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Background: Client purchased a plan with automatic enrollment and safe harbor match, with an effective date of 7/1/2021. The plan went live on our system, census was uploaded and participants were notified of their eligibility to participate, received all the required notices, and should have been automatically enrolled if they did not opt out. Client has now reached out (along with their financial advisor) saying that they never wanted automatic enrollment, didn't understand it, and now wants to "cancel" the plan. They have not done any withholding of ANY elective deferrals at this time, so the plan has not been funded. I am of the opinion that since notices have gone out, accounts have been set up, etc. they have a 401(k) plan, and they cannot just "cancel" it, i.e. pretend it never happened. I know how to correct the failure to automatically enroll participants so that is not the issue. Our main point of contention and one I am having difficulty finding any guidance on is; at what point can we say, "sorry, you officially have a 401(k) plan so you have to fund any required contributions and go through the normal termination process to close it"? I believe the plan is active, and that they need to go through the correction process for the automatic deferral failure and then they can terminate the plan. The client contends that since they have not funded, the plan is not active and we should be able to just "cancel" it. We've already told them that they can remove the automatic enrollment provision, so that is not the issue. If I anyone can point me to some guidance on this topic, it would be much appreciated.

Client accidentally deposited payroll contributions twice for the same effective date. Instead of reversing second transaction, can employer leave the funds deposited alone, and change the effective date of the second deposit to match with the next pay date? The funds would have been deposited before they were withheld from participants' paychecks, but isn't the risk entirely on the employer? There is no harm to participants - in fact, they benefit.

Quick question: We reconcile our plans on an accrual basis for Form 5500 SF reporting. Because of this we end up with receivable contributions from one year to another, typically due to pending payrolls. We have had a question come up because of this. Our sponsors will mark a payroll file (for example) as the payroll period 12/01/15 to 12/31/15, with a pay date of 01/15/16. The payroll is then processed when given to us, say 01/16/16. Would you mark this payroll as a receivable contribution for 2015 because of the pay period OR would you leave it off of the 2015 plan year because of the actual pay date to ppts of 01/15/16? Advice is appreciated, thanks!