The Department of Labor (DOL) has released a proposed rule intending to update the requirements for employers to determine employee or independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This determination is critical to assessing whether a worker is eligible to participate in—or sponsor—a retirement plan.

The Internal Revenue Service has posted the 2025 tax year Publication 560, Retirement Plans for Small Business (SEP, SIMPLE, and Qualified Plans). It is useful to employers that are considering establishing a retirement plan, as it describes each plan’s operational requirements, contribution opportunities, etc.

President Trump remarked on retirement policy during his State of the Union address, noting that “..half of all of working Americans still do not have access to a retirement plan with matching contributions from an employer”, and that “..next year, my administration will give these often forgotten American workers…access to the same type of retirement plan offered to every federal worker.” The president further noted that contributions would be matched, up to $1,000 per year. 

The Internal Revenue Service released Instructions for Form 5330, Return of Excise Taxes Related to Employee Benefit Plans. The form is used to report excess contributions, prohibited transactions, reversion of qualified plan assets, excess fringe or welfare benefits paid, etc. 

The Department of Labor (DOL) has released a proposed rule making amendments to electronic disclosure safe harbors pursuant to the implementation of Section 338 of SECURE 2.0. SECURE 2.0 requires that employers provide retirement plan benefit statements in paper form once annually for defined contribution plans and once every three years for defined benefit plans.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Announcement 2026-7, further delaying the anticipated applicability date for certain portions of future final regulations relating to required minimum distributions (RMDs) under IRC Sec. 401(a)(9) pursuant to SECURE 2.0. 

Representative Delia Ramirez (D-IL) and several co-sponsors have introduced H.R. 7556, the Pensions for All Act. According to a press release, the bill would require corporations to do one of the following.

• Provide a traditional pension plan for their workers that is at least equivalent to the plan provided to new members of Congress under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), or
• Pay into the federal retirement system at a level that ensures all of their workers receive the same amount of retirement benefits as members of Congress 

The legislation would also offer reduced contribution requirements for self-employed workers and small businesses. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced the bill in the Senate last year. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a Major Disaster Declaration on February 18, 2026, for Louisiana severe winter storms, for the incident period of January 23 - January 27, 2026.

The Internal Revenue Service has released the 2025 Form 5500-EZ and Instructions for Form 5500-EZ, Annual Return of a One-Participant (Owners/Partners and Their Spouses) Retirement Plan or A Foreign Plan.

The Internal Revenue Service has posted a draft 2026 tax year Publication 1099, General Instructions for Certain Information Returns (Forms 1096, 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, 3922, 5498, and W-2G).