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The departments implementing health reform can turn around a project when they are under the gun. Responding to concerns that the new “summary of benefits and coverage” (SBC) mandated by the health reform law is redundant, HHS, DOL and Treasury/IRS quickly turned around a final rule that eases some SBC requirements. The final rule and […]
As a follow-up to its “Section 401(k) Compliance Check Questionnaire Interim Report,” the IRS will host a phone forum March 6. The phone forum will be hosted by Monika Templeman, Director of Employee Plans Examinations at the IRS, along with IRS employees Janice Gore and Rhonda Migdail. Submit any questions you have about the Interim […]
In this post, we reported on new IRS proposed rules on purchasing qualified lifetime annuity contracts (QLACs) under certain retirement plans. Recently in his blog, an industry expert provided more details on the guidance’s significance. In his blog the Business of Benefits, Attorney Robert Toth Jr., explains how: With just a relatively short regulation and […]
Guidance on how longevity annuity contracts purchased under 403(b) and eligible 457 retirement plans — as well as certain other retirement plans — can comply with the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules under Code Section 401(a)(9) was proposed Feb. 3 by the IRS. Code Section 401(a)(9) prescribes rules for a qualified trust under which the […]
Eligibility for medical services at an Indian Health Service (IHS) facility does not disqualify an individual from being able to establish a health savings account (HSA) — but actually receiving such services can. That is what the IRS said in Notice 2012-14, which it issued on Feb. 1. The IRS said that individuals who are […]
The Making Work Pay Tax Credit won’t be available this tax season as the government limits tax deductions, write-offs and credits for 2011 and 2012. Also this tax season, the tax penalty for non-qualified distributions from HSAs and Archer MSAs is increasing. Employers should be aware of these and other changes, many of which are listed […]
As noted in this earlier blog post, the IRS and Treasury Department recently issued proposed rules that they hope will better define governmental plan status. They’ve been seeking comments from the governmental plan community and now have scheduled public hearings on the matter on July 9 and 10. Both public hearings will take place 10 […]
By Lisa K Loesel. Loans against a qualified retirement plan can go wrong in a variety of ways, exposing employers and workers to taxes and penalties. But employers and workers can avoid trouble if they remain aware of key factors to prevent the worst from happening. And even if potential violations occur, there are ways […]
Just when you thought you’d figured out all the new regulations set to go into effect for 2012, some government agency changes them up on you. At least with last Friday’s announcement from the IRS, you can breathe easy: its changes won’t take effect until Feb. 1, 2012, or later. The Service’s Announcement 2011-82 changes […]
Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, Forms 5500 and 5500-SF must have electronic signatures. The consequences of filing without them are serious: it will result in a form not being processed at all, and could result in penalties being imposed on the plan. Forms 5500 and 5500-SF that have no electronic signature will be given a filing […]