Do you remember the scene in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy, the Scarecrow and Tin Man were walking into the forest chanting “lions and tigers and bears, oh my”? I could not help but mutter “oh my” under my breath when I...more
12/9/2020
/ Annual Reports ,
Delinquency Status ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Filing Requirements ,
IRS ,
Plan Administrators ,
Retirement Plan ,
SECURE Act ,
Tax Penalties
On May 4, 2020, the IRS issued new questions and answers regarding coronavirus-related relief for participants in retirement plans and IRAs (the “FAQs”)....more
On April 28, 2020, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (“EBSA”) issued three documents related to COVID-19 relief: (i) EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2020-20 (EBSA Notice 2020-01); (ii) the text of a final rule...more
5/6/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Disaster Aid ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
EBSA ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Form 5500 ,
Form M-1 ,
IRS ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Retirement Plan ,
Sales & Distribution Agreements
On March 23, 2020 we suggested that April 15, 2020 was the safe date for making contributions to traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”) and Health Savings Accounts (“HSAs”) to have them count for 2019. ...more
Key provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) enacted on March 27, 2020 that affect retirement plans include the following...more
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) enacted on March 27, 2020, creates favorable tax treatment for “Coronavirus-Related Distributions” from “eligible retirement plans.”...more
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) enacted on March 27, 2020, in response to the current coronavirus pandemic (the “Pandemic”) contains several provisions that impact the operation of...more
The simple and safe answer to the question posed is “April 15, 2020.” Contributions to traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”) and Health Savings Accounts (“HSAs”) must be made no later than “the time...more
The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration have announced the cost of living adjustments (COLA) applicable to dollar limitations for retirement plans and the Social Security wage base for 2020. Many...more
12/19/2019
/ 401k ,
403(b) Plans ,
457(b) Plans ,
Contribution Limits ,
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) ,
Defined Benefit Plans ,
Employee Benefits ,
FICA Taxes ,
Highly Compensated Employees ,
IRS ,
Popular ,
Qualified Benefit Plans ,
Qualified Retirement Plans ,
Retirement Plan ,
Social Security ,
Tax Planning
- Create a Plan Document...
- Do not rely solely on special acts, ordinances, or collective bargaining agreements...
- Reflect collectively bargained provisions...
- Update contemporaneously to reflect changes in...more
12/4/2019
/ Best Practices ,
Claim Procedures ,
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Employee Benefits ,
Municipalities ,
Pensions ,
Plan Documents ,
Public Employees ,
Public Employers ,
Retirement Plan ,
State and Local Government
The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration have announced the cost of living adjustments (COLA) applicable to dollar limitations for retirement plans and the Social Security wage base for 2018. Many...more
Despite repeated guidance from the IRS that employer payment plans violate insurance reforms under the Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”), many small employers continue this arrangement of reimbursing employees for their cost of...more
7/7/2016
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Bipartisan Agreement ,
Cash-in-Lieu of Benefits ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Excise Tax ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Popular ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Small Business
Some employers – particularly smaller ones – have assisted their employees to obtain health insurance by reimbursing them for the cost of insurance they purchase in the individual market. Does this practice satisfy the...more