ASPPA Net Staff

When working in the employee benefits field, practitioners, investment advisors, attorneys, accountants, actuaries and other pension professionals need a solid grounding in their specialty. But to deliver optimal service, it can be helpful for the pension professional to have a working knowledge of... READ MORE

The IRS Employee Plans Compliance Unit (EPCU) has updated the information concerning its project on terminated plans with outstanding participant loans.Through the project, the EPCU is attempting to determine if outstanding loan balances at the time all plan assets were distributed were treated... READ MORE

In a public comment letter, ASPPA has asked the IRS to permit filers to complete the 2015 Form 5500-SUP (and/or the equivalent items appearing on the 2015 Form 5500 series, including the paid preparer disclosure) on a voluntary (i.e., optional) basis. ASPPA has previously expressed its concerns to... READ MORE

Much has been made of student loan debt repayment — and also of the need to save for retirement, and the importance of starting as early as possible. What’s a millennial — or Gen Y member — to do? A recent Forbes article has a suggestion.Student loan debt affects a significant portion of the U.S.... READ MORE

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has issued a final rule that amends its regulation on reportable events and other notification requirements. The amended rule appeared in the Federal Register of Sept. 11 and will apply to events that occur after Jan. 1, 2016.The amended rule focuses... READ MORE

Today’s ASPPA Connect is the first of our special Monday editions providing thought leadership, analysis and insight.Beginning this week, ASPPA Connect will publish three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In addition to the new Thought Leadership edition, the Connect will continue to... READ MORE

Life expectancy is about two decades longer now than it was 80 years ago. Not only that, the huge number of people who will be retiring in the next 20 years only heightens the consequences of increased longevity. Add to that major changes in the way retirees’ financial needs are met. Put together,... READ MORE

U.S. Steel has deepened the freeze of its pension plan that began in 2003. The steel giant, which stopped making its DB plan available to new hires 12 years ago, recently froze accruals for all active plan participants, according to Pensions & Investments.Effective Dec. 31, 2015, non-union... READ MORE

The world’s pension assets hit a new milestone in 2014, but grew at half the rate of the previous year.Total assets of the world’s largest 300 pension funds grew by 3.4% in 2014, compared to around 6.2% in 2013, reaching a new high of $15.4 trillion, according to Pensions & Investments (P&I... READ MORE