BENEFIT INSIGHTS NEWSLETTERS

SPRING 2022

One of the questions asked by your TPA during the annual census collection may be whether your participant contributions and loan payments were transmitted within the Department of Labor (DOL) safe harbor time frame.
It’s an important question because both the DOL and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are interested in seeing employee contributions deposited timely. When contributions are not deposited timely, an operational failure occurs, which could lead to plan disqualification.

WINTER 2022

Each year, those in the retirement community collect, analyze and calculate data to ensure plan compliance with the laws that govern qualified retirement plans. The calendar of deadlines repeats each year, challenging plan sponsors and service providers to focus on the current plan compliance along with the myriad of changes that have come into effect in the last few years.

FALL 2021

On November 4, 2021, the IRS announced the Cost of Living Adjustments affecting the dollar limitations for retirement plans for 2022. In October, the Social Security Administration announced a benefit increase of 5.9%, the largest increase in nearly 40 years. Following suit, many retirement plan limits have increased as well over the 2021 levels.

SUMMER 2021

Most plan sponsors can relate to the trials and tribulations of having missing participants in their retirement plan. At times, it may feel like you are on the losing end of an intense game of hide-and-seek. Your opponents, the missing participants, may not have intended to pick the best hiding spots, but in many cases, they have surely succeeded. Now you are tasked with tracking them down and upping your game to avoid this scenario in the future.

SPRING 2021

Some would say that retirement plan administration is a team sport! Putting together technical and compliance competence with ongoing investment and fiduciary expertise is key to keeping your plan healthy and participants happy. So, what roles and responsibilities should you look to fill for your firm to have a successful and compliant plan?

WINTER 2021

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.

SPECIAL EDITION 2020

The end of the year is quickly approaching which means annual data collection requests for many plan sponsors. We all know the drill by now, annual census data, an employer questionnaire, and plan asset information.

FALL 2020

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.

SUMMER 2020

On May 21, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) announced the publication of a final rule that will allow employers to communicate the required retirement plan disclosures and other plan information electronically. The rule finishes a 2018 DOL initiative aimed at reducing administrative burdens and costs associated with the delivery of retirement plan disclosures.

SPRING 2020

On Friday, March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), a massive relief bill for those suffering as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, was signed into law. Besides the generalized financial relief afforded to individuals, as well as loans and other concessions for businesses, the bill includes the following provisions to help participants and employer sponsors of retirement plans.

WINTER 2020

On December 20, 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was signed into law. The SECURE Act represents some of the most significant changes to retirement plan law since the passage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, over thirteen years ago. The provisions of the Act are broad ranging and span many different effective dates.