I am working with a client that has a blended fund. The fund is made up of about 5 different component funds. Can the aggregate fund be listed on the schedule G or should the components be listed. What will an auditor and the IRS be looking for? I believe the fund is made up of seperate invement accounts from an insurance company and an outside registered fund. Did the blended fund need to be filed with the DOL or some other agency? I am new to this type of arrangement any direction or IRS/DOL regs. would help.

Thanks!

I am interested in general information related to the cost of educating plan participants. I am trying to develop a pricing matrix to be used to analyze a teams cost. Are others charging for the use of educators? Can travel exenses be passed back to the client? What about ongoing education meetings with a company?

Help. My marketing department is putting together something on IRAs and wants to reference the first tax year for which you could have made an IRA contribution and what law created them. I'm drawing a complete blank - I've been in the business for 14+ years and they've been around as long as I remember - I know I should know this but don't.

Can you help, please? Thank you in advance,

Kathy

Is anyone processing plans with greater than 5,000 lives on Quantech. We have a prospect in this range and want to know how other firms are handling plans of this size. Please send me an email if you have experience in this area.

Chris_Hammond@rsmi.com

Thanks!

I have seen information implying that a $10,000 distribution from either a qualified plan or an IRA is exempt from the 10% excise tax penalty for early withdrawal (pre-age 59.5),if the funds are used for first time home purchase by a qualifying individual.

Other information implies that such a distribution is exempt only if it is made from an IRA. Which is correct?

------------------

Vic

If the owner takes his assets out of a straight profit sharing plan (67%), does this qualify as a partial plan termination? are there any other negative aspects of this move that I should be aware of? tx!

In this still pre-GATT era, does anyone have any idea whether a 1963 George Buck mortality table is "reasonable" in the context of a standard termination? Would you clearly get a notice of sufficiency from the PBGC if you employed that table? It is the table employed to calculate lump sum amounts under the current plan document.

My client in New York state, has 20 year employee that had heart attack at end of December. In hospital until begining of March, left state for rehab in Michigan - to date. I suggested they use up vacation and sicktime then implement the FMLA for 12 weeks then go on COBRA. Also, health plans are contributory. No payments have been made since last paycheck in February. Please advise - quickly. robkt

Help! I have to turn in a 1000-word article for our company newsletter Friday titled "Employee Benefits---Is It Worth the Hassle?" This is not my area of expertise. Any HR folks out there with comments, suggestions where I might find info, anecdotes you'd like to share? I'd appreciate any ideas.

[This message has been edited by Lynn (edited 04-05-99).]

Last year I converted a regular IRA to a Roth IRA. When my spouse and I computed our taxes, we get a higher return (by about $140) if we file separately rather than jointly. But this would mean I would have to recharacterize my Roth back to a traditional IRA. Any advice?

I am unclear on the type of life insurance would be classified as group term. The problem I am having, is that we do not pay any premium (the employer) all premiums are paid by the employee. IRC Sec 79 has one paragraph that deals with coverage that can be taxable for employees paying all of the premiums. This is where I believe we fall and I need some clarification. Any help would be greatly appriciated. Thanks Steve

I have a question on how to proceed with an ACP test as to provide the best results possible. The plan has an immediate eligibility for both 401(k) and after-tax contributions. The plan provides for a matching contribution after 1 year of service, monthly entry dates. The compensation being used for testing purposes is eligible compensation, which is entire year due to immediate eligibility of after-tax contributions. Therefore, the ACP results are lowered for individuals eligible for match later in the year due to using entire year compensation.

The question - Can both contributions be tested seperately (using different compensation figures) and then weight the two individual tests together for a final ACP result?

Thanks for any input!!!!!!!!!!!

I am trying to find information regarding customary benefits in hospitals, either for profit or not-for-profit.

ie Do most Hospitals use the formula:

'final average earnings x 1.2% x years of service'. Or do they use a higher %?

Also what is the percentage of hospitals

that offer a 401K/403B match?

Would much appreciate any info anyone could provide..

I am in New York. Thanks

------------------

Julia

A client is due to renew their ERISA bond. The insurance agent called to ask whether the bond could be subject to a deductible. I have never been asked this question before now.

My initial thought was no, a deductible is not acceptable. It almost seems that a deductible would defeat the purpose of the bond, at least in some small way.

But, I have been unable to find any guidance on this question. Any insights or thoughts would be appreciated.

------------------

Dan Smith

I do not administer non-qualified plans but a client of mine has one, drawn up by an attorney. A terminated participant wants to take a distribution but we have no distribution forms. Does anyone know where I can go for such a form?

Thanks.

A church is interested in establishinf a defined contribution plan, with a 401(k) element to it. The Church desire to make a one-time "past service" contribution. This past service contribution equals approximately 22% of payroll. While we can overcome the 415 issue by establishing suspense accounts, does 404 apply? Thanks. Ed

You may be confusing the "rollover" between IRA custodian and a rollover of a maturing CD. You have an unlimited number of allowed rollovers of IRA to IRA (not involving IRA -> Roth which is a conversion) as long as you never touch the funds and it is processed strictly by the two institutions. If institution A cuts a check for you, then you have 60 days to rollover the funds to another institution. I always suggest that you use the first option, which some call a direct transfer.

If you have an existing CD, you probably do not want to incur the "substantial penalties" of early termination. Therefore, if you plan to switch institutions, time it to your maturity date. Your bank probably charges an exit or termination fee on transfered IRAs.

If you are staying within the same bank and your maturity date is close, talk to the customer reps. A small bank or thrift will probably want to be good to their customer. With large (or out-of-state) institutions, you may not get such a positive response. Some banks may allow you to upgrade a CD, but this is based upon their marketing program not US law or regulations.

The March-April 1999 issue of the ASPA newsletter "The Pension Actuary" has an article beginning on page 4 which explains the various types of hybrid plans, including both the cash balance and the pension equity plan. Maybe that will help you.

I rolled my ira into a roth this year. the ira was 100% the result of a 401-K rollover into the ira many years ago. By definition the basis in a 401-K plan is zero...is this correct? That is, there is no way to have had a basis in dollars that went into a 401-K plan?

Need sample written notification from employer to truste as of the $amount of contribution to each group. Also need sample language to be incorporate in the plan doc to require such notice.

Please E-maiL to

Alexcalin@netscape.net

or fax at (818)992-6134

would appreciate any input re above. Thanks.

------------------

[This message has been edited by Alex Calin (edited 04-04-99).]