my company has to deposit my 401k contributions into the account. The money was deducted from my paycheck, but is not showing up in my 401k online account. My company has been evading phone calls concerning this. I checked with another employee and her contributions aren't showing up in her account either. Just wondering how much time my company has! The deductions from December aren't in there yet!!!

The following article is located at: http://www.woodyswatch.com/office/archtemplate.asp?v7-n53. The main address for Woody's Watch is http://www.woodyswatch.com/index.asp

OUTLOOK 2002'S PRIVACY BUSTING "FEATURE"

If you've been following along with the privacy revelations in the latest issues of WOW, you know that any Office file sent as an attachment to an Outlook 2002 or Outlook 11 message contains a ten digit number that can be easily traced to the machine on which the message originated. The originating PC has a file called c:\Documents and Settings\\ApplicationData\Microsoft\Office\AdHoc.rcd which contains the ten-digit "brand" number.

Outlook 2002 and 11 also put your Email address and your name in the Office file's File | Properties | Custom variables.

Outlook 2002 doesn't respect any of Word's settings. That ten digit number, and your email address and name appear even if you've told Word 2002 to remove any personally identifiable information (Tools | Options | Security | "Remove personal information from this file on save"). They appear even if you've told Word 2002 to not assign a merge number (Tools | Options | Security | "Store random number to improve merge accuracy"). Outlook 2002 runs roughshod over your Word settings, and the only way to stop its privacy-busting behavior is by digging down five levels and disabling one of the most obscure options in Outlook (Tools | Options | Preferences | Email Options | Advanced, uncheck "Add properties to attachments to enable Reply with Changes".

As far as I can tell, none of this is documented anywhere, so I'm going to give it a shot here in WOW - Let's call it WOW's Security Bulletin WOW02-001.

This only happens in Outlook 2002 and Outlook 11.

1. When you compose a message and press Send in Outlook 2002 or Outlook 11, Outlook looks to see if there are any Office files (Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, or PowerPoint presentations) attached to the current message.

2. If there are Office files present, Outlook looks at Tools | Options | Preferences | Email Options | Advanced, and if the box marked "Add properties to attachments to enable Reply with Changes" is checked, it "brands" all of the Office files attached to the message. The "Add properties to attachments to enable Reply with Changes" is checked by default - that is, your files will be branded, unless you specifically go in and turn that setting off.

3. Outlook brands the files by inserting your email address, your email "display" name, and the Subject line of the message into File | Properties | Custom variables. (Valerie Mallinson, Microsoft's planted "Mac to PC Convert" lady, had one of her files branded with her display name.) Then Outlook looks for a File | Properties | Custom variable called _AdHocReviewCycleID.

3.A. If there is no _AdHocReviewCycleID variable, Outlook generates a random 10-digit number, and sets up a variable called _AdHocReviewCycleID, assigning it the value of that 10-digit number. The _AdHocReviewCycleID number and the full file name of the attached file (including its path) is placed in the file AdHoc.rcd. AdHoc.rcd is an old-fashioned INI file that can hold 100 entries, so it keeps track of the last 100 files that have been attached to email messages.

3.B. If there is an _AdHocReviewCycleID variable, Outlook looks to see if the 10-digit _AdHocReviewCycleID value is already in AdHoc.rcd. If it's already there, Outlook doesn't change anything. If the 10-digit number isn't in AdHoc.rcd, Outlook creates a new File| Properties | Custom variable called _PreviousAdHocReviewCycleID and assigns it that 10-digit value. Then Outlook creates a new random 10-digit number, puts it in File | Properties | Custom

| _AdHocReviewCycleID inside the file, and adds the10-digit number to AdHoc.rcd.

4. After the Office file is branded with this 10-digit number, the message with attachment gets sent along to the output queue, where it will ultimately go to the intended recipient.

5. When Word opens a file, it immediately looks for a File | Properties | Custom _AdHocReviewCycleID value (or, I assume, a _PreviousAdHocReviewCycleID value). Word looks up the 10-digit number in AdHoc.rcd. If Word finds the value in AdHoc.rcd, it retrieves the original file name and path, and asks if you want to merge changes back into the original file.

The rules for branding files that are sent from inside Word, Excel or PowerPoint (using File | Send To | Email recipient as attachment) appear to be different. Not sure what's happening there.

Trustworthy computing.

"Mitigating factors": Anyone who wants to trace an Office document back to the PC that originally sent it must have access to the AdHoc.rcd file on the originating PC.

Outlook only keeps track of the last 100 Office files sent as attachments to email messages.

"Unmitigating factors": Ask Valerie Mallinson.

Bottom line: This is different from the "unique identifier" problem that Richard Smith discovered in Office 97 (see, e.g., http://news.com.com/2100-1001-223200.html?tag=bplst). But there are a lot of chilling similarities. Microsoft promised it wouldn't permit "unique identifiers" into Office files in Office 2000. Why did it relapse in Office XP? And will the problem continue in Office 11?

I would like to start a Roth IRA and have been looking at Templeton World A (temwx, nasdaq) http://biz.yahoo.com/p/t/temwx.html

I would like to hear peoples opinions of this fund and if it would be a good investment for a Roth IRA.

I’m 26 and trying to start saving for the future as early as I can. Lets just say I have seen many older people who work all their lives and are in financial strains. I do NOT want to ever be there. One way I have been combating it is by staying Credit Card debt free. I don't even have one. I did but needed to get rid of it (bogus late fees and financing charges). When I get a real “steady” job, the one that pays every friday. I will get one only to have it help me build up my credit.

