As expected, The Setting Every Community up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (the SECURE Act) was passed by Congress. It is expected to be signed into law. The SECURE Act is the most significant retirement plan legislation in the past decade. Provisions of the SECURE Act include: Increasing the Auto-Enrollment Safe Harbor from 10%
In Notice 2019-67, the IRS has provided updated mortality improvement rates and static mortality tables to be used for defined benefit pension plans. These updated mortality improvement rates and static tables, which are being issued pursuant to the regulations under § 430(h)(3)(A), apply for purposes of calculating the funding target and other items for valuation
The DOL has proposed a new safe harbor for the use of electronic media to furnish information to participants and beneficiaries of ERISA plans. The proposal would allow plan administrators who meet certain conditions to provide participants and beneficiaries with a notice that certain disclosures will be made available on a website. Individuals who prefer
The Mortality Improvement Scale (Scale MP-2019) that accompanies the Society of Actuaries (SOA) most recent Mortality Table (RP-2014) was updated in October 2019. In addition, the SOA released a new base mortality table, Pri-2012. The Pri-2012 table will generally replace the RP-2006 base mortality rates in use since 2014. Scale MP-2019 reflects historical U.S. population
The Internal Revenue Service announced that employees in 401(k) plans will be able to contribute up to $19,500 next year. The IRS announced this contribution limit and other changes in Notice 2019-59, posted on IRS.gov. This guidance provides cost of living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year
The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has issued final regulations on hardship distributions from 401(k) plans. The final regulations amend the rules relating to hardship distributions from Code Sec. 401(k) plans and reflect statutory changes affecting Code Sec. 401(k) plans, including changes made by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The final regulations are substantially similar
In IRS Notice 2019-49, the Internal Revenue Service extends the temporary nondiscrimination relief for closed defined benefit plans that is provided in Notice 2014-5, 2014-2 I.R.B. 276, by making that relief available for plan years beginning before 2021 if the conditions of Notice 2014-5 are satisfied. Background Notice 2014-5 provides temporary nondiscrimination relief for certain