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Posts in Qualified Retirement Plan
Mandatory Auto-Enrollment is Coming for Some Plans-What to Know

Most new plans will be required to have auto-enrollment and auto-escalation beginning in 2025. The “grab bag” guidance in Notice 2024-02 addresses how this requirement will be applied to mergers and spinoffs, but leaves other basic questions unanswered.

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New Guidance Fills in the Blanks for Roth Employer Contributions

Clarification of the rules for electing Roth employer contributions should spur more plan sponsors and vendors to consider allowing them.

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Hidden Advisor Fees: Ninth Circuit and DOL Let the Sunshine In

The fiduciary responsibility to review the reasonableness of plan compensation extends to indirect compensation. Failure to do so can result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction.

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The Long Arm of ERISA Falls Short-How A Foreign Affiliate Escaped Liability

All members of a controlled group are liable under ERISA for plan termination and withdrawal liability, but in practice, it isn’t easy to get jurisdiction over foreign members.

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Process Prevails in ERISA Excessive Fee Bench Trial

Most ERISA lawsuits don’t get to trial, but a recent decision in a 401(k) fiduciary breach lawsuit shows that fiduciaries who follow prudent processes can win.

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Protecting 401(k) Participants from Cybertheft Should be a Priority-What Sponsors and the Government Can Do

No federal law guarantees restoration of a participant’s account if it is stolen by a cyberthief. ERISA and state law might provide remedies if a participant can establish breach of fiduciary duty or negligence, but plan sponsors and the government can do more to deal with this problem.

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IRS Notice 2023-43 Continues the Expansion of EPCRS

SECURE 2.0 expands the ability of plan sponsors to self-correct inadvertent plan errors without making a formal IRS filing. In Notice 2023-43, the IRS provides guidance to follow until a revised revenue procedure can be issued.

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Are All ESG Investments Imprudent? A Plaintiff Suing American Airlines Says Yes

ESG investments are a minefield in the current political environment. A new lawsuit filed against American Airlines and its fiduciaries tries to target all ESG investments as imprudent.

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