News

On January 10, 2022, the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, issued a new set of FAQs. This latest set of FAQs address questions relating to COVID-19 testing and diagnosis that must be covered by group health plans and health insurance issuers without cost sharing pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The FAQs require group health plans (GHPs) and health insurance issuers (issuers) to reimburse a participant or direct pay a provider for the cost of over-the-counter COVID-19 tests beginning January 15, 2022. The FAQs also provide the following information.

The IRS has announced that tax filing season will begin on January 24, 2022. The filing deadline for 2021 tax returns or requests for extension is April 18, 2022, for most taxpayers because of Emancipation Day in Washington, D.C. For taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts, the deadline to file is April 19, 2022, because of Patriots’ Day. Taxpayers who request an extension will have until October 17, 2022, to file their 2021 returns.

The IRS has issued a draft 2021 Tax Year Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). Several noteworthy items have been outlined in the “What’s New” section of the publication.

The IRS has issued a news release announcing the postponement of certain tax-related deadlines for victims of wildfires and straight-line winds in Colorado. The tax relief postpones various tax filing deadlines that began December 30, 2021. Affected individuals and households who reside or have a business in Boulder county, as well as taxpayers with records located in the covered area that are needed to meet covered deadlines, qualify for relief.

The IRS has released the 2022 Form W-4P, Withholding Certificate for Periodic Pension or Annuity Payments and 2022 Form W-4R, Withholding Certificate for Nonperiodic Payments and Eligible Rollover Distributions.

December 30, 2021 – The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the IRS, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) jointly released the 2021 Form 5500, Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan, 2021 Form 5500-SF, Annual Return/Report of Small Employee Benefit Plan, and their respective instructions. The IRS likewise released the 2021 Form 5500-EZ, Annual Return of a One-Participant Retirement Plan or Foreign Plan, and instructions.

December 29, 2021 – The IRS has issued a news release announcing the postponement of certain tax-related deadlines for victims of severe storms and tornados in Arkansas. The tax relief postpones various tax filing deadlines that began December 10, 2021. Affected individuals and households who reside or have a business in Craighead, Jackson, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Woodruff counties, as well as taxpayers with records located in the covered area that are needed to meet covered deadlines, qualify for relief.

December 28, 2021 – The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has issued a notice with final forms revisions for Form 5500, Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan, and Form 5500-SF, Annual Return/Report of Small Employee Benefit Plan, relating to annual reporting changes for multiple-employer plans (MEPs) and pooled employer plans (PEPs). It specifically revises the Form 5500 and Form 5500-SF instructions for the 2021 reporting year for multiple-employer plans. It is effective for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2021.

December 28, 2021 – The IRS has issued a news release announcing the postponement of certain tax-related deadlines for victims of severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornados in Illinois. The tax relief postpones various tax filing deadlines that began December 10, 2021. Affected individuals and households who reside or have a business in Bond, Cass, Coles, Effingham, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike, and Shelby counties, as well as taxpayers with records located in the covered area that are needed to meet covered deadlines, qualify for relief.

December 28, 2021 – The IRS has issued a news release announcing the postponement of certain tax-related deadlines for victims of severe storms and flooding in Alabama. The tax relief postpones various tax filing deadlines that began October 6, 2021. Affected individuals and households who reside or have a business in Jefferson and Shelby counties, as well as taxpayers with records located in the covered area that are needed to meet covered deadlines, qualify for relief.