ERISA News

Effective September 17, 2025, the prime interest rate decreased to 7.25 percent. The prime interest rate is largely determined by the federal funds rate, as set by the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).

The House Education and Workforce Committee has advanced several retirement bills following a markup. According to a press release, the following proposals were passed by the committee.

• H.R. 2958, the “Balancing the Scales Act” sponsored by Rep. Michael Rulli (R-OH).
• H.R. 2869, the “EBSA Investigations Transparency Act”, sponsored by Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI).
• H.R. 5169, the “Retire through Ownership Act”, authored by Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA).

The Internal Revenue Service has issued Revenue Ruling 2025-19 which contains the applicable federal rates (AFR) for October 2025.

The Internal Revenue Service has issued Notice 2025-47, which contains updated guidance on factors used in certain defined benefit (DB) pension plan minimum funding and present value calculations.

Representatives Ron Estes (R-KS), and Seth Magaziner (D-RI), have introduced H.R. 5325, the Unclaimed Retirement Rescue Plan to direct the Department of Labor to issue regulations allowing transfers of unclaimed retirement distributions to state unclaimed property funds.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued final regulations providing guidance for employers regarding new provisions on catch-up contributions as permitted by the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued Major Disaster Declarations on September 11, 2025, for six disasters throughout the United States.

The Internal Revenue Service has released an updated 2025 tax year draft Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return. The form is used to, among other items, report unrelated business taxable income (UBTI), figure and report unrelated business income tax liability, and request a credit for certain federal excise taxes paid or for small employer health insurance premiums paid.

The Internal Revenue Service has posted a revised draft 2025 Form 8880, Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions. This form is used by taxpayers to determine the amount, if any, that can be claimed as retirement savings contribution credits (known as the saver’s credit) for making contributions to an eligible employer-sponsored retirement plan, IRA, federal Thrift Savings Plan, or ABLE account.

Representative Rick Allen (R-GA) has introduced the Retire through Ownership Act. According to a press release, Congress instructed the Department of Labor (DOL) with the passage of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to issue regulations for determining adequate consideration in the event employer stock did not have a generally recognized market. However, final regulations have never been issued.