"For interested plan sponsors and issuers, we now have a much clearer picture of the steps involved in long-term care distributions. The plan administrator's ability to rely on the statements by the issuer to support the distribution is especially helpful. [IRS Notice 2026-33] may generate interest in offering this new distribution option."  MORE >>

"Under the new law, employers that decide to create a [phased retirement plan (PRP)] shall pay the full amount of the TRSL Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) administrative fee. They also will pay a higher employer contribution to an individual's ORP account; the act increases that contribution from 6.2% to 8.0% of pay, subject to appropriations. The employer of any participant in a PRP will be required to notify the TRS of the terms of the participant's phased retirement[.]"  MORE >>

"The lawsuit claimed that the defendants ... violated their ERISA fiduciary duties by failing to remove certain allegedly underperforming investments from the company's 401(k) plan. But the Third Circuit disagreed, as the record reflected multiple markers of a prudent process.... Even if there were some flaws, as the plaintiffs claimed, the Court held that these alleged 'imperfection[s]' did not matter because 'ERISA mandates prudence, not perfection.' " [In re Quest Diagnostics ERISA Litigation, No. 24-2866 (3d Cir. June 22, 2026)]  MORE >>

"In rejecting a motion to dismiss the suit, a federal judge noted 'The fact that the Committee might lawfully have used forfeitures to reduce UnitedHealth's contributions does not answer whether the Committee's decision to do that complied with its duty of prudence.'... [The judge] noted (and listed) 51 [similar cases] and wrote that he had carefully reviewed them all. Only to conclude that 'I identified no clear trend or consensus in these decisions that might justify a particular outcome on this motion.' " [In re: UnitedHealth ERISA 401(k) Litigation, No. 25-1751 (D. Minn. Jun. 9, 2026)]  MORE >>

"A combination of stronger education and tools, along with accessibility to lifetime income options, could help workers better prepare for a successful retirement. Employees surveyed reported wanting 'structured, meaningful guidance' from employers, with almost all (94%) emphasizing that companies should provide resources on how to make retirement withdrawals. Nearly half (49%) even say it's the employer's responsibility to provide guidance."  MORE >>

"Public pension fund managers have run the same accounting maneuver for fifty years. It is entirely legal, widely practiced, and engineered to make a structural debt problem look like a funding gap. The logic is circular: decide what return you expect to earn, then use that number as the rate at which you discount what you owe. The higher the assumed return, the smaller the reported liability. The smaller the liability, the lower the required contribution. The lower the contribution, the more comfortable everyone in the room feels -- until the bill arrives. That is where American public pension accounting stands in 2026."  MORE >>

"[TPAs], brokers, and benefits technology vendors are increasingly offering [AI] tools that can generate [SPDs], plan summaries, FAQs, and participant communications almost instantaneously. While these tools promise efficiency and reduced administrative burden, plan sponsors should proceed cautiously. Under ERISA, the plan administrator is responsible for maintaining compliant plan documentation and properly distributing required disclosures, including the obligation to furnish paper copies of plan documents upon a participant’s request."  MORE >>