Tag Archive for: pooled employer plan

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401(k)s, 403(b)s and MEPs

“One of my clients is a health care association, the members of which offer both 401(k) plans and 403(b) plans to employees. The association is considering offering a multiple employer plan (MEP). Would there be any issues in creating one MEP that would include both the 401(k) plans and the ERISA 403(b) plans?”

ERISA consultants at the Retirement Learning Center (RLC) Resource Desk regularly receive calls from financial advisors on a broad array of technical topics related to IRAs, qualified retirement plans and other types of retirement savings and income plans, including nonqualified plans, stock options, and Social Security and Medicare.  We bring Case of the Week to you to highlight the most relevant topics affecting your business.

A recent call with an advisor in Illinois involved a case related to multiple employer plans (MEPs).

Highlights of Discussion

  • Under Section 106 of SECURE Act 2.0 of 2022 (SECURE 2.0), we now have certainty that 403(b) plans have access to MEPs and Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) on par with 401(k) plans. A MEP is a single plan that covers two or more associated employers that are not part of the same controlled group of employers. A PEP covers two or more unrelated employers under a single plan.
  • However, existing treasury regulations do not allow mergers or transfers of assets between 403(b) and 401(k) plans [Treasury Regulation 1.403(b)-10(b)(1)(i)]. Further, the IRS has stated in at least one private letter ruling (PLR) (e.g., PLR 200317022) that if a 403(b) plan is merged with a plan that is qualified under IRC Sec. 401(a), the assets of the 403(b) plan will be taxable to the employees. Combining 401(k) and 403(b) assets in one trust could also jeopardize the tax-qualified status of the 401(k) plan.
  • Therefore, it would not be possible to maintain one MEP that covers both 403(b) and 401(k) plans. The association could use one 401(k) MEP to cover the 401(k) plans and a separate MEP for 403(b) plans.

 

Conclusion

While the law permits both 403(b) MEPs and 401(k) MEPs, it is not possible to have one MEP that covers both types of plans. The IRS treats 403(b)s and 401(k)s as unlike plans and, therefore, incompatible, for the purpose of plan-to-plan transfers or mergers.

 

 

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Pooled Plan Providers to Date by State

An advisor asked:  “Do you have any statistics around how many Pooled Plan Providers (PPPs) for Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) have registered with the Department of Labor (DOL), and where they are located?”    

ERISA consultants at the Retirement Learning Center (RLC) Resource Desk regularly receive calls from financial advisors on a broad array of technical topics related to IRAs, qualified retirement plans and other types of retirement savings and income plans, including nonqualified plans, stock options, and Social Security and Medicare.  We bring Case of the Week to you to highlight the most relevant topics affecting your business.

A recent call with a financial advisor from Colorado is representative of a common inquiry related to Pooled Plan Providers.

Highlights of the Discussion

Yes, we do have some statistics based on a tool on the DOL’s website that shows PPP filings. As of August 3, 2021, the number of PPPs that have registered with the DOL to be able to offer PEPs is 117.* Keep in mind that number will continue to change. Registering with the IRS and DOL is one of the requirements for a firm to become a PPP of a PEP.  Below is a summary of the number of PPPs by state.

Pooled Plan Providers by State*

AR 1
AZ 3
CA 4
CO 1
CT 3
FL 42
GA 2
IL 6
IA 2
KS 1
MD 1
MA 3
MI 1
MN 6
MS 2
NB 1
NV 1
NJ 4
NY 9
OH 1
PA 6
SD 2
TN 1
TX 8
UT 4
VA 1
WA 1
TOTAL 117

*(As of 08.04.2021. States without registrants omitted.)

The most likely entities to serve as PPPs include financial institutions, such as banks and insurance companies, record keepers, large broker/dealers, registered investment advisor firms, payroll providers and local chambers of commerce.

