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SECURE Act Series: RMD Age Now 72 & Other Changes for RMDs in 2020

Just before the COVID-19 crisis struck the U.S. and commanded all our attention, Congress had passed legislation that was a pretty big deal for retirement savers. Effective January 1, 2020, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) made significant changes to the rules governing retirement plans and IRAs to help individuals save …

SECURE Act Series: Incentives for Establishing a Retirement Plan

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) made significant changes to the rules governing retirement plans to encourage more employers to sponsor workplace plans, as well as to encourage individuals to save more for retirement. Many of these changes are effective for plan or tax years beginning January 1, …

SECURE Act Changes: Changes to Safe Harbor 401(k) Plans

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) was signed into law in December 2019. The SECURE Act makes significant changes to the rules for retirement plans to encourage more employers, particularly small employers, to offer retirement savings plans to their employees. Some of the provisions include increased tax incentives, …

Year-End To-Do List for Plan Sponsors

No one wants another to-do list, especially at this busy time of year. But if you’re sponsoring a tax-qualified retirement plan for your employees, a little time spent before year-end to make sure the last compliance deadlines of the year are met could prevent a lot of time spent later to correct plan errors. By …

2020 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) for Retirement Plans

In exchange for the tax benefits provided to individuals saving in a qualified retirement plan, tax laws limit the amount of contributions that may be made to the plan each year and require plan contributions to be nondiscriminatory when comparing highly paid versus lower-paid workers. The contribution limits and thresholds associated with nondiscrimination testing are …

Visit Benefit Trust At The ASPPA Conference 2019

Want to learn more about retirement planning in the modern age from experts in the industry? Join us at the 2019 ASPPA Annual Conference, October 20-23 in National Harbor, Maryland! This conference dives deep into the new regulations and legislation surrounding the retirement industry, giving attendees an in-depth understanding of financial planning and how it …

Take a Pass on Nondiscrimination Testing with a Safe Harbor 401(k)

As a 401(k) plan sponsor, you have probably received your mid-year nondiscrimination testing results. Did your plan pass? There are no consequences for failing mid-year testing, but it does give you fair warning that your plan may not pass at year-end. If the plan doesn’t pass year-end testing, you will have to take corrective actions …

Using Plan Metrics to Help Drive Positive Participant Outcomes

Are your employees saving enough to retire at a reasonable age with financial security? Workers who have a retirement plan available to them are dramatically more likely to save money for retirement than those who do not have a plan (79% vs. 17%). Unfortunately, even when a plan is available, many employees choose not to …

Correcting Common Loan Mistakes

Many retirement plan participants are thankful their employer’s retirement plan allows them to borrow from their savings before retirement and – if all goes according to plan – repay the loan back into their account. The tax laws permit these plan loans, so long as certain regulatory requirements are met. Employers must follow these rules …

Fiduciary Support for Plan Sponsors

Studies have shown that having access to a retirement plan at work is a crucial factor in whether American workers are financially prepared for retirement. But this good deed does not come without responsibility. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) imposes important obligations and high standards of conduct on those who establish …