News Archive

"These frequently asked questions supersede earlier FAQs that were posted in FS-2024-22. This fact sheet [FS-2026-10] updates frequently asked questions related to educational assistance programs under section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code (a section 127 educational assistance program). The FAQ revisions are as follows: [1] Revised background description; [2] Revised throughout for One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act amendments and minor clarifications and renumbering; [3] Modified sample plan."  MORE >>

"This Technical Release addresses two issues. First, to the extent proxy advisory firms either: [1] exercise authority or control over shareholder rights attributable to shares that are ERISA plan assets, including the voting of proxies; or [2] provide advice for a fee to ERISA plans about how such plans should exercise proxy voting rights attributable to shares of stock they own, this Technical Release clarifies that such proxy advisory firms must meet ERISA's functional fiduciary requirements.

"Second, and relatedly, where a state law mandates disclosure to investors by proxy advisory firms only when they make recommendations other than for the purpose of maximizing risk-adjusted return for the advisee, such laws are generally not preempted by ERISA. ERISA fiduciary provisions do not alter this result. ERISA's fiduciary duties require that actions be taken with respect to a plan investor only for the purpose of maximizing risk-adjusted financial return. For that reason, no plan governed by ERISA should ever receive a disclosure under such a state disclosure law, and, accordingly, no relationship between that law and any ERISA plan would be created. Consequently, such a state law neither has an impermissible connection with, nor makes a prohibited reference to, ERISA plans, and it generally would not be preempted by ERISA."  MORE >>

"[I]ndividuals and businesses in Mississippi affected by the severe winter storm that began on Jan. 23, 2026 ... now have until June 8, 2026, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.... [I]ndividuals and households that reside or have a business in [all 82 counties of] Mississippi qualify for tax relief."  MORE >>

"This memorandum sets forth EBSA's enforcement priorities and guiding principles. These priorities and principles are designed to ensure that EBSA's enforcement is fair, even-handed, responsive, and focused. The four priorities address: [1] Focusing enforcement on the most egregious conduct and significant harm; [2] Ensuring, whenever possible and consistent with our mission, that EBSA does not regulate by enforcement and instead promotes fairness, prior notice, and clarity to the regulated community; [3] Requiring proper review by senior agency officials of all critical enforcement initiatives; and [4] Committing to timely and responsive enforcement. These principles will ensure that the Department's enforcement authority is used in a manner that promotes transparency, consistency, and the rule of law."  MORE >>

"This notice provides guidance on the corporate bond monthly yield curve, the corresponding spot segment rates ... and the 24-month average segment rates ... [as well as] the interest rate on 30-year Treasury securities ... as in effect for plan years beginning before 2008 and the 30-year Treasury weighted average rate[.]"  MORE >>

"[I]ndividuals and businesses in the State of Hawaii affected by flooding and mudslides due to severe storms that began on March 10, 2026 ... now have until July 8, 2026, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.... [I]ndividuals and households that reside or have business in Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai and Maui counties qualify for tax relief."  MORE >>

"[S]ection 1860D-13(b)(6)(B)(i) of the [Social Security Act] requires that 'entities that offer prescription drug coverage' must provide creditable coverage disclosures.... [CMS proposes] to revise Section 423.56(b)(3) so that account-based entities are not required to provide the creditable coverage disclosures.... [R]equiring account-based plans, such as HRAs, including ICHRAs, to determine if their coverage is creditable, and requiring them to report the creditable status of that coverage, unduly increases administrative burden on these entities ... After consideration of the comments received on this provision by a broad range of stakeholders, we are finalizing this policy as proposed without modification. "  MORE >>

"[CMS] s releasing this bulletin establishing the submission deadlines under 45 CFR 155 subpart K for health insurance issuers applying to offer qualified health plans (QHPs) on the Federally-facilitated Exchanges (FFEs).... Table 1 lists key PY2027 dates for QHP certification applications and related data submissions. Additional information about the PY2027 QHP certification process will be provided in future guidance."  MORE >>

"[I]ndividuals and businesses in Tennessee affected by Winter Storm Fern that began on Jan. 22, 2026 ... now have until May 22, 2026, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.... [I]ndividuals and households that reside or have a business in Cheatham, Chester, Clay, Davidson, Decatur, Dickson, Hardeman, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Macon, Maury, McNairy, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Summer, Trousdale, Wayne, Williamson and Wilson counties qualify for tax relief."  MORE >>

Fillable PDF; created Mar. 12, 2026.  MORE >>

"The information on Form 5498 is submitted to the IRS by the trustee or issuer of your individual retirement arrangement (IRA) to report contributions, including any catch-up contributions, rollovers, repayments, required minimum distributions (RMDs), and the fair market value (FMV) of the account."  MORE >>

"The Departments and OPM extend the exercise of enforcement discretion ... under the relevant No Surprises Act provisions for any plan or issuer, or party to a payment dispute in the Federal IDR process, that uses a QPA calculated in accordance with the 2021 methodology, for items and services furnished on or after February 1, 2026, and before October 1, 2026 ... This exercise of enforcement discretion applies to QPAs for purposes of calculating patient cost sharing, providing required disclosures with an initial payment or notice of denial of payment, and providing required disclosures and submissions under the Federal IDR process."  MORE >>

