"This article outlines key administrative priorities for defined contribution plan sponsors, including prototype plan restatements, SECURE 2.0 implementation, and best practices for managing overpayments and Roth contributions."  MORE >>

"If an employee receives a benefit that is includible in taxable wages, then it needs to be included in compensation for plan purposes ... [W]here the benefit is an object or a gift card, or other tangible item ... the employer will need to impute (attribute) income to the employee and make deferrals from the liquid cash compensation in an amount that considers the non-liquid compensation imputed to the employee. Employers may want to review whether these items of compensation can be eliminated or restructured to meet the de minimis fringe benefit exclusion."  MORE >>

"Some reminders and considerations to assist in decreasing your chances of winning the DOL or IRS 'audit lottery' include ... [1] For preapproved 401(k) plans, ensure the correct opinion letter serial number is entered on Schedule R.... [2] Late deposits -- make sure they're late before you report them as such.... [3] There are a few versions of the Form 5500. Be sure to use the right version ... [4] Report plan name or plan sponsor name changes.... [5] Double check participant counts, and look for anomalies.... [6] Confirm your plan year end dates relative to plan mergers and terminations. "  MORE >>

"Nearly a quarter of all Gen Z employees aren't enrolled in a company retirement plan ... That's three times the rate of millennials, Gen X, and Boomers.... 12% of Gen Zers don't take advantage of any workplace benefits at all, twice the rate of other generations.... [1] Tailor plan design.... [2] Use short-form videos.... [3] Highlight flexibility over distant retirement dreams.... [4] Make enrollment feel like an app.... [5] Offer purpose-driven messaging.... [6] Integrate with onboarding gamification."  MORE >>

"Selecting the perfect auditor for your 401(k) plan isn't just a box‑checking exercise -- but [this] handy 401(k) auditor checklist will ensure that you cover the key criteria and questions to ask to make the right choice.... [H]ere's how to pick the right 401(k) audit partner, complete with must‑have qualifications, thoughtful questions to ask, and the distinct advantages of working with a firm that lives and breathes 401(k) plan audits."  MORE >>

"Under existing tax law, defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors have limited options for using these surplus funds because, as a rule, accessing the excess assets requires terminating the plan. However, two new proposals from the American Benefits Council could offer an alternative path forward."  MORE >>

"According to the Trustees, lawmakers could restore 75-year solvency with the equivalent of a 29% (3.65 percentage point) payroll tax increase, a 22% reduction in total benefits, or a 27% reduction in benefits for new beneficiaries if lawmakers were to act today (something anyone following the issue knows will not happen). Delaying action until 2034 would increase the size of necessary adjustments by 15%."  MORE >>

"Total US retirement assets were $43.4 trillion as of March 31, 2025, down 1.6 percent from December. Retirement assets accounted for 34 percent of all household financial assets in the United States at the end of March 2025.... Assets in individual retirement accounts (IRAs) totaled $16.8 trillion at the end of the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 1.3 percent from the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. Defined contribution (DC) plan assets were $12.2 trillion at the end of the first quarter, down 1.9 percent from December 31, 2024."  MORE >>

" [T]his brief uses a wide range of datasets to look at worker participation in private sector plans.... Taking all the surveys and adjustments into account, our best estimate continues to be that, at any given point, roughly half of private sector workers participate in any employer-sponsored retirement plan, although a larger percentage have access to a plan."  MORE >>

"Despite a lot of enthusiastic support for SECURE 2.0's qualified student loan matching provision (QSLP match), employers don't seem to be adopting that provision. Maybe there's a reason -- or two."  MORE >>

"SCOTUS ruled that retirees who do not hold or seek employment at the time of the alleged discrimination are not protected under Title I of the ADA. The decision does not necessarily preclude all claims from retirees or all claims about retirement benefits. An ADA plaintiff must plead and prove that at the time of the alleged discrimination, they held or desired a job and could perform its essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation." [Stanley v. City of Sanford, FL, No. 23-997 (S. Ct. Jun. 20, 2025)]   MORE >>

"As a plan sponsor, taking steps to secure your plan data isn't optional, it's part of your legal duty to act in your participants' best interests.... [1] Review your vendor contracts for cybersecurity language. [2] Request and review audit reports from your service providers. [3] Implement basic security practices for your internal team. [4] Educate your participants about protecting their accounts. [5] Document your efforts as part of fiduciary oversight."  MORE >>