The Internal Revenue Service announced October 21, 2016 that 401(k)s and similar employer-sponsored retirement plans can make loans and hardship distributions to victims of Hurricane Matthew and members of their families. This is similar to relief provided this summer to Louisiana flood victims. Participants in 401(k) plans, employees of public schools and tax-exempt organizations with 403(b) tax-sheltered
IRS Updates the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (“EPCRS”) Revenue Procedure 2016-51 modifies and superseded Rev. Proc. 2013-12, 2013-4 I.R.B. 313, which sets forth the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (“EPCRS”), a comprehensive system of correction programs for sponsors of retirement plans that have failed to satisfy certain requirements under section 401(a), 403(a), 403(b), 408(k), or
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”)
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
On January 4, 2016, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) announced guidance in anticipation of the elimination of the 5-year remedial amendment cycle system for individually designed plans under the Employee Plans determination letter program, effective January 1, 2017. Specifically, in Notice 2016-3, IRS described the following changes that will be reflected in an update to
The U.S. Labor Department has issued new guidance regarding economically targeted investments (ETIs) made by retirement plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. ETIs are investments that are selected for the benefits they create in addition to the investment return to the employee benefit plan investor. “Investing in the best interests of a retirement plan
The Internal Revenue Service on October 21, 2015 announced cost of living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2016. In general, the pension plan limitations will not change for 2016 because the increase in the cost-of-living index did not meet the statutory thresholds that trigger their adjustment.