Dec. 10, 2025. "What's New: [1] Definitions for IRAs.... [2] Clarification on nondeductible contributions.... [3] References to 2025 Form 8915-F.... [4] Modified adjusted gross income (AGI) limit for traditional IRA contributions increased.... [5] Modified AGI limit for Roth IRA contributions increased." [Also available: 2025 IRS Form 8606: Nondeductible IRAs]  MORE >>

"Complete Form W-4R to have payers withhold the correct amount of federal income tax from your nonperiodic payment or eligible rollover distribution from an employer retirement plan, annuity (including a commercial annuity), or individual retirement arrangement (IRA)."  MORE >>

"The Final Catch-up Regulations largely confirmed what we were expecting, by clarifying Highly Paid Individual (HPI) determinations, employer aggregation, and correction mechanics. However, there were some twists thrown in that plan sponsors should be aware of as 2026 approaches. The language was confusing, but this post will break it down in simple terms with simple dates."  MORE >>

"With respect to ERISA-covered retirement plans, the EO instructs DOL 'to consider' revising the current advice fiduciary regulation to explicitly include proxy advisors as ERISA advice fiduciaries. In this note, [the authors] briefly discuss the EO's overall 'theory of the case' and the instructions to SEC and FTC [and] then describe the EO's ERISA-related instructions to DOL."  MORE >>

"The court ruled that QDROs are essentially 'court-approved contracts,' and thus are 'subject to ordinary rules of contract interpretation under state law.' However, the plan administrator's exercise of discretionary authority in calculating benefits under the terms of the plan would be reviewed for abuse of discretion....[T]he Fourth Circuit ruled that the word 'may' 'authorizes, but does not require, the plan administrator to allocate the cost of the surviving spouse annuity to the alternate payee's portion of the benefit.' ... The Fourth Circuit also noted that this interpretation was consistent with the plan documents." [Gasper v. EIDP, Inc., No. 24-1959 (4th Cir. Dec. 8, 2025)]  MORE >>

"The decision reinforces that ERISA plaintiffs must allege specific, like‑for‑like comparisons to survive a motion to dismiss.... For plan sponsors, the ruling underscores that well‑documented, routine recordkeeping arrangements and monitoring processes can help defeat speculative ERISA fee litigation at the pleading stage." [Fleming v. Kellogg, No. 22-0593 (W.D. Mich. Dec. 8, 2025)]  MORE >>

"Compensation is the heartbeat of a retirement plan. It drives contributions, testing, employer matches, limits, and eligibility. You could have the best advisor in the world, a TPA who isn't asleep at the switch, and a plan document written in such perfect ERISA-speak that it should be framed in a museum. None of that matters if compensation is wrong. And it's wrong a lot."  MORE >>

"Until plan assets are properly distributed, the IRS generally treats the plan as ongoing -- with continuing compliance, amendment, and filing obligations.... Poorly executed terminations can result in delayed distributions, missed contributions, late Form 5500 filings, and unnecessary fiduciary exposure. This article explains how to properly terminate a 401(k) plan under IRS rules[.]"  MORE >>

"Many small-plan sponsors are being nudged toward [target date funds] that slot in the recordkeeper's stable-value fund, a move that reduces administrative costs. The resulting lower fees benefit participants, but when cost-sharing arrangements start to shape a target-date manager's allocation decisions, they introduce real trade-offs. [This article looks at] what's driving the trend, how widespread it's become, and what those trade-offs mean for investors."  MORE >>

"Employee optimism can mislead both workers and sponsors into a false sense of security. To bridge the gap between confidence and preparedness, sponsors should consider: [1] Expanding financial education on financial literacy and financial wellness in general, as well as compounding, employer match and decumulation strategies. [2] Reinforcing plan features such as auto-enrollment and auto-increase, and exploring in-plan income options. [3] Providing resources to help employees avoid emotional, short-term decision-making."  MORE >>

"DC retirement plans have come a long way since [ERISA], and they continue to evolve. Widespread acceptance of automatic enrollment, automatic escalation, and sensible default investment options allow workers to outsource retirement plan participation decisions, savings rates, and asset allocation decisions to their employers, simultaneously increasing savings and (likely) decreasing the extent to which participants make common investment mistakes. The potential downside is a reliance on one-size-fits-all solutions to complex optimization problems that depend on a wide range of household characteristics and preferences."  MORE >>

"CFA charterholders are bound not only by applicable law (including ERISA), but by an independent professional code that places client interests, transparency, and integrity of the profession above product sales or industry narratives.... [A]ctively recommending annuities in 401(k) plans may run afoul of multiple CFA Institute standards, particularly where the risks and conflicts inherent in annuities are minimized, obscured, or ignored."  MORE >>

28 pages; Dec. 16, 2025. "What's New: [1] Social security and Medicare taxes for 2026.... [2] Moving expense reimbursements.... [3] Employer contributions to Trump accounts."  MORE >>

"Notice 2025-68 addresses several topics of interest to employers, including: [1] Employers can offer employees the option to fund accounts for their dependent children via pretax contributions under an Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 125 cafeteria plan. [2] The $2,500 limit on employer contributions that are non-taxable to the employee is an annual limit that applies per employee regardless of how many dependent children the employee has.... [3] Account trustees -- not employers -- are responsible for ensuring that aggregate individual and employer contributions don't exceed the annual $5,000 limit."  MORE >>