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John Iekel

The CalSavers Retirement Savings Board and New Mexico State Treasurer’s Office have announced that they are seeking service providers for aspects of their operations in providing retirement plan coverage to employees in their states whose employers do not.  CalSavers The CalSavers Retirement... READ MORE
The IRS in a May 23 edition of Employee Plan News provides a comprehensive discussion of the impact of missing a deadline for restating a pre-approved 401(a) or 403(b) plan and how such a situation can be handled.  To maintain a plan’s status as a pre-approved plan and retain uninterrupted... READ MORE
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has updated its periodic report on the finances of the Social Security system to account for the current and projected inflation rates. It further offers some insight into how finances and factors behind Social Security expenditures may affect benefits and... READ MORE
A bill is before the Alaska House of Representatives that would expand options for some participants in the state teachers’ retirement system. HB 220, introduced by Rep. Grier Hopkins (D-Goldstream), includes provisions that would give teachers in Alaska the ability to choose between the defined... READ MORE
“Saving is the No. 1 priority,” says Robert Kaplan, the American Retirement Association’s Director of Technical Education. Kaplan made his comments during a recent webcast that highlighted tax credits and deductions relevant to retirement saving, as well as proposals intended to increase it.  ... READ MORE
Hurricane season is looming on the horizon, but that is just one of the natural disasters that can affect a retirement plan and its sponsor. The IRS has issued some tips to aid in being ready for any eventuality.  Documents  Place original documents inside waterproof containers in a secure space... READ MORE
A bill is before the California Senate that would expand CalSavers, the state-run retirement plan that provides coverage to those whose employers do not, to cover almost all employers in the Golden State. SB 1126, introduced by Sen. Dave Cortese (D-Santa Clara), would expand the definition of “... READ MORE
The IRS on May 13 announced that it is extending to the end of 2022 the temporary relief from the requirement that certain participant elections be witnessed in the physical presence of a plan representative or a notary public.  In Notice 2022-27 the IRS says that due to the pandemic, it is... READ MORE
Arizona is set to study public-private partnerships in retirement savings programs. Gov. Doug Doucey (R) on May 2 signed a measure to create a committee to do so.  Senate Bill 1375 was introduced on Jan. 25 in the state Senate and on March 8 in the House of Representatives.  The study committee... READ MORE
The Show Me State may show welcome to a state-run retirement plan for private-sector employees.  Legislation that would create the Missouri Workplace Retirement Savings Plan has passed the state House of Representatives, and the Senate is poised to take up its version. The Missouri Workplace... READ MORE
Well, this looks familiar: Capitol Hill considering a SECURE Act. But this time around, it’s SECURE 2.0. In a recent webcast, American Retirement Association Retirement Education Counsel Robert M. Richter provided an update regarding the provisions of SECURE 2.0—which include some that would affect... READ MORE
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) on May 2 vetoed legislation that included provisions that would have made changes to pension benefits of members of the Vermont State Teachers’ Retirement System (VSTRS). Scott said in a letter to Secretary of the Senate John Bloomer that while the bill “takes some... READ MORE
The Aloha state is poised to set in motion a state retirement plan that would be unique among its counterparts—employees would have to opt in, and a retiree would be among the members of the board administering the program.  On May 3, the Hawaii Senate and House of Representatives both voted in... READ MORE
CalSavers, the state-run retirement plan for employees whose employers don’t offer one, showed growth in March—in some cases sharp growth.  The CalSavers Retirement Savings Board reports that the number of employer registrations increased by almost 26% from February levels.  CalSavers growth... READ MORE
Less than two months remain for employers with five or more employees in the Golden State to register with CalSavers, the state-run retirement plan for those whose employers do not offer one.  CalSavers, enacted in 2012 but not launched until July 1, 2019, has required employers to either begin... READ MORE
Vestwell has been selected as the vendor that will administer the Colorado Secure Savings Program and New Mexico Work and $ave, the state-run retirement plans that provide retirement plan coverage for employees in those states whose employers do not.  Vestwell announced that it won a competitive... READ MORE
The IRS has announced the health savings account (HSA) limits for 2023. The announcement came in IRS Revenue Procedure 2022-24.  HSA Limits For calendar year 2023, the annual limitation on deductions under Internal Revenue Code Section 223(b)(2)(A) for an individual with self-only coverage under... READ MORE
Inflation the likes of which we haven’t seen in more than a generation is obvious, as are its effects. But recent reports suggest— strange though it may seem—that inflation is not harmful in every respect for retirement plans.  Participants vs. Plan Sponsors Further worsening of inflation, says... READ MORE
Baby Boomers, the oldest part of the workforce, and Millennials, who make up the bulk of the young part of the workforce, are separated by more than age. They have somewhat different takes on saving and retirement—but not entirely in ways one may expect.  Some of the differences reported by the... READ MORE
OregonSaves, the state-run program which provides employees in the Beaver State with retirement benefits if their employers do not, was the first such program to begin operating in the United States. A recent study assessed how well it is doing, and researchers have some good news for its advocates... READ MORE

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