John Iekel

While a strong majority of employers provide access to a plan, that doesn’t necessarily spell participation rates that match, says the Congressional Research Service (CRS).  In a new report, “Worker Participation in Employer-Sponsored Pensions: Data in Brief,” the CRS provides data on the... READ MORE

The importance of information technology, which had already been growing, is in even sharper relief with the challenges businesses face this year. In an ASPPA All Access session, industry experts offered ideas and insights concerning IT and how it figures in business operations and decision makers... READ MORE

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs has reported on the status of Illinois Secure Choice, the state-sponsored retirement program that provides a Roth IRA to employees who do not have access to a retirement savings plan through their employers. According to Frerichs, as of November 2020, more... READ MORE

Industry experts in a Nov. 11 session of ASPPA All Access discussed ways to measure return on the investment of resources that is entailed in business activity. Megan Crawford, partner at Williams Benefit Consulting, LLC and who also serves as Co-Chair for the ASPPA Women in Retirement Conference... READ MORE

The priority guidance plan that the Treasury and IRS have issued for 2020-21 includes plans for action that will affect retirement plans. They unveiled the plan on Nov. 17.  The 2020-2021 Priority Guidance Plan contains guidance projects that will be the focus of the efforts by the Treasury and... READ MORE

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) on Nov. 16 announced that it has revised its guidance related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act extended contribution due date to incorporate the IRS’ treatment of prior year contributions made by Jan. 4, 2021 as... READ MORE

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announced on Nov. 12 that it has updated the ERISA Section 4044 mortality table for 2021 valuations.  This table is used:  to determine liabilities when a single-employer plan terminates in an involuntary or distress termination; and  when a... READ MORE

The American Retirement Association (ARA) has submitted a comment letter to the IRS about long-term, part-time (LTPT) employees.  The Nov. 2 letter was in response to the IRS invitation in Notice 2020-68 regarding how to reduce potential administrative burdens related to counting years of service... READ MORE

The 100 largest corporate pension plans’ funded status improved during October, says a new report. This comes after NEPC reported similar findings.  The Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index says that the funded ratio stood at 85.1% by Halloween, a 0.7-percentage point increase from the ratio of 84.4... READ MORE