Thank you in advance.

Does anyone have or know where I can find information on the pros & cons of using debit cards in a 125 plan?

As a relatively new, and learning Employee Benefits Attorney, I have often telephoned the IRS Employee Plans toll-free help desk upon becoming particularly stumped with technical Code questions.

I have always been impressed at the agents' ability to quickly pinpoint my issue, and point me in the right direction.

One one telephone call, the Agent on the line told me that the reference book she was using was Sal Tripodi's Erisa Outline Book. She recommended that I avail myself of that resource, available at www.cybERISA.com.

After checking around, and finding generally good reviews, I ordered it for myself (books only, not the CD).

Worth every penny. This set is fantastic, and I believe that my superiors are going to be impressed with my improved research efficiency. If you're looking for a thorough but concise reference source, this is the one to have.

I'm sure many know about this source already, but this post is for those who don't. Just wanted to help any other newbies out there, like me, who could be greatly helped by this resource.

Wish I'd had this when I started my current position...

my client is 1 owner(100%) and 3 employees. one of the employees is her daughter. how can i name the allocation groups to exclude the daughter from being in the same group as her mother? how will she affect my testing?

thanks for any help.

my client had a participant that termd in nov 2003. he had an outstanding loan balance. the plan doc states that the loan is due and payable upon termination. if the employee does not pay the loan back, should the 1099r be issued for 2003 or 2004(if there is a 90 grace period to pay it)? i just don't know when the loan technically is in default.

thanks for any help.

sponsor company has dissolved. an attorney for the sponsor had assumed role of plan administrator but now wants to resign. we need someone to sign 5500's. the plan document allows PA to resign and says duties revert to employer. however, there is no employer. anyone know what to do? basically we need someone to sign the 5500. the plan has already been paid out.

As per the 401(m) regulations, you may borrow elective deferrals for usage in ACP testing only if the ADP test passes prior to and after the "paper shift".

However, if excess contrib refunds are processed to correct a failing adp test, logic would suggest, based on the Regulations, that deferrals can be borrowed to help a failing acp test pass. Does anyone agree/disagree with this thinking?

How do you handle Schedule A reporting for insurance contract coverage when you've had multiple insurance contracts within the plan year? The company has had three health insurance contracts within a 12 month period, so they overlapped the plan year on both ends. Do you report only on the contracts that ended or on all contracts that had activity within the plan year? Can you get partial year info from the insurance companies?

MY woek pension plan was frozen and know it is finally being terminated with up being bought out of the plan, does anyone know if I can take the whole amount and roll it into a roth ira and if I can do I pay the 10% penalty the amount of the buy out is about 15,000.00 thank for any help

I have a partnership client - a physicians' group - that has sponsored a profit sharing plan for years. In computing the partners' plan compensation I use a spreadsheet to do a circular calculation, deducting one-half of the SE tax and the amount of the "employer" contribution to arrive at plan comp for each partner. In 2003 they restated to a 401(k) safe harbor plan with a 3% NEC and a discretionary profit sharing option. When I compute plan comp, do I deduct all contributions to the plan for the partners (including deferrals) or just the QNEC and profit sharing contributions?

Plan doc says forfeitures used to reduce and use to pay plan expenses. What to do with the match forfeitures in years when the ER stopped making matching contributions? Is the only option then is to pay for plan expenes?

Participant terminates 12/31/03 and turns 70 1/2 in September 2004. First distribution must be by 04/01/05.

Can she rollover the full amount if she says that she wants to defer first distrib until 2005.

My reaction is no, the plan must make the distribution. Any contrary advice?

Thank you.

A new soloK client asked an interesting question.... he asked "can I withdraw $ from my solo and deposit it into an IRA to keep the balance of the solo below $100k when it nears that limit for the purpose of qualifying for the 5500 filing exception" I told him it would be a premature distribution since the Solo would still be ongoing and receiving contributions. Comments?

We're thinking about changing our loan procedures to stipulate that by signing the back of the loan check, the participant agrees to the terms of the Primissory Note. Don't know specifics of this type of procedure.

Anyone have suggestions where I can look for examples?

The DOL claim regs describe the plan's obligations after the participant has presented a claim. Can the plan limit the time a participant has to present the claim? I see health plans that often have a one-year requirement. I have not seen pension plans do that. I cannot find in the code or regs any authority for doing so. Has anyone had experience with DOL or IRS auditors questioning the period a participant has to present a claim?

ERISA Sec. 402 requires that each plan have a written procedure for amending the plan. And generally, plan amendments are authorized by the employer's Board of Directors.

However:

- Is it permissible for the Board to pass a resolution delegating the authority to amend the employer's plans to an individual?

- Or must each plan be amended so that the individual is named in each plan document as having the authority to amend the plan?

I would like to delegate "plan amendment authority" to an individual in one Board Resolution as opposed to the exercise of amending each plan and naming that person.

Employer has an exsisting 401(k) Plan last deposit 1/08/04 for 12/31/03 employee contributions! They would like to terminate 401 (k) and start Simple plan it seems that on many points they can not do this am i correct?

How much is to be reported on Form 5330 if the plan is late in removing ADP excesses? I know it's 10%, but 10% of what?

For example, if the total doallrs to make a test pass is $1000 but when the money is actually distributed after losses it's $950,are the taxes $100 or $95.

Specific example: a TPA sent a letter to a client saying the ADP test failed by $6,717.38 and told the client to send a check to the IRS for $633.00 (which is less than 10%)

(I'm not particulary friendly with this TPA, so I'm asking you guys and gals)