Dave Baker

If you have an existing account on the Message Boards (i.e., you've registered), you have a user name that appears next to any message you post. Your user name might be your real name (which generally is a very good idea for reputation and hence marketing purposes). But you also might want to set up a second account on the Message Boards so that you can post a message (i.e., start a topic or post a reply to an existing topic) without revealing any information about yourself. Think of a second account as an "anonymous" account. For example, the "profile" for your existing account might already show your real name, the name of your firm, your interests, and so forth. This is a Good Thing, because it helps people know how to contact you offline, which is a Good Thing because they might be potential customers or clients as a result of having seen the wise and helpful things you've said in your posted messages (each of which shows your user name next to the body of the message). Perhaps you've also taken the time to enter a "signature block" into your profile, so that each message you've posted has a block beneath it that shows your name, your firm name, your web site, your telephone number, etc. (To edit your profile, select Profile from the drop-down menu that appears when you click the arrow next to your user name, toward the top right corner of any page on the message boards.) But perhaps, from time to time, you'd like to be able to start a topic or post a reply message under an existing topic without revealing any identifying information. Maybe you ... * want to talk about something that's controversial ("Most of our clients just aren't providing enough benefits for the rank-and-file employees; should we tell them?") * want to help without anyone misinterpreting it as advice upon which they can rely and come after you in the event you're wrong ("In your situation, you probably don't need a Required Minimum Distribution this year because... "). * want to say something without any chance of compromising your customers or clients ("An IRS agent says she can force us to provide her with a list of our clients -- has anybody else had this happen?") * want to ask or comment on something and, for whatever personal reason, you'd be more comfortable with saying it anonymously You'll need an email address that's different than the one you're using with your primary account. It might be a different username (or "alias," in tech-speak) at your existing firm, if that's easy for you to set up -- "jack@pensionpowered.com" in addition to your existing "john@pensionpowered.com". Or, you could set up a free email account with any of the many companies that will provide one for you, such as gmail.com from Google. Here's a list of the places that offer a free email account: https://www.thebalance.com/best-free-email-accounts-1356641 Once you have such a "secondary" email address, sign out of your primary account if you see your user name displayed toward the top right part of any page on the message boards. (To sign out, use the drop-down arrow next to your user name and select Sign Out. The web page then refreshes itself.) Click the black "Sign Up" button you'll see toward the top right part of any page on the message boards. Assign a user name that's different from your primary user name. Enter your secondary email address (not the email address used with your primary account). You'll need to be able to pick up email at your secondary email address at least once, because an automatic email is sent by the message boards software that has a link on which you must click, in order for you to use the secondary account (i.e., confirming your sign-up). Once you've confirmed your secondary account, you can sign in using the user name you've assigned to it (or by entering the secondary email address; the message board software allows a sign-in using either way). Now, whenever you post a message while signed in with your secondary user name or email address, the secondary user name will appear next to such a message (rather than your primary user name). Messages you've posted under your primary user name won't change at all. It's as if a completely different person has registered to use the message boards, so there is no effect on your existing messages. By refraining from entering any identifying information in the profile associated with your new account, you basically have created an anonymous account for yourself. * Nobody will see your email address (which already is the case for all accounts) * Nobody will see the IP address from which you're posting a message (which already is the case for all accounts), except the message boards administrators (meaning yours truly, and two other people who work at BenefitsLink, as is already the case for all accounts), who would need to see the IP address only for some kind of temporary diagnostic purpose (e.g. you ask for help signing in) When you want to return to your primary account, just sign out of the secondary account and then sign in using your primary account's user name or email address. Questions? Post a reply message in this topic, or email me at davebaker@benefitslink.com

We have a new, free daily emailing to subscribers -- called the "Message Boards Digest," it's a digest of each day's new topics on these message boards. With this daily emailing, you'll never miss a new topic. You'll be able to judge the popularity and hence importance of each new topic, because the digest includes the number of times the topic has been viewed and how many replies have been posted to the topic (as of the time the emailing is sent). To subscribe, just enter your email address on the following page, then click the Subscribe button you'll see there: https://benefitslink.com/message_digest/ Here's a recent, sample issue: https://benefitslink.com/message_digest/2017/2017_11_17_message_digest.html As with all of the emailings sent by us at BenefitsLink, your email address is not shared with any other persons, and is not used for any marketing purposes. Enjoy! Dave Baker Webmaster

