John Iekel
By John Iekel 4/22/2014
The Office of State and Local Finance, Treasury Department’s newest, is charged with coordinating oversight of state and local financial bond markets, but that’s not all — it also will monitor public pension fund liabilities, Pensions & Investments reports. According to P&I, a Treasury...
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By John Iekel 4/15/2014
Have you ever encountered a Code Section 501(c)(18) pension trust? Did you wonder what it is? And what about the assets in such a trust — can they be rolled over? Turns out these are pre-403(b) plans in which an employee could set aside money for retirement before it is taxed. In Tech Talk, Ellie...
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By John Iekel 4/14/2014
It’s now easier for plan sponsors and employers to participate in the 403(b) pre-approved plan program. April 14 was the effective date of IRS Revenue Procedure (Rev. Proc.) 2014-28. The new guidance modifies guidance the IRS issued last year, Rev. Proc. 2013-22, to make it easier for a person to...
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By John Iekel 4/14/2014
New guidance from the IRS may make the plan-to-plan rollover process a little smoother. Revenue Ruling 2014-9, issued on April 3, is intended to make it easier for plan participants to consolidate their retirement savings accounts by making it easier for them to move assets from one employer plan...
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By John Iekel 4/11/2014
It will be easier for plan sponsors and employers to participate in the 403(b) pre-approved plan program beginning April 14. That’s the effective date IRS Revenue Procedure (Rev. Proc.) 2014-28. The new guidance modifies guidance the IRS issued last year, Rev. Proc. 2013-22, to make it easier for a...
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By John Iekel 4/6/2014
The news about public-sector pension plans has not been good, and a reputable crystal ball does not see improvement in sight. The “Pension Pulse” blog reports that Berkshire Hathaway Chief Executive Warren Buffett has warned in a letter to Berkshire shareholders that promises local and state...
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By John Iekel, Michael Webb 4/6/2014
For qualified plans, the plan termination regimen is well-established via an IRS determination letter process. But that cannot be said about terminations of 403(b) plans. Only recently have the final 403(b) regulations and IRS guidance clearly established that a 403(b) plan could be terminated at...
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By John Iekel 4/4/2014
Some rays of sun appear to be dispelling the gloom that has long engulfed employees’ confidence in their ability to fund a comfortable retirement. The Employee Benefit Research Institute in its 2014 Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS) reports that more than half of employees are at least somewhat...
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By John Iekel 4/3/2014
Sponsors of 403(b) plans are more apt to offer a broad range of services and options, according to a study of defined contribution (DC) plans The 2013 Plansponsor Defined Contribution Survey found that 403(b) plan sponsors in many ways are more generous than their other DC plan counterparts. The...
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By John Iekel 3/31/2014
In remarks at a recent conference on income inequality, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the incoming Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, may have tipped his hand on how he will treat employer-provided retirement plans, advocating the simplification and consolidation of “the array” of current...
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By John Iekel 2/11/2014
The words have barely faded from the teleprompter, but retirement experts have wasted no time in expressing caution regarding the “myRA” retirement accounts President Obama unveiled in his State of the Union Address. Chris Carosa of Fiduciary News provides a comprehensive list of 10 reasons to...
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By John Iekel 6/25/2013
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of 403(b) Advisor Magazine. To view a PDF version of this article, please click HERE. Gathering in the energy-filled Chicago Loop in June, 403(b) professionals from around the country networked, learned about timely industry initiatives and...
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By John Iekel 6/25/2013
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of 403(b) Advisor Magazine. To view a PDF version of this article, please click HERE. Gathering in the energy-filled Chicago Loop in June, 403(b) professionals from around the country networked, learned about timely industry initiatives and...
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