To encourage more businesses to sponsor workplace retirement plans, Congress created PEPs, available for adoption starting in 2021 through registered PPPs. PEPs are new plan structures created by a segment of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 also known as the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. These new plan arrangements allow two or more completely unrelated employers to participate in a single retirement plan administered through a registered PPP. Each employer has the fiduciary duty to prudently select and monitor the PPP and other fiduciaries of the PEP.

The idea behind PEPs is that employers would be more inclined to offer retirement benefits if they could band together to reduce the burdens and costs of plan maintenance. And, to sweeten the deal, the special plan startup tax credits in the SECURE Act allow eligible employers to receive up to $5,000 in tax credits for the first three years and offer an additional $500 tax credit for adding an automatic enrollment feature that can be used with PEPs.

Conclusion

PEPs became available for adoption starting in 2021 through registered PPPs. Thanks to a tool on the DOL’s website, the industry can stay up to date on PPP registrants.

© Copyright 2024 Retirement Learning Center, all rights reserved
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SECURE Act breaks congressional gridlock; Retirement provisions fast tracked

By W. “Andy” Larson

Just when we thought it was safe to enjoy a quiet year end (at least from a retirement policy perspective) our supposedly gridlocked politicians fast tracked the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act as part of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 —a necessary, year-end government spending bill. The SECURE Act contains some of the biggest retirement-related changes in years.  The president is expected to sign the bill on 12/20/2019 to avoid a shut-down. Many provisions are effective January 1, 2020, and we need to move quickly to get advisors and clients prepared for the changes. We encourage you to contact RLC to discuss SECURE Act training for advisors and clients www.retirementlc.com.

What will change?

Many aspects of retirement plans are affected by the SECURE Act.  We will focus on just a few of the major provisions here, and then discuss initial steps advisors can take to address these changes.

IRA

  • Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) begin at age 72
  • Stretch IRAs eliminated or curtailed for many beneficiaries
  • Traditional IRA contribution eligibility regardless of age

Qualified Plan

  • Expanded availability of Multiple Employer Plans (MEPs) to unrelated employers through “Pooled Plan Providers”
  • Opened eligibility for 401(k) plans for certain long-service, part-time employees
  • Enhanced tax credits for small employers establishing qualified plans
  • Mandated retirement income disclosures for participants in defined contribution plans
  • Increased penalties for late IRS Form 5500 filings
  • Reduced the voluntary in-service distribution age for defined benefit plans and 457(b) plans from age 62 to 59½ (a provision originally from the Bipartisan American Miners Act of 2019)

529

  • New qualifying distributions (for apprenticeships, homeschooling, private school costs and up to $10,000 of qualified student loan repayments)

403(b)

  • New provisions for the disposition of terminated 403(b) plans

Next steps

Despite their near immediate effectivity, some implementation aspects of these new rules won’t be finalized until the IRS issues additional regulations.  Regardless, we feel it’s important to begin discussions post haste with individuals potentially impacted by these changes.  We encourage the following preliminary steps in addressing the SECURE Act changes:

  • Notify IRA clients under age 72 of the new ability to postpone RMDs.
  • Alert IRA clients with nonspousal beneficiaries that the stretch distribution provisions will be cut back, and work with them to consider alternatives in conjunction with their estate planning counsel.
  • Alert nonspouse beneficiaries with inherited IRAs of the changes to the stretch distribution rules. Discuss mitigating tax strategies with them and their tax and legal advisors.
  • Inform individuals over age 70 and still working they may continue making traditional IRA contributions if they are otherwise eligible.
  • Discuss with small business owners MEP opportunities and the expanded tax credits.
  • Review with 401(k) plan sponsors the new eligibility rules for part-time employees.
  • Modify 401(k) employee communication strategies based on new retirement income projection requirements.
  • Discuss with 401(k) plan sponsors the importance of timely and accurate IRS Form 5500 filing in light of the increases in late filing penalties.
  • Consider amendments to plan documents that will be required by the end of the 2022 plan year (2024 plan year for certain governmental plans).
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