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| May 28, 2008 |
| Here are the Web's best new links about compliance and cost aspects of plan operation, design and policy. |
Today's sponsor is DATAIR Employee Benefit Systems, Inc.
(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
| DC/401(k) Administration Software from DATAIR |
| DATAIR’s Defined Contribution System for Valuations, Discrimination Testing, and Proposals. Handles New Comparability Plans, Sole Proprietorships, 401(k) and 403(b) plans. Live, expert support.
DATAIR’s DC/401(k) System includes
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[Guidance Overview] PPA: IRS Provides Guidance on 2008 Distribution Rules (PDF)
Excerpt: "The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) includes several provisions relating to payments made from various types of pension plans that became effective for distributions made on or after January 1, 2008. On March 5, 2008, the IRS released Notice 2008-30, providing guidance regarding the following provisions: Rollovers to Roth IRAs; Payment of gap period income on excess deferrals; Qualified Optional Survivor Annuities (QOSAs); and Calculation of lump sum benefits in defined benefit plans." (Prudential's Pension Analyst)
[Guidance Overview] IRS Updates Staggered Remedial Amendment Cycle Process (PDF)
6 pages. Excerpt: "This information applies to qualified defined benefit and defined contribution plans, including multiemployer plans, governmental plans and non-electing church plans. Currently, it does not apply to ERISA 403(b) plans, non-ERISA 403(b) programs, or section 457(b) plans." (Prudential's Pension Analyst)
[Guidance Overview] White House Orders End-of-Term Reg Slowdown
Excerpt: "That loud shuffling noise you hear is the sound of federal regulators preparing proposed regulations for publication in the Federal Register in advance of a newly imposed June 1 deadline. . . . In the employee benefit space, this means that we could expect to see the Department of Labor's participant disclosure proposed regulations (submitted to OMB for review on May 1) very soon. It also means that the DOL will be pushing very hard to finalize its proposed 408(b)(2) regulations prior to the November 1 cut-off. Proposed regulations on investment advice (an issue that has been live since the Pension Protection Act was enacted in August 2006), however, have not been sent to OMB and therefore will likely have to wait until next year and a new administration." (Baker & Daniels)
[Guidance Overview] Both Large and Small 403(b) Plans Should Beware of Schedules H And I
Excerpt: "I don't know how many times I have heard in the past year the comment that 'we have time,' as the first Form 5500 filings for the 2009 plan year won't be due until July 2010. Plenty of time, one would think. But both Schedule H and Schedule I require the reporting of financial data from the beginning of the year, as well as year-end data." (Baker & Daniels)
Retirement Benefit Estimates for State and Local Government Workers, 2007
Provides data from the 2007 survey on retirement provisions in state and local governments. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Government Employee's Pension Jumps 35 Percent in 60 Days
Excerpt: "[A[ public servant in Illinois has reportedly boosted her final pension by nearly $38,000 a year. All she had to do was work an extra 30 days. To be sure (and who could blame her?) she worked an extra 60 days just to seal the deal. Can't be too careful, you know!" (FederalNewsRadio - WFED 1050 AM)
International Update, May 2008: Recent Developments in Foreign Private And Public Pensions, Social Security, and Retirement
From SSA's Office of Policy. (U.S. Social Security Administration)
[Opinion] The State of Public Pensions: A Response
The director of the Center for State and Local Government Excellence writes a letter to the editor asserting that a front-page Washington Post article does not tell the whole story about the health of public pensions. (Washington Post)
[Opinion] Working Longer: The Solution to The Retirement Income Challenge
Book review excerpt: 'This timely and insightful book assesses the potential of longer work lives to strengthen retirement security. With a clear-eyed view of the challenges associated with such a major social and economic change, this book is an essential resource for individuals, employers, and policymakers alike." (Center for Retirement Research)
Sponsored by: ASPPA
(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
| The Western Benefits Conference, July 13-16, 2008, Seattle, Washington |
| It's the best of both worlds, and should not be missed. Join the Western Pension & Benefits Conference and ASPPA for this unique conference designed with all retirement, health, welfare and benefits professionals in mind. The Western Benefits Conference offers attendees seven separate professional learning tracks with over 50 individual sessions all led by nationally renowned speakers and both national and local government representatives. Network with your peers, private sector experts, and government officials at planned events throughout the conference. Be in Seattle with over 900 of your colleagues July 13-16, 2008 and experience this conference first hand. Register NOW and don't miss out. |
| (Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor) |
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
[Guidance Overview] California Supreme Court Opens the Door on Same-Sex Marriage
Excerpt: "In re Marriage Cases is unlikely to have broad implications for employers. In recent years, the California Legislature has enacted several statutes that collectively require both public and private employers to extend the same benefits to state-registered domestic partners as are provided to spouses, except employee benefit plans regulated by federal law, ERISA. These statutes remain in effect. The California Supreme Court decision does not affect ERISA benefits or the federal tax treatment of employment benefits because the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) limits marriage recognized under federal law to a legal union between one man and one woman." (Littler)
The New Job Sharers
Excerpt: "In addition to women seeking a greater measure of work/life balance, the most recent entrants to the ranks of job sharing include older workers phasing into retirement, Gen Y employees who don't want to work so hard, and disabled workers." (Workforce.com)
Calif. City in Bankrup.tcy May Be Model for Others
Excerpt: "Vallejo's day of financial reckoning arrived last week when it became California's largest city to declare bankrup.tcy." (International Herald Tribune)
[Opinion] The Trouble With Estoppel in ERISA Cases
Excerpt: "Every now and then an estoppel case pops up under ERISA, and the law is twisted and mangled to make it fit." (BNA Pension & Benefits Blog)
Newly Posted Events
2007 Form 5500, Schedule A to SSA and Back Again Webcast
Nationwide on June 5, 2008
presented by HRTrainingCenter.com
403(b) Plan Workshop
Nationwide on July 15, 2008
presented by SunGard Relius
EGTRRA Pre-approved Plan Workshop
Nationwide on July 11, 2008
presented by SunGard Relius
Health Reform Forum: Does Portability Mean Affordability? - Webcast
Nationwide on May 29, 2009
presented by Kaiser Family Foundation
Newly Posted Press Releases
Regional Directors Appointed In Two EBSA Offices
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
GMP Private Client First In Canada Certified for Fiduciary Excellence
Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX)
DailyAccess Corporation Is Certified To Industry Best Practices
Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX)
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
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Pension Administrator
for Jordan & Andrews
in CA
Consulting/Marketing Manager
for Associated Pension Consultants
in CA
Retirement New Business Consultant
for Mutual of Omaha
in NE
Pension Administrator
for California Retirements Plans, Inc.
in CA
Defined Contribution Plan Administrator
for Destel-Bergen Corporation
in CA
Retirement Plan Account Manager
for Lockton Financial Advisors
in DC
Enroller, 401K
for ING, US Financial Services
in NY
Pension Administrator
for Fort Worth Texas TPA
in TX
401(k)/Plan Administrator
for Rapidly Growing Financial Services Company
in PA
Bilingual Benefit Educators for 401(k) & Health Plans
for Total Benefit Communications, LLC, An Ascensus Company
in AZ, CO, FL, MA, NV, PA, TN, TX
Account/Project Manager, Online Benefits Administration
for Cammack LaRhette Consulting
in NY
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
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