11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET

GS1: SECURE 2.0 Update (again)

In this session we will discuss provisions of SECURE 2.0 that are relevant for 2024 as well as discuss provisions that we have recently received guidance on!  

During this session we will focus: 
• Tax credits for small employers and the SAVERS credit. 
• The new Family Attribution Rule Updates
• Update to Top Heavy Provisions for Otherwise Excludable Employees
• Roth Employer Contributions
• SIMPLE to 401(k) Safe Harbor Mid-year conversions

Speaker: Kizzy M. Gaul J.D., CPC, TGPC Director, Retirement Benefits Advisory & Compliance, WTW

12:40-1:30p.m. ET

Concurrent Workshops

Speaker: Theresa Conti APR, QKA®, ERPA, CPFA Senior Consultant, July Business Services

WS2: Cash Balance Plans - Practical Topics for Practitioners

We understand the opportunity of large contributions for key personnel that make this plan design attractive but have many questions on the practical matters of administering the plan each year.  This session will take on those topics and provide a greater understanding of the non-actuarial points of administration including:

• Why is a Cash Balance Plan operated in combination with a 401(k) Plan and how are the employer contributions to the 401(k) Plan affected.
• Flow of communication between the TPA and Consulting Actuary for calculation of the contributions and preparation and filing of the Form 5500 series return.
• Deduction Limitations and Non-Discrimination Testing
• How does the investment return affect the calculation of the contribution to the Cash Balance Plan.

Speaker: Norm Levinrad, Chief Actuary, EGPS

WS3: EPCRS Expansion – Helping Plan Sponsors Stay Compliant

WS4: “Strictly Automatic” (SECURE 2.0’s Automatic Enrollment Mandate)​

This session will navigate the mandatory automatic enrollment provisions enacted with SECURE 2.0.  Attendees will hear which plans or employers are exempt from mandatory automatic enrollment and which plans are ‘grandfathered’ (not required to use automatic enrollment).  This session will also define applicable plan adoption and effective dates that will exempt plan sponsors from the mandatory provisions.  Also featured within this session will be which type of automatic contribution arrangement is required, the available tax credit, and details about required auto. escalation and whether a minimum automatic contribution rate may be used, to avoid the escalation provision.  This session will also detail how missed automatic deferrals may be corrected.

Speaker: Shannon Edwards ERPA, CPC, QPA, QKC®, QKA®, President, TriStar Pension Consulting

2:50-3:40 p.m. ET

Concurrent Workshops

WS5: We Have an Emergency!  Case Studies on Emergency Distributions

Congress understands that emergency savings are not sufficient for many individuals.  As such, Congress, through the SECURE 2.0 Act, has enacted additional options to make it easier for participants to receive money from their retirement accounts in the event of emergency.  These options are in addition to the already allowable participant loan and hardship withdrawal provisions.  With this influx of rules all at once, it’s hard not to confuse all of the new legislative provisions.  This session will clarify all the options.  

This session will discuss:
• Loans
• Hardship Withdrawals
• Emergency – Section 115 of the SECURE 2.0 Act
• Emergency Savings (PLESA) – Section 127 of the SECURE 2.0 Act
• Qualified Disaster Distributions – Section 331 of the SECURE 2.0 Act
• Terminal Illness Distributions – Section 326 of the SECURE 2.0 Act
 
After this session, participants will be able to:
• Identify all of the newly allowed emergency distribution options enacted by the SECURE 2.0 Act.
• Understand the emergency distribution options in detail. 
• Help clients administer the provisions and to avoid errors.

Speaker: David Schultz APM, Attorney, FIS

WS6: Plan Terminations and Freezes

Don’t get left in the cold!  In this session we will be diving into Mergers, Spinoffs, and Plan terminations.  This session will include case studies and discuss the pros and cons of plan freezes in the DC world.

Speaker: Kelsey Mayo J.D., Partner, Poyner Spruill

Speaker: Bob Kaplan, CFP, CPC™, QPA™, QKC®, QKA®, Director of Technical Education, American Retirement Association

11-:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. ET

GS3: Long-Term Part-Time (LTPT) – It’s 2024!

It's here – the challenge of implementing the requirement to permit LTPTs to make salary deferral contributions to an employer’s 401(k) Plan as of 1/1/2024. SECURE 1.0 brought forth the concept of LTPT and before it could even be implemented, SECURE 2.0 changed the rules.  Adding to the concern was that no guidance was provided on topic until late November, 2023. 

This session will cover:
• Which PT Employees qualify as LTPTs and former LTPTs
• Crediting service for participation and vesting
• Employer contributions and Nondiscrimination Testing
• Correction procedures if an LTPT is not offered the opportunity to make salary deferral contributions.
• Plan Document Requirements

12:30-1:20 p.m. ET

Concurrent Workshops

WS7: Eligibility: Back to the Basics

If you are new to the industry, or just want a nice refresher, this session will dive into plan eligibility! We will cover eligibility options for plan design and review how to figure eligibility with each option including elapsed time, hourly, special exclusions, and break in service rules.  Have your thinking caps on as we will be going through real life examples.

Speaker: Karen Roberts, CEBS, QKA®, TGPC, Director, Client Consulting, CBIZ

WS8: “This Takeover is Not Hostile"

This session will highlight challenges to data collection during the onboarding of new clients, as well as appropriate timing to make those data requests.  What data should be requested from the plan sponsor and how can the new provider work with other parties to obtain much of this information?  Is different information required when changing providers for a cash balance plan?  How can one determine when market value adjustments may be a factor? 

Best practices include assembling a data collection checklist and letters of instruction for these “takeover” plans, to streamline the process.   

In addition, this session will address:

• Information to be collected as a result of legislation enacted since 2019 (records about long-term part-time employees, prior QBAD’s, CARES distributions and loans, RMD history, in-place elections to receive employer contributions on a Roth basis, emergency distributions, and PLESA accounts)

• Collecting historical information about certain distributions, loans and Roth basis will continue, and information requests will be expanded as more providers conform their systems to SECURE 2.0.

Speaker: Erin Patton ERPA, CPC, QPA, QKA® Retirement Plan Consultant and Administrator, Striegel Knobloch & Company, LLC

1:30-2:20 p.m. ET

Concurrent Workshops

WS9: Keys to the 401(k) Kingdom: a SECURE Approach

This session will provide an in-depth look at the implications of SECURE on top heavy testing, and the strategies to ensure compliance. Attendees will learn about the latest guidance and regulations related to top heavy testing, including changes. The session will cover best practices for communicating changes, as well as practical strategies for plan design and administration.

Attendees will leave this session with an understanding of:
• Top heavy testing before/after SECURE
• Communication of changes to plan sponsors
• Plan design strategies due to SECURE changes

Speaker: Corey Zeller MSEA, CPC, QPA, QKA®, Enrolled Actuary, Preferred Pension Planning Corporation

WS10: Updates on Forms 5500, 5558, and 8868