Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has extended the remote notarization relief that gives plans and participants greater flexibility for participant elections, including spousal 
consents, that must be signed in person and witnessed by a notary or plan representative in order to be valid. The IRS has also requested comments on this relief, including comments as to
Happy New Year! The IRS Grants Permission to Celebrate New Year’s Eve
Seyfarth Synopsis: The IRS has announced that the due date for contributions to a single-employer defined benefit pension plan due in 2020, previously extended to January 1, 2021 by the CARES Act, will be considered timely if made no later than January 4, 2021.
Under the funding rules for qualified defined benefit pension plans, plan
Want to Put More Away in Your 401(k)? Qualified Plan Limits Generally Remain Constant in 2021
Seyfarth Synopsis: Many of the limitations that apply to tax-qualified plans, including 401(k) and 403(b) plans, are subject to cost-of-living increases. The IRS just announced the 2021 limits. The annual employee salary deferral contribution limits are not changing, but there are a few adjustments for 2021 that employers maintaining tax-qualified retirement plans will need to
Upcoming Webinar! “Navigating a New Landscape: Post-COVID Retirement Plan Design and Administrative Issues”
Thursday, October 8, 2020
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mountain
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific
COVID-19 has changed the landscape of retirement readiness for many employees. Employees have been furloughed or lost jobs and plan account balances have been negatively
To Vote or Not to Vote — That is the Question
Seyfarth Synopsis: On the heels of the Department of Labor’s June proposed regulation throwing cold water on plan fiduciaries’ selecting investments in the environment, social and governance (ESG) space, the agency has now offered their viewpoint on a fiduciary’s obligation — nay, ability — to vote proxies for its plan’s holdings. See here for our
Show Me the (Monthly) Money!
Seyfarth Synopsis: On Tuesday, August 18, 2020, the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) released an interim final rule related to a new disclosure that will need to be provided as a part of defined contribution plan benefit statements. The new disclosure will show the participant’s plan benefit as a monthly amount calculated
Seyfarth Launches COVID-19 Employee Benefits Toolkit
Businesses are dealing with the effects of the pandemic on retirement plans and pensions, executive compensation, and health and welfare benefits. Workforce management issues resulting in reduction in hours, furloughs, and severance situations have required unique approaches to termination, conversion or bridging of benefits.
Our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation attorneys have been monitoring, advising
Out for a Penny, Out for a Pound? IRS Provides Employees Opportunity to Cancel Non-Qualified Deferral Elections through Self-Certification
Seyfarth Synopsis: As Seyfarth has blogged about on multiple occasions [here and here], the CARES Act provides participants in tax-qualified retirement plans the opportunity to request distributions on a tax-favored basis by self-certifying that they have been adversely impacted by COVID-19. Seyfarth has also blogged about the IRS’s recent guidance on these distributions
PBGC Issues Q&As Related to the Pandemic and the CARES Act
Seyfarth Synopsis: With the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PBGC published unofficial guidance for plan sponsors of single-employer plans on certain reportable events, PBGC premium payments and plan termination issues. The Q&As (found here) provide detail on when and how to report a failure to make required minimum contributions in light of the
Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz – Relief For Safe Harbor Plans Reducing or Suspending Contributions in 2020
Seyfarth Synopsis: Due to the significant economic impact of COVID-19 on businesses, many plan sponsors would like to reduce or suspend contributions to safe harbor 401(k) plans this year. Normally, mid-year changes to safe harbor contributions can only be made in narrow circumstances. In response to employer requests for relief, the IRS has issued Notice