Here is the proposed 5500 package for 2017, as submitted in April by DOL to OMB for approval: https://benefitslink.com/news/index.cgi/view/20170414-134442

I have confidence in Carol Calhoun. https://www.venable.com/carol-v-calhoun/ Literally wrote the book: https://benefitsattorney.com/books/governmental-plans-answer-book/

"Employer did not withhold elective deferrals from 2016 Christmas bonus. Deferrals since the 2016 bonus have been correct (as far as we know). I am wondering whether employer can use Rev Proc 2016-51 Appendix, section .05(9) to correct. My concern is the notice requirement that requires notice be given not later than 45 days after the date on which correct deferrals begin. In my case, is 'the date on which correct deferrals begin' the first payroll after the bonus? If so, then we missed the 45 day deadline. Am I reading this correctly?" (This topic was deleted accidentally. Could anybody repost the answers that were added to this topic before it was deleted, or chime in with other answers? Thanks!)

Here are samples of our free daily newsletters: https://benefitslink.com/newsletters/2017/2017_10_03_welfare.html https://benefitslink.com/newsletters/2017/2017_10_03_retirement.html https://benefitslink.com/newsletters/2017/2017_10_03_retirement_bulletin.html

I'm even seeing TV commercials about 'em. For a collection of the best articles BenefitsLink has found to date, click below for the results of a query on our search engine: student loan When viewing the list of results, use the "Show Similar Items" button that appears below any particularly interesting item. Another way to view the results is to change the radio button at the top of the page -- instead of "By date", change it to "By closest match" (then click the Search Again button).

Um, let's just say that IRC section 72(t) will no longer be an impediment for me starting in six months.

Congratulations, Mike Preston, for receiving the Edward E. Burrows Distinguished Achievement Award from the ASPPA College of Pension Actuaries (ACOPA)! From the ASPPA web site: "The Edward E. Burrows Distinguished Achievement Award is presented annually to a pension actuary who has gone above and beyond in forwarding ethics, education, beneficial legislation or regulations that enhance the private pension system or the professionalism of enrolled actuaries within the private pension system." Here's more: http://www.asppa.org/News/Article/ArticleID/8969 Mike is an active and long-time user of the BenefitsLink message boards since 2001, having posted over 4,800 messages! His participation here on BenefitsLink has helped so many people in our industry. On behalf of them, THANKS, Mike!

Very cool! I could have obtained another 50 seconds by driving an hour down the road to Clayton GA, but figured that 1:45 would be enough and that returning traffic would be crazy backed up ... but I think I'd probably go ahead and make the drive if I had it to do over. 1:45 went by so fast! Did you see the Baily's beads? There seemed to be more just before the totality began -- several bright dots -- than there were when it started to end (actually, don't remember any). Another aspect that surprised me was how sharp the outline of the moon appeared once it was completely over the sun. The "resolution" was so much more than a big black dot would appear in the sharpest of monitors. Maybe I've been spending too much time at the keyboard, when that's the reference point that first comes to mind :-)

Greetings from Sylva, NC, where Lois and I experienced totality! Amazing. The sky was a deep blue (not black), which doesn't show up in photographs. We saw at least one planet (or maybe it was a star). The temperature dropped by about 10 degrees. The corona was very prominent. Lasted about a minute and a half, but I'll never forget it.

Take a look at a new, optional, simpler 'theme' for the message boards. A 'theme' basically is a particular arrangement of the content on a web page. To try it: Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and look for "Theme" -- click it. Then select the radio button next to "Responsive." The screen should refresh itself automatically, displaying the Responsive theme. To revert to the default theme, just select the radio button next to "Default." If you've been using a smartphone to read the message boards, you might not notice a difference from what you usually see. But if you use a desktop computer with a typically-sized (or wider) window on your screen, you'll see a difference. Let me know what you think (please post a reply to this message). Thanks!

