The IRS issued new proposed regulations that would permanently change the rules that require spousal consent for plan distributions to be signed in the physical presence of a notary or plan representative. Specifically, the...more
On July 8, 2022, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) published its much anticipated final rule on the special financial assistance (“SFA”) available to certain troubled multiemployer plans under the American...more
Ever wished you could predict the future? Or at the very least, predict the timing of a retirement plan audit? Well, you may be in luck on your second wish.
Last Friday, the IRS Employee Plans division announced a new...more
On October 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (the “DOL”) published in the Federal Register a new proposed regulation (the “Proposed Rules”) on fiduciary responsibility in...more
11/22/2021
/ Comment Period ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Proxy Voting Guidelines ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retirement Plan
This episode of The Proskauer Benefits Brief is the second of our three-part series analyzing the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) guidance on the new special financial assistance program for troubled multiemployer...more
This episode of The Proskauer Benefits Brief is the first of our three-part series analyzing the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) guidance on the new special financial assistance program for troubled multiemployer...more
As we previously reported, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) created a special financial assistance program that is administered by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) and intended to extend the...more
7/16/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Interim Final Rules (IFR) ,
Multiemployer Plan ,
New Guidance ,
PBGC ,
Pension Reform ,
Pensions ,
Retirement Plan ,
Withdrawal Liability
Today, the House of Representatives passed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “ARPA”). The ARPA has already been approved by the Senate and is expected to be quickly signed into law by President Biden....more
In this episode of the Proskauer Benefits Brief, partner Robert Projansky and special guest Garrett Fenton, senior attorney at Microsoft Corporation, discuss cyber theft of 401(k) plan accounts. Tune in as we discuss why...more
This afternoon, the Treasury Department issued Notice 2020-42, ending the uncertainty surrounding spousal consents to retirement plan distributions and loans in the socially distanced COVID-19 world.
As plan administrators...more
Editor's Overview -
Happy New Year. We wrap-up 2019 with an article that reflects on significant developments in ERISA litigation during 2019, and takes a look at what's on the horizon for 2020. The courts (at all levels)...more
1/17/2020
/ 401k ,
Affordable Care Act ,
American Arbitration Association ,
Arbitration ,
Article III ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Best Practices ,
Breach of Duty ,
Cadillac Tax ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Individual Mandate ,
Intel Corp. Investment Policy Committee v. Sulyma ,
IRS ,
Loss Causation ,
Multiemployer Plan ,
Pleading Standards ,
Retirement Plan ,
SCOTUS ,
Standing ,
Thole v U.S. Bank ,
Venue
If your 401(k) plan recordkeeper has not talked to your company lately about hardship distributions, it may be time to reach out to the recordkeeper. The short story is that the IRS recently issued an internal memorandum...more
A lot has been written over the last few months about what to do now that the IRS has closed its determination letter program for ongoing individually designed tax-qualified retirement plans....more
On March 1, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed a 60-day delay of the conflict of interest rule and related exemptions (currently set to be applicable on April 10, 2017). The Department opened two comment periods...more
This month we review a recent Second Circuit decision addressing ERISA plan status as a class member in a securities shareholder class action. As discussed in the article, the decision exposes a potential conflict among the...more
12/1/2016
/ AARP ,
Administrative Procedure Act ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Appeals ,
Best Interest Contract Exemptions ,
Budget Recollection Legislation ,
Class Action ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Dismissals ,
Due Process ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fiduciary Rule ,
Filing Deadlines ,
GINA ,
Investment Adviser ,
IRS ,
National Association for Fixed Annuities (NAFA) ,
Preemption ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Presidential Elections ,
Repeal ,
Retirement Plan ,
Reversal ,
Securities Litigation ,
Shareholder Litigation ,
Slayer Statutes ,
Summary Judgment ,
Trump Administration ,
Wellness Programs
On April 6, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor (Department) issued its final rule defining who is a fiduciary of an employee benefit plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) as a result of giving...more
Editor's Overview -
This month we feature three key developments. First, we review the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Gobeille v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 136 S. Ct. 936, 947 (2016) wherein the Supreme Court held that a...more
4/27/2016
/ 401k ,
Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Best Interest Contract Exemptions ,
Best Interest Standard ,
Closely Held Businesses ,
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Controlled Groups ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
FIfth Third Bancorp v Dudenhoeffer ,
Final Rules ,
Forum Selection ,
Gobeille v Liberty Mutual Insurance Com. ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
M&G Polymers v Tackett ,
Multiemployer Plan ,
Participant-Directed Plans ,
Partnership-in-Fact ,
PBGC ,
Preemption ,
PTEs ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Retirement Plan ,
SCOTUS ,
Stock Drop Litigation ,
Sun Capital Partners ,
UAW ,
Vesting ,
Withdrawal Liability
On April 6, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor (Department) issued its highly anticipated final rule addressing when a person is considered to be a fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)...more
4/20/2016
/ Best Interest Contract Exemptions ,
Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
CFTC ,
Compensation ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Final Rules ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
PTEs ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Security-Based Swaps ,
Swap Dealers
On April 6, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor will release its highly-anticipated Final Rule and Exemptions addressing when a person providing investment advice with respect to an employee benefit plan or individual...more
In recent talks and appearances, representatives of the U.S. Department of Labor have issued a warning about new areas of focus of DOL audits and enforcement actions. While there are a number of different enforcement...more