As reported in the AICPA Journal of Accountancy, defined benefit plan participants will have greater flexibility in choosing how to receive their pension benefits under final regulations issued by the IRS (T.D. 9783). The regulations finalized proposed rules issued in 2012 that permit participants to elect to receive split benefits of monthly annuity payments together
The Internal Revenue Service announced on August 30, 2016 that 401(k)s and similar employer-sponsored retirement plans can make loans and hardship distributions to Louisiana flood victims and members of their families. Participants in 401(k) plans, employees of public schools and tax-exempt organizations with 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities, as well as state and local government employees
On August 24, 2016, the Internal Revenue Service provided a self-certification procedure designed to help recipients of retirement plan distributions who inadvertently miss the 60-day time limit for properly rolling these amounts into another retirement plan or individual retirement arrangement (IRA). In Revenue Procedure 2016-47, posted on IRS.gov, the IRS explained how eligible taxpayers, encountering a
Proposal to Modernize and Improve the Form 5500 Annual Return/Report Filed By Employee Benefit Plans
As detailed in the press release from the DOL on July 11, 2016, the long awaited Proposed Forms Revisions to the Form 5500 Annual Return/Report Series. They can be found on the DOL’s website and are summarized below based on the DOL’s Fact Sheet. Proposed Changes to the Form 5500 Released for Public Comment On July
Background The Department of Labor published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2016, an interim final rule to adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties enforceable by the Department of Labor. The information below from the DOL describes the adjustments made to the civil monetary penalties enforced by the Employee Benefits Security Administration (“EBSA”)
Determination Program On June 29, 2016, Revenue Procedure 2016-37, generally effective January 1, 2017, was released changing the: Determination Letter Program for tax-qualified individually designed plans (IDPs); and Requirements for when plan amendments must be adopted under IRC Section 401(b) While Revenue Procedure 2016-37 covers many changes and plan sponsors should carefully review the revenue
The Department of Labor (“DOL”) on April 6, 2016 issued its final rules to address fiduciary standards. The U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration’s fact sheet of the new rule follows: Summary Since 1974, when Congress enacted the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Department of Labor (‘DOL’ or ‘Department’) has worked