And yet, as the lawyers say, "God bless those who sue my solvent clients."

I have set the default view to be the tabular view, as before.

You're right about the log-on needed in order to get back to the tabular view -- thanks.

Is this (see attached screenshot) what it looks like to you now? If you click on the icon that's circled in red in the screen shot (the side that's not already black), do you get the view that you prefer?

Fascinating. Could you scan a redacted copy of the letter as a PDF file and post it here as an attachment?

Hi Chaz, I'm so sorry for not returning your private message. I was out of town for most of last week and they literally took my phone and computer away :-) I have just discovered a glitch in the settings for the message boards software, and fixed it. You should see the topics now (about 103). Very weird; it has not happened before. Please let me know, via a post to this topic, or another PM. Dave

The BenefitsLink elves have been busy lately, cobbling together an improved version of our online directory of webcasts and conferences for employee benefits practitioners. The directory shows upcoming webcasts and conferences from many different firms, and shows hundreds of recorded webcasts available for immediate viewing. Find the directory at: https://benefitslink.com/events By choosing various options on that page, you can drill down to view only those webcasts and conferences that match particular criteria. Here's a link to one particularly useful view: 240 free recorded webcasts about health and other welfare benefit plans We now have a total of more than 1,200 webcasts and conferences listed, for all kinds of benefit plans! (That number includes events for which a fee is required by the sponsoring firm, and those that are free.) Enjoy! Dave Baker, Publisher Lois Baker, President BenefitsLink.com

The BenefitsLink elves have been busy lately, cobbling together an improved version of our online directory of webcasts and conferences for employee benefits practitioners. The directory shows upcoming webcasts and conferences from many different firms, and shows hundreds of recorded webcasts available for immediate viewing. Find the directory at: https://benefitslink.com/events By choosing various options on that page, you can drill down to view only those webcasts and conferences that match particular criteria. Here's a link to one particularly useful view: 295 free recorded webcasts on issues affecting retirement plans We now have a total of more than 1,200 webcasts and conferences listed, for all kinds of benefit plans! (That number includes events for which a fee is required by the sponsoring firm, and those that are free.) Enjoy! Dave Baker, Publisher Lois Baker, President BenefitsLink.com

You're referring to a state law? Which state?

This looks like a good article about the technique: What Is a Backdoor Roth IRA?

BenefitsLink invites you to register as a user of the message boards, so that you can help your colleagues and show off your expertise by posting a reply to someone's question, or by posting your own question. Each of your posts can include a hypertext link to your firm in the 'signature' line -- or you can even post a message anonymously by using a 'handle' rather than your real name. Also, as a registered user you'll have the ability to take advantage of certain functionality that will work only if you have "signed in." Only a registered user can sign in. Registration is easy and free! Here are step-by-step instructions, with screen shots. First, look for the "Sign Up" button that's near the top-right corner of the page you're now viewing. (Click on any of these screens to see a larger version.) Once you click on the "Sign Up" button, you'll get this screen: The "Display Name" is what appears as your identity next to any messages you post. Some users choose a "handle" because they can post anonymously, but others prefer to use their real names for various reasons, such as reputation-building, credibility and social interaction. BenefitsLink encourages the use of real names, but feel free to do whichever is most comfortable for you. Next you'll enter your email address (twice). We use this email address to send you a confirmation email. Other users won't be able to see it. Next you'll pick a password and then enter the answer to a security question that prevents many casual spammers from registering: Finally, do the typical Terms and Conditions checkbox jazz (we get a security interest in your first-born child, etc.) and then click the Create My Account button: ... and that's all there is to it! If you have questions about the sign-up process, please send them by email to Dave Baker at davebaker@benefitslink.com

Can anyone help me determine which choices ought to be "on a drop-down search menu" with respect to the kind/category/type of CE that you would want to search for, in order to get a display of matching webcasts and conferences? Continuing Education Credit * ASPPA * ERPA * ______ (?)

We have an extensive online listing of upcoming webcasts and conferences: https://benefitslink.com/cgi-bin/events/index.cgi Maybe I should have the sponsors indicate whether the event provides CE credit!