November 13 2015

PBGC Premiums to Rise Again; The Reason Will Make You Cry

Note: This article was published in 2015. The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 eliminated cost-of-living adjustments to PBGC variable-rate premium percentages. As such, some information in this article may be outdated. At an industry conference in Washington, ...

October 30 2015

The End of an Era: New Budget Deal is Poised to End the File and Suspend Strategy

Lawmakers in Washington did something unusual this week: they got something done. They crafted a budget bill with enough bipartisan support to pass, which should help the country avoid the possibility of another government shutdown or a breach of the...

October 09 2015

"Highly Compensated Employee" Defined

We talk a lot about Highly Compensated Employees (HCEs) in our business. What is a “Highly Compensated Employee?” Does it just mean someone we think makes a lot of money? No. There is a specific definition.

August 26 2015

Don't Be in Stocks If You Need the Money Soon

The stock market has taken a beating recently. Over the four business days from August 20-25, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 354.63, 530.94, 588.40, and 204.91 points, respectively – a decline of 9.68% in all. Whether you are a personal or ...

August 05 2015

IRS: No More Lump Sum Buyouts for Vulnerable Retirees If We Can Help It

Think of a 75-year-old. Maybe it’s you, maybe it’s someone in your parents’ or grandparents’ generation. Let’s call the 75-year-old “Pat.” Imagine that Pat is receiving a steady payment of, say, $1,000 per month from a pension plan. These payments wi...

July 20 2015

President Obama really wants you to retire

After President Obama’s myRA announcement at the 2014 State of the Union address, we have his most recent push to increase access to retirement plans and to increase retirement savings: state-run retirement savings programs. In the White House Confer...

July 06 2015

Time + compound interest = lots of wealth

Hey, parents. Want to give your teenager a gift that may last a lifetime? If she has a job, consider setting up a Roth IRA and making a contribution equal to the amount she earns. With the magic of compound interest, the small amount you put aside no...

June 18 2015

Considering a 401(k) Plan for 2015?

If you are considering setting up a 401(k) plan for 2015, you may not have as much time as you think. October 1st is the deadline for implementing a safe harbor 401(k) plan this year. Safe harbor design – whether a match or nonelective contribution –...

June 09 2015

IRS 5500-EZ Program: A Brilliant Idea Becomes Permanent

When someone comes up with a good idea that works, it should be kept around. Last year around this time, we told you about a wonderful pilot program the IRS rolled out providing relief to late filers of Form 5500-EZ. We are pleased to report that the...

June 08 2015

401(k) plan fees - Supreme Court weighs in

As an update to our recent coverage of 401(k) plan lawsuits, the Supreme Court has ruled that plan sponsors have a duty to monitor investment options on a continuous basis. As we previously discussed in the Tibble v. Edison case, the central argument...