"Starting July 4, 2026, employers can contribute up to $2,500 tax-free (indexed) each calendar year to the [Trump Accounts (TAs)] of employees' dependents.... [T]here is no option for employees to contribute through payroll on a pre-tax basis to TAs ... Nor is there the option to embed tax-free TA contributions in a broader arrangement such as flex credits through a cafeteria plan or a lifestyle spending account (LSA)."  MORE >>

"While relatively few 401(k) plans typically offer annuity distribution options, fiduciaries for those that do should look to ERISA Section 404(e) for guidance on prudently selecting annuity providers. Keep in mind that this is a safe harbor; fiduciaries who do not follow these guidelines may nevertheless be able to demonstrate that they engaged in a prudent selection process"  MORE >>

"Mandatory employee contributions to a governmental retirement plan can be picked-up and treated as pre-tax contributions only if two conditions are met: [1] the plan requires the pick-up and [2] the employee has no election with respect to the amount or duration of the contribution after the employee's initial employment."  MORE >>

"[T]he notion that a rollover recommendation could be viewed as the first in a series of transactions that could constitute a 'regular basis' -- was seen as being beyond the [DOL]'s authority.... [T]his is the second federal court holding that the long-standing assessment of what constitutes a 'regular basis' would be reinstated -- and that while advice to the participant in the plan would continue to carry a fiduciary relationship to a rollover recommendation, a separate rollover recommendation by an advisor without that prior relationship will (still) be a separate matter."  [FACC v. DOL, No. 22-0243 (N.D. Tex. Jul. 9, 2025)]  MORE >>

"If the Court affirms the D.C. Circuit, it may result in less predictable cost estimates for employers. Employers have the right to request estimates of their withdrawal liability annually, but the usefulness of those estimates in making business decisions is diminished when plans and actuaries are able to retroactively change assumptions." [M & K Employee Solutions, LLC v. Trustees of the IAM National Pension Fund, No. 22-7157 (D.C. Cir Feb. 9, 2024; cert. pet. granted Jun. 30, 2025 No. 23-1209)]   MORE >>

"Creating mental health and financial guidance practices can make a significant impact.... A well-structured financial education program can help your employees understand the importance of managing their repayment in a way that minimizes long-term negative impacts.... Employers are now able to offer assistance through student loan matching contributions ... to their retirement plan."  MORE >>

"The four pillars of plan administration are the cornerstones that build an effective plan. They include data management, compliance and governance, communication, and cost controls. And though not mutually exclusive, many of them build upon one another."  MORE >>

"Retirement planning in 2025 isn't about chasing returns or clinging to old rules. It's about building a system -- an income engine -- that balances predictability, flexibility, and peace of mind. Annuities and bucket strategies can be two powerful tools in that system. Used together, they help answer the question every retiree faces: 'Will I have enough -- and will it last?' "  MORE >>

"The AICPA recommends that Treasury and the IRS provide a safe harbor permitting all plan administrators to rely on wage information as reported on Forms W-2 when determining whether employees have exceeded the catch-up wage threshold for purposes of the Roth Mandate.... The AICPA recommends that Treasury and the IRS articulate a position on whether a disregarded entity is treated as a separate 'employer sponsoring the plan' for purposes of Prop. Reg. 1.414(v)-2(b)(3) and (4)."  MORE >>

"Many early-stage companies give employees, consultants, advisors, board members and other service providers an opportunity to own a stake in the company through the grant of compensatory stock options.... This article explains why companies grant options to service providers and summarizes the key differences between the two types of options: incentive stock options (ISOs) and non-qualified stock options (NSOs)."  MORE >>