliance Deadlines for Calendar-Year Plans
Upcoming Compliance Deadlines for Calendar-Year Plans 1st December 2020 Participant Notices – Annual notices due for safe harbor elections, Qualified Default Investment Alternatives (QDIA), and Automatic Contribution Arrangements (EACA or QACA). 31st ADP/ACP...
The SECURE Act Reminders
With so much discussion surrounding the CARES Act, it is easy to forget that 2019 brought us some of the most significant changes to retirement plan law since the passage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006. This legislation came to us by virtue of The Setting Every...
Cost of Living Adjustment for 2021
On October 26, 2020, the IRS announced the Cost of Living Adjustments affecting the dollar limitations for retirement plans. Contribution and benefit 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 2021 limits: The elective deferral limit remains unchanged at $19,500. This deferral limit applies to each participant on a calendar year basis. The limit applies to 401(k) …
New Plan Tax Credits
When we talk about new retirement plans, we usually focus on the savings advantages they grant to business owners or the big-picture advantages of helping employees achieve ongoing financial wellness. Tax credits granted to plan sponsors are another important, but...