Every year, the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) perform thousands of audits on employee benefit retirement plans. Even under the best conditions, these audits can be stressful and time consuming for an employer. Retirement plan...
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Department of Labor Updates Guidance on Independence of Qualified Plan Accountants
Plan sponsors of large employee benefit pension plans are familiar with the requirement of audited financial statements for annual reporting purposes. That requirement is discussed in the DOL’s 2018 guidebook “Selecting an Auditor for Your Employee Benefit Plan,” and...
Court Finds Employee-Paid LTD Policy Was Part of Employer’s ERISA Plan
A federal district court in the Middle District of Tennessee has held, in Insurance Company of America, that a long-term disability (“LTD”) policy offered under an employer’s group health plan was subject to ERISA despite the fact that the premiums for the LTD...
Labor Opinions are Fair Game for Litigation After Circuit Ruling
Labor Opinions Are Fair Game for Litigation After Circuit Ruling - Roberta Watson, Bloomberg Law, August 19, 2022 (PDF)
Department of Labor (“DOL”) Proposes to “Update” QPAM Exemption
One of the most frequently used of the prohibited transaction class exemptions is Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption 84-14, which provides an exemption for Qualified Plan Asset Managers (the QPAM exemption). The QPAM exemption permits, subject to conditions, plan...
ERISA World Awaits Next EBSA Move on Proposed Restrictions on the Prohibited Transaction Exemptions Process
It has been almost four months since the Employee Benefit Security Administration (EBSA) of the Department of Labor (“DOL”) published its proposed amendments to regulations for the procedures by which applications for class and individual prohibited transaction...
DOL Proposes Tougher Prohibited Transaction Exemption Procedures
DOL Proposes Tougher Prohibited Transaction Exemption Procedures - Wayne Miller, Stephen Wilkes and Mark Greenstein, Bloomberg Tax, June 6, 2022 (PDF)
401(k)s with Bitcoin Should Expect Lawsuits: Lawyers
401(k)s with Bitcoin Should Expect Lawsuits: Lawyers - Mark Greenstein, Ignites, June 2, 2022 (PDF)
The Wagner Law Group Comment Letter to DOL Regarding New Rules for Prohibited Transaction Exemption Application Procedures
The Wagner Law Group Comment Letter to DOL Regarding New Rules for Prohibited Transaction Exemption Application Procedures - May 31, 2022
Retirement Bill Eyeing ERISA Arbitration Ban Stirs Strong Reaction: PLANSPONSOR
Retirement Bill Eyeing ERISA Arbitration Ban Stirs Strong Reaction - PLANSPONSOR, May 24, 2022 (PDF)