Excerpt: The IRS has issued proposed regulations that would clarify how defined benefit plans, especially hybrid plans, that provide a benefit calculated as the greatest of benefits under separate formulas would satisfy the ERISA anti-backloading rules. Generally, the proposed regulations would permit such 'greater-of' plans to satisfy a backloading test by testing each formula separately. This is the same relief offered in Revenue Ruling 2008-7 and is generally helpful to employers who want to convert to cash balance designs while providing more than the required transitional benefits to older employees.  MORE >>