"[S]tudents, nonresident aliens, and employees eligible to other plans can still be excluded from the plan, as long as the exclusions are applied consistently to all employees who still meet each category.... Employer contributions not required, but permitted/LTPT inclusion in the testing sometimes required, sometimes permitted.... Former LTPT employees and vesting: nobody said life would always be fair.... Mistakes happen: correcting improper exclusion of LTPT employees.... How will the auditors test LTPT administration?"  MORE >>

"For employees who are rehired in a different calendar year after separating from service ... review the FICA wages the employer (or aggregated group, if elected) paid to the employee in the calendar year preceding the year of rehire.... [If] the rehired employee did not have any FICA wages from the employer (or aggregated group, if elected) in the prior calendar year, the Roth catch-up requirement does not apply, and the employee may make catch-up contributions on a pre-tax or Roth basis according to plan terms."  MORE >>

"This Part 2 focuses on the tensions inherent in the law that historically have served as substantial headwinds for 401(k) plan access to such strategies and provides a deeper dive into currently available pathways with a focus on recent [SEC] reforms and traditional operational constraints that continue to make some strategies highly challenging under [ERISA]."  MORE >>

"[FASB] will measure the benefit obligation for in-scope plans under the existing defined benefit accounting model by setting the discount rate equal to the assumed interest crediting rate. FASB also decided to clarify that an entity would be required to use the assumed interest crediting rate as the discount rate in all circumstances for in-scope plans.... FASB has decided to [1] direct the staff to draft a proposed accounting standards update for vote by written ballot and [2] grant a 60-day comment period concerning the proposed update."  MORE >>

149 pages. "In fiscal year 2025, [PBGC] made benefit payments of over $6.4 billion to 926,000 participants in trusteed single-employer plans, provided $168.5 million in traditional financial assistance to multiemployer plans covering 60,244 participants, and made SFA payments of $6.2 billion[.]"  MORE >>

68 pages. "This report projects the financial status of both programs under a range of future financial scenarios through FY 2034; additional projections are made through FY 2064 for the Multiemployer Program.... The financial outlook for PBGC's Multiemployer Program improved compared to last year's report, and the Program is likely to remain solvent for the next 40 years.... The Single- Employer Program is projected to remain in a positive net financial position over the next decade in all modeled scenarios, and significant growth in net position is projected."  MORE >>

"During December, the estimated cost to transfer retiree pension risk to an insurer in a competitive bidding process inched up 20 basis points, from 100.1% to 100.3% of a plan's accounting liabilities (accumulated benefit obligation, or ABO). That means the estimated retiree PRT cost is now 100.3% of a plan's ABO."  MORE >>

"[T]he Home Savings Act [HR 7185] ... would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit penalty-free withdrawals for up to five years when used for down payments or closing costs on a primary residence."  MORE >>

"[1] Equalize by default ... [2] Pensions are more complicated ... [3] Sometimes, 'equitable' may not seem fair ... [4] Beware failure to disclose ... [6] Think big picture."  MORE >>

"Ensure both spouses understand the retirement plan ... Avoid the widow's penalty with smart federal tax planning ... Optimize Social Security timing for survivor protection ... Choosing the right pension survivor option ... Evaluate whether life insurance still makes sense ... Protection is a process, not a one-time decision."  MORE >>

"For years, Morningstar has positioned itself as the independent umpire of the mutual fund world.... If Morningstar approves it, fiduciaries feel safe. But buried in Morningstar's own SEC filings is something most plan sponsors, consultants, and courts do not realize: Morningstar is deeply embedded in the business of helping insurance companies design retirement plan investment menus built around CITs, annuities, and proprietary insurance wrappers -- the very structures now raising ERISA prohibited transaction concerns."  MORE >>

"[T]he Department plans to continue to devote many more resources to health and welfare plan enforcement. In particular, DOL highlights two projects for 2026: [1] barriers to mental health and substance use disorder benefits (MH/SUD), and [2] surprise billing.... DOL continues to pursue a variety of projects to protect the benefits of retirement plan participants.... [T]he Department for the first time included cybersecurity on the national enforcement project list."  MORE >>

"[T]he Part B premium will rise from $185 in 2025 to $202.90 per month in 2026.... Part B premiums as a share of annual Social Security benefits -- defined as the benefit for the retired workers with average pre-retirement earnings -- will reach an all-time high of 9.4 percent."  MORE >>

"Workers reported similar satisfaction with their benefits package as in prior years, with top suggestions for improvement being a greater employer contribution and more flexibility of benefits to choose from.... Workers were somewhat open to using artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to help navigate benefits and finances, but significant shares were skeptical."  MORE >>