Industry & Regulatory News

Industry & Regulatory News

What to do with Unused Commuter Benefits Funds

With changes to workplace arrangements and working conditions following the COVID pandemic, employers are seeking ways to allow their employees to use already contributed commuter benefits funds, and to differentiate their welfare benefits package. Questions surround the use of dollars allocated for 2021 plan years, and what to do for 2022 and 2023 with many unknowns about the future.

July 05 2022

Industry & Regulatory News

Affordable Care Act (ACA): What You Need to Know

Most private sector employers, including non-profit organizations, are subject to ERISA. Most government plans, as well as church and church-related plans are excluded.

July 05 2022

Industry & Regulatory News

New HSA Limits for 2023

On April 29, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service released the 2023 maximum amounts for high deductible health plans (HDHPs) and Health Savings Accounts.

July 05 2022

Industry & Regulatory News

IRS Announces Midyear Increase to Standard Mileage Rates

Normally the IRS adjusts the standard mileage rates at the beginning of each year, but occasionally they announce changes at other times to correspond with current costs.

July 05 2022

Industry & Regulatory News

Discussion Draft on Financial Privacy Introduced

Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has released a discussion draft of legislation to modernize financial privacy laws and give consumers more control over how their personal information is collected and utilized. A press release provides the following highlights of the proposal

  • Modernizes the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to align consumer protections with financial system innovation
  • Empowers consumers to understand how personal information is being collected and used by a service provider when they agree to a service provider’s privacy policy, and ensures consumers have the right to terminate collection of their data or request deletion of their data
  • Directs entities to disclose to consumers why they are collecting certain data along with the ability to opt out of the data collection—and to use data only for its stated purpose
  • Improves transparency by requiring privacy terms and conditions in consumer disclosures to be easily understandable
  • Provides a national standard that would preempt state privacy laws to provide consistency across the nation with respect to collection and use of personal information
July 01 2022

Industry & Regulatory News

House Proposal Would Expand 529 Eligible Expenses

Congressman Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) has introduced H.R. 8128, a bill to expand the allowable education expenses available for use from 529 education savings accounts. The bill would allow industry recognized apprenticeship programs registered and certified by an eligible Standards Recognition Entity as qualified education expenses. These programs would be in addition to existing apprenticeship programs registered and certified with the Secretary of Labor that qualify as higher education expenses.

The definition of qualified education expense would also be further expanded to include expenses related to a “career and technical education program” (as defined by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006) or a “career pathway” (as defined by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act).

June 30 2022

Industry & Regulatory News

IRS Releases 2022 Draft Form 945

The IRS has made available a draft 2022 Form 945 Annual Return of Withheld Federal Income Tax. This form is used to report withheld federal income tax from nonpayroll payments such as distributions from tax-favored retirement plans. The form will be reviewed and additional details provided as warranted.

June 27 2022
IRS

Industry & Regulatory News

Senate Finance Proposal Includes ABLE Age Adjustment

The Enhancing American Retirement Now (EARN) Act, which cleared the Senate Finance Committee and heads to the full Senate for consideration, includes a proposal by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) to modify the “eligible individual” definition for purposes of a qualified ABLE program. Under the proposal, an individual may be an eligible individual if entitled to benefits based on blindness or disability, and such blindness or disability occurred before the date on which the individual attains the age of 46 (the current age is 26). It is estimated that the change in age would allow over 6 million additional people with disabilities to save with ABLE accounts.

June 23 2022

Industry & Regulatory News

IRS Issues Yield Curves and Segment Rates for DB Plan Calculations

The IRS has issued Notice 2022-29, which contains updated guidance on factors used in certain defined benefit (DB) pension plan minimum funding and present value calculations. Updates include the corporate bond monthly yield curve, the corresponding spot segment rates for May used under Internal Revenue Code Section (IRC Sec.) 417(e)(3), and the 24-month average segment rates under IRC Sec. 430(h)(2). IRC Sec. 417 contains definitions and special rules for minimum survivor annuity requirements in DB plans. IRC Sec. 430 addresses minimum funding standards for single-employer DB plans.

June 22 2022

Industry & Regulatory News

DOL Releases Spring 2022 Regulatory Agenda

The Department of Labor has posted online its upcoming guidance priorities. A number of the guidance items deal with retirement savings arrangements, including the following.

  • Two items in the “prerule” stage include improving the effectiveness of retirement plan disclosures and guidance on pooled employer plans
  • A former initiative to modernize the Form 5500 appears in the proposed rule stage
  • A rulemaking to amend the definition of fiduciary to include persons who render investment advice for a fee to employee benefit plans and IRAs
  • Revised procedures for granting prohibited transaction exemptions
  • A final rule regarding pension benefit statement lifetime income illustrations as required under the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019
  • Updates to the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program
  • A third final rule concerning Form 5500 changes related to the SECURE Act
  • A final rule regarding prudence and loyalty in selecting plan investments and exercising shareholder rights
  • Amendments to the abandoned plan program

 

June 22 2022