6 pages; Mar. 2026. "The [IRS] is providing [this] sample plan to assist employers in establishing a qualified educational assistance program under section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code. The sample plan is intended to satisfy the requirements of section 127 of the Code and the underlying Treasury Regulations. An employer, in its discretion, may modify the sample plan and include additional plan provisions, provided that the requirements of section 127 of the Code and the underlying Treasury Regulations continue to be satisfied."  MORE >>

"This final rule ... prescribe[s] the spreads component of the interest assumption under the asset allocation regulation for plans with valuation dates of April 30, 2026 - July 30, 2026. These interest assumptions are used for valuing benefits under terminating single-employer plans and for other purposes."  MORE >>

"This software is being issued only as a supplemental tool for issuers of risk adjustment covered plans to better understand and simulate the calculation of plan liability risk scores for their enrollees.... Python software is being phased in to replace the SAS software, which will be discontinued for benefit year 2026." Also available:

• Technical Details (XLSX) 
• 2025 Benefit Year Risk Adjustment: SAS Version of HHS-Developed Risk Adjustment Model Algorithm Software (ZIP)
• 2025 Benefit Year Risk Adjustment: Python Version of HHS-Developed Risk Adjustment Model Algorithm Software (ZIP)

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164 pages. "This document contains a proposed regulation that clarifies, and provides a safe harbor for, a fiduciary's duty of prudence under [ERISA] in connection with selecting designated investment alternatives for a participant-directed individual account plan, including asset allocation funds that include alternative assets. 

"The overarching goal of the proposed regulation is to alleviate certain regulatory burdens and litigation risk that interfere with the ability of American workers to achieve, through their retirement accounts, the competitive returns and asset diversification necessary to secure a dignified and comfortable retirement. This goal can be achieved only by clarifying that ERISA gives fiduciaries (not opportunistic trial lawyers) the discretion and flexibility to determine when designated investment alternatives, including those that contain alternative investments, offer the opportunity for participants to maximize risk-adjusted returns on their retirement assets net of fees....

"[T]hree key principles form the bedrock of the proposed regulation. First, there is a need to affirm ERISA as a law grounded in process. Second, ERISA gives maximum discretion and flexibility to plan fiduciaries in selecting designated investment alternatives ... Third, when ERISA fiduciary decision-making follows a prudent process -- such as the process reflected in the proposed regulation -- arbiters of disputes should defer to fiduciaries under a presumption of prudence."  MORE >>

"Attach to Form 1040 or Form 1040NR.... You cannot take the PTC if your filing status is married filing separately unless you qualify for an exception."  MORE >>

34 pages; Mar. 19, 2026. "What's New ... [1] New box 10, 'Family leave benefits,' was added to Form 1099-G to facilitate the reporting of family leave benefits paid by state paid family and medical leave programs.... [2] Form 1099-R ... was revised to include new check boxes 7b for IRA, SEP, and SIMPLE plans, check box 7c for Trump Account reporting, and new box 7d for reporting earnings on excess contributions.... [3] Form 5498-TA, Trump Account Contribution Information, and Form 1099-LPS, Long-Term Care Premiums Paid Statement, are currently under development and projected to be released in mid-2026 for tax year 2026/filing season 2027."  MORE >>

Rev. Dec. 2026. "You can electronically file Form 8868 to request up to a 6-month extension of time to file any of the forms listed below[.]"  MORE >>

"This final rule implements requirements of the Administrative Simplification subtitle of [HIPAA and the ACA] ... Specifically, this final rule adopts standards for health care claims attachments transactions, which will support health care claims transactions, and a standard for electronic signatures to be used in conjunction with health care claims attachments transactions."  MORE >>

"The Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department) and the [IRS] invite the public to submit recommendations for items to be included on the 2026-2027 Priority Guidance Plan.... Please submit recommendations for guidance by Friday, May 29, 2026, for possible inclusion on the original 2026-2027 Priority Guidance Plan."  MORE >>

"This document implements the judicial vacatur of the Department's 2024 final rule defining who is a 'fiduciary' under [ERISA]. This document also reflects the judicial vacatur of the Department's 2024 amendments to Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2020-02 (PTE 2020-02) and the judicial vacatur of portions of the preamble to PTE 2020-02; and republishes in full the operative text of PTE 2020-02 (as originally published on December 18, 2020)."  MORE >>

"The Commission interpretation: [1] Provides a coherent token taxonomy for digital commodities, digital collectibles, digital tools, stablecoins, and digital securities. [2] Addresses how a 'non-security crypto asset' ... may become subject to, and how it may cease to be subject to, an investment contract. [3] Clarifies the application of federal securities laws to airdrops, protocol mining, protocol staking, and the wrapping of a non-security crypto asset." [Also available: Fact Sheet]  MORE >>

"This notice provides guidance on the corporate bond monthly yield curve, the corresponding spot segment rates ... and the 24-month average segment rates ... [as well as] the interest rate on 30-year Treasury securities ... as in effect for plan years beginning before 2008 and the 30-year Treasury weighted average rate[.]"  MORE >>

"The [PBGC] today announced the relaunch of its Opinion Letter Program. This initiative provides meaningful compliance assistance to the public by answering questions about how PBGC would apply the law to specific factual circumstances."  MORE >>