Practice Management

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

How do you reach your clients? Future clients? Do you rely on traditional media, or have you expanded the repertoire so that it includes a 21st-century edge? In a June 1 NTSA podcast, John Hall, Vice President of Digital Marketing at PlanMember Services, offered his insights on the best ways for... READ MORE

The payroll department of a local school district wants to know if employees can make elective deferrals in their 403(b) plans after they have severed employment. In Tech Talk, Ellie Lowder tells us whether they can. READ MORE

In two newsletters, the IRS surprised many in the retirement industry with the assertion that failure to properly document hardship withdrawals or home loans is a qualification failure. In MarketBeat, Ellie Lowder discusses the positions the IRS articulated in the articles and the responses to them. READ MORE

On April 14, the DOL released a proposed fiduciary rule that expands the definition of who a fiduciary is and attempts to broaden the scope of its fiduciary oversight. In MarketBeat, Mike Webb makes some observations regarding the impact of the proposed rule. 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

Advisors working in the ERISA 403(b) marketplace often are asked to help plan sponsors meet their fiduciary duties under ERISA. In MarketBeat, Diane Capone provides some basics on the process an ERISA fiduciary plan sponsor needs to follow in order to comply with their obligations to the plan. READ MORE

One aspect of 403(b) plans that is not easily understood is the correction deadline for the actual contribution percentage (ACP) non-discrimination test. In this week’s MarketBeat, Farhad Mirzada provides an overview of the penalty-free and statutory deadlines for corrections for failed tests. READ MORE

An employer that allows one employee to participate in its 403(b) plan must allow all employees to do so — that is, unless they fall into one of five types of employees who may be excluded. The IRS recently issued a reminder of the importance of following the Universal Availability Rule, and what... READ MORE