SPD is a Summary Plan Description. It is the employee benefit plan documentation that must be provided to all participants and beneficiaries that explains the basic rules of the plan in layperson’s terms. It contains descriptions of the rules for eligibility, participation, vesting, benefit calculation, benefit availability and how to file a claim for benefits. …
An article published early this year discussed a survey by State Street Global Advisors (SSgA) proudly boasted that 74% of participants in 401k plans want to better understand how their savings will pay off in retirement. This should come as no surprise. Most workers have little or no formal or informal education in investing. Thanks …
401k Participants Want Employer Help Saving for Retirement. No Kidding? Read More »
An ESOP is an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. It is an ERISA-governed employee benefit plan that allows the employee to purchase shares of the employer’s stock on a tax deferred-basis. (You don’t pay taxes today but you will pay taxes when you take your money out of the plan.) ESOPs were common before the rise …
How does an ESOP work? How does it work with a 401k plan? Read More »
You may have many reasons to dispute your benefit plan, such as 401k or pension. You may disagree with the facts used to calculate your benefits, the formula used to calculate your benefits, an investment option or distribution opportunity denied. ERISA lays out a specific set of rules that plans must follow. You must comply …
A common concern posed by pension participants is how secure those payments will be in the future. Given the economic turmoil in the past few years, it is certainly a worthwhile question. The good news is that the vast majority of retirement benefits are more secure than you might think. As a Dallas employment attorney experienced …
Employers operate 401k plans at a cost. Like other labor expenses (hiring process, salary, vacation pay, etc.) employers have to pay for compliance with labor and employment laws. Benefit plans are somewhat unique. Under ERISA employers can shift the cost of plan administration from the plan sponsor to plan beneficiaries. 401k plan fees often are …
401k Plan Fees – What Are They and Do They Matter? Read More »
ERISA, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, is a federal regulatory regime that governs private employer retirement, health care benefits and certain other employee benefit plans. It is a massive web of legislation, Department of Labor regulations and IRS regulations. ERISA also borrows from and incorporates securities regulations on investments (such as in 401k plans). ERISA …
This highly important question tends to receive significantly less attention in today’s economy than it should. Many people see a lump sum as a way to either pay down debts or seed stock gains. This attitude is further fueled by financial advisors who need to bring in assets, like your pension lump sum and 401k, …
Should You Take the Lump Sum or the Annuity Payments from Your Pension? Read More »
There are many retirement asset-funded investment and business schemes that run from taking loans to “rollover as business startup” (ROBS) plans. They have been around for many years and typically they are generally a bad idea. I discourage most would-be investors due to the legal and financial liability involved. I have had people come to …
Can I use my 401k to buy a business, franchise, house, investment property, etc.? Read More »
401k fee disclosure was a project in the works for many years, going back to the mid-2000s. Eventually the Department of Labor promised Congress it would create regulations requiring plans to disclosure fees charged by service providers. The purposes are two-fold. First, disclosures help plan administrators figure costs so they can assess whether fees are …