403b Plans

Take note, 403(b) annuity arrangements, defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans with calendar year plans: July 31 is right around the corner. That’s the day by which most plans must file the dreaded and onerous Form 5500. The clock is ticking on filing the form that reports on 2014.... READ MORE

Questions can arise concerning the definition of severance of employment, which can be an important issue to determine regarding whether pre-59½ 403(b) or pre-70½ 457(b) participants are eligible to make withdrawals from their accounts. In MarketBeat, Ellie Lowder digs deep into the issues that... READ MORE

To err is human. The IRS is not divine, but it does at least help 403(b) plan administrators and sponsors correct errors — and to that end has updated its 403(b) Plan Fix-It Guide. But the guide does more than provide a way to fix mistakes after the fact; it also includes information intended to... READ MORE

Summer has begun, and for many parts of the United States, so has hurricane season. Residents and proprietors in areas at risk of a landfall — as well as inland areas that also can be affected — often hear exhortations to be prepared, just in case. The IRS has issued a reminder about the importance... READ MORE

The Treasury Department took a huge step into lifetime income when it issued regulations creating qualified longevity annuity contracts to be provided by 401(a) plans, 403(b) plans, 457(b) governmental plans and IRAs. In MarketBeat, Robert J. Toth discusses what QLACs do and how they work. READ MORE

Funds in 403(b)s were invested more heavily in fixed annuities than in any other kind of investment in 2014, according to the Spectrem Group, a financial analysis firm.Spectrem reports that last year, 43% of 403(b) funds were invested in fixed annuities; 33% were invested in variable annuities; and... READ MORE

IRS Revenue Procedure (Rev. Proc.) 2015-27 updated the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS). On April 2, the IRS released Rev. Proc. 2015-28, outlining even more changes — this time, concerning autoenrollment. In MarketBeat, Michael Webb examines the autoenrollment changes to EPCRS... READ MORE

You have a client who began to draw Social Security at age 62. He has a part-time job and participates in a 403(b) plan. He knows he’ll lose some Social Security benefits due to how much he earns at his job. In Tech Talk, Ellie Lowder tells us whether pre-tax deferrals to his 403(b) plan will... READ MORE

Suppose an employee is leaving one employer and is eligible to receive a distribution from that employer’s 403(b). Can the former employer control where the employee’s 403(b) is rolled? In Tech Talk, Ellie Lowder tells us. READ MORE