33 pages; For use in preparing 2025 Returns. "This publication explains the federal income tax rules for social security benefits and equivalent tier 1 railroad retirement benefits.... [It] covers ... [1] Whether any of your benefits are taxable. [2] How to report taxable benefits. [3] How much is taxable. [4] How to treat lump-sum benefit payments. [5] Deductions related to your benefits, including a deduction or credit you can claim if your repayments are more than your gross benefits."  MORE >>

"The Roth catch-up threshold has been adjusted from $145,000 to $150,000 for 2026. It was unclear if the threshold would be adjusted since 2026 is the first year that it is being enforced. What this means is that if an employee had 2025 compensation considered wages for Social Security and Medicare tax purposes (Form W-2, Box 3) that exceeded $150,000 from an employer, that employee would only be able to make catch-up contributions on a Roth basis in 2026 in that employer's plan."  MORE >>

"The shutdown stalled a ton of regulatory work.... With the backlog, we may see shorter comment periods, and you may experience tighter timelines to comply ... [B]race for a wave of enforcement activity as regulators catch up on filings that occurred during the shutdown and audits or investigations that were put on hold."  MORE >>

"[E]mployers can fund auto-features by reallocating existing dollars rather than increasing budgets.... [P]lan sponsors might also consider integrating health care and retirement into a single benefits strategy. Opportunities often exist in health care to reduce costs by revisiting plan design and better understanding current fee arrangements -- potentially leading to renegotiations or better alignment of overall incentives, "  MORE >>

"[In] the 2024 plan year, 8.9% of respondents had an in-plan annuity.... [P]lan sponsors were asked if they had a lifetime income component within a target-date fund, to which 13.8% answered yes.... [S]ince using an annuity isn't required and (as the data show) isn't common, fiduciaries are apprehensive about taking on a product that could be construed as imprudent."  MORE >>

"Unlike publicly traded funds, data about alternative investment funds is not always readily available nor easy to interpret.... Financial advisors can help retirement plan participants navigate the brave new world of customized alternatives by doing a deep dive into what's available and how they compare with traditional bonds, cash, and stock. This is easier said than done. New products won't have a long track record. Performance metrics will differ."  MORE >>

"A withdrawal plan is just as important as your investment strategy. While the immediate goal is to make sure you have enough income to support your lifestyle, the bigger opportunity lies in how you take that income and how to minimize taxes over your entire retirement, not just this year. A thoughtful, tax-efficient withdrawal strategy can potentially reduce your lifetime tax bill and help your money last longer. Let's walk through how to build one."  MORE >>

"To date, ... no one appears to have proffered a study or data clearly demonstrating that adding alternative assets into plans will increase participant returns without disproportionately increasing the volatility and risk faced by participants as market investors. Particularly in the absence of broadly accepted proof to this effect, plan sponsors and fiduciaries court possible breach of fiduciary duty suits by adding alternative investments to their plans."  MORE >>

"As the 2026 proxy season approaches, public companies and their boards are navigating a rapidly evolving executive compensation landscape.... This alert outlines key considerations for public companies and their compensation committees as they prepare for the 2026 proxy season and related compensation decisions"  MORE >>