The U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule that allows plan fiduciaries to consider climate change and other environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when they select retirement investments and exercise shareholder rights, such as proxy voting. The rule, “Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights,” follows Executive Order 14030,
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced the expansion their determination letter program for approving retirement plans. The IRS will now allow 403(b) retirement plans, which are used by certain public schools, churches and charities, to use the same individually designed retirement plan determination letter program currently used by qualified retirement plans. Revenue Procedure
The Internal Revenue Service announced that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2023 has increased to $22,500, up from $20,500 for 2022. The IRS also announced cost of living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2023 in Notice 2022-55. Highlights of changes for 2023
In Notice 2022-45, the IRS extends the deadline for amending eligible retirement plans to reflect provisions of Section 2202of the CARES Act and Section 302 of the Relief Act to December 31, 2025, as detailed below. The deadlines set forth in this notice are the same as the deadlines set forth in Notice 2022-33. Accordingly,
The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Employee Plans function announced that it is piloting a pre-examination retirement plan compliance program beginning in June 2022. This program will notify a plan sponsor by letter that their retirement plan was selected for an upcoming examination. The letter gives a plan sponsor a 90-day window to review their plan’s
On March 10, 2022, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued Compliance Assistance Release No. 2022-01, 401(k) Plan Investments in “Cryptocurrencies.” In this guidance (see below), the DOL cautions plan fiduciaries to exercise extreme care before they consider adding a cryptocurrency option to a 401(k) plan’s investment menu for plan participants. Also, in a blog, Ali
As a firm which specializes in the audits of employee benefit plans, we continually monitor accounting, regulatory and current events which may impact plans. As a member of the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC), we recently attended the December 2021 American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) annual Employee Benefit Plans, Accounting, Auditing