In today’s workplace, offering a 401(k) plan has become a standard part of employee benefits. But simply making a retirement plan available isn’t enough. For employees to truly take advantage of it, they need to understand how the plan works, why it matters and how to use it effectively. Many employees recognize that a 401(k) is designed for retirement savings, yet they often lack a deeper...
Form 5500 exists to create a single, annual public report on employee benefit plans. With filings made publicly available through the DOL, its core purpose is to contribute to broader transparency in the employee benefits system and protect plan participants and beneficiaries—and the public interest—from mismanagement, fraud, underfunding and related risks. In this way, regulators, researchers,...
Overpayments from qualified retirement plans to plan participants are among the most common—and most sensitive—administrative errors encountered by plan sponsors and fiduciaries. They often arise quietly: calculation mistakes, misapplied plan terms, delayed data updates or vendor processing errors. Once discovered, however, an overpayment demands immediate and careful attention. Left uncorrected...
May 2026 15th: Quarterly Benefit Statement: Deadline to supply participants of participant-directed plans with the quarterly benefit/disclosure statement, including a statement of plan fees and expenses charged to individual plan accounts during the first quarter of 2026. June 2026 30th: EACA ADP/ACP Corrections: Deadline to process corrective distributions resulting from failed ADP/ACP...
After three consecutive years of double-digit gains, U.S. equity markets stumbled in the first quarter of 2026, pressured by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, a sharp rise in energy prices, a reassessment of mega-cap technology valuations, and fading confidence in near-term Federal Reserve easing. The S&P 500 Index1 declined 4.6% during the quarter, as the outbreak of the...
World Password Day (May 7, 2026) is a useful reminder that while technology evolves, one thing hasn’t changed: access to your accounts is still one of the most valuable targets for cybercriminals. What has changed is how attackers operate. Today’s threats are more sophisticated and scalable than ever. AI-driven phishing emails can closely mimic trusted contacts. Credential stuffing...
Spring will arrive soon, promising new growth and a fresh beginning. It could also be the perfect time to do some spring cleaning for your plan. Let’s look at some areas that you might consider reviewing to ensure your retirement plan is operating efficiently. Document your processes and procedures to make certain that plan tasks can be handled in case of any absences during an enrollment or pay...
Cybersecurity has become a necessary consideration in many aspects of life, and your retirement plan is no exception. For plan sponsors, understanding your responsibilities—as well as those of the third party administrators (TPAs) and recordkeepers that you work with—is a fundamental part of ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) compliance and the fulfillment of your fiduciary...
An employer-sponsored retirement plan is an extremely valuable benefit a company can offer its employees. At the heart of this benefit is the plan document—the official rulebook that explains exactly how the plan works. For plan sponsors, understanding this document isn’t just helpful; it’s essential. Here’s why: It keeps the plan compliant. The plan document spells out the rules that make the...
As a plan sponsor, it’s critical to understand the rules surrounding Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) because they directly impact compliance, participant education and operational processes. RMDs are mandatory withdrawals from qualified retirement accounts, and failure to handle them correctly can lead to penalties for participants and fiduciary risks for your plan. In...
March 2026 2nd: IRS Form 1099-R Copy A - Deadline to submit Form 1099-R Copy A to the IRS for participants and beneficiaries who received a distribution or a deemed distribution during the prior plan year. This deadline applies to scannable paper filings. For electronic filings, the due date is March 31, 2026. 15th: ADP/ACP Corrections - Deadline to process corrective distributions for...
Building on the robust performance through Q3, U.S. equity markets delivered modest gains in Q4 2025 amid sector rotation and a cooling in mega-cap technology momentum. The S&P 500 Index1 advanced by 2.3% during the quarter, bringing its full-year 2025 return to 16.4%. While enthusiasm for the mega-cap AI trade cooled in Q4, the Nasdaq Composite Index2 nonetheless ended the quarter up 2.6%...
Building on the momentum from the prior quarter, equity markets delivered another strong performance in Q3 2025, with all major U.S. indices posting robust gains and setting new record highs. The S&P 500 Index1 and Nasdaq Composite Index2 advanced by 7.8% and 11.2%, respectively, during the quarter, extending their year-to-date (through 9/30/25) gains to 13.7% and 17.3%. This continued rally...
On November 13, 2025, the IRS announced the Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) affecting the dollar limitations for retirement plans for 2026. In October, the Social Security Administration announced a modest benefit increase of 2.8%. Retirement plan limits also increased over the 2025 limits. COLA increases are intended to allow participant contributions and benefits to keep up with the “cost...
On September 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued final regulations implementing the Roth catch-up contribution requirement under the SECURE 2.0 Act. These rules will significantly impact how plan sponsors administer catch-up contributions for certain high-income participants starting in 2026. Key Takeaway for Plan Sponsors Beginning January 1, 2026, employees who are...
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