Craig P. Hoffman

The 2020 Must-Do List for Qualified Retirement Plans

CRAIG P. HOFFMAN and KEVIN E. NOLT, February, 2020    Qualified retirement plans are subject to a number of administrative changes, document requirements and other deadlines effective with or during the 2020 calendar/plan year, especially in light of the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE). The following article summarizes these changes […]

SECURE Act Makes Significant and Immediate Pension Law Changes

CRAIG P. HOFFMAN, December, 2019    The most far-reaching pension reform legislation in 13 years was passed by Congress and is expected to be signed into law by President Trump today as part of the budget bill funding the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement […]

The Final Frontier: Adding a Retirement Tier

R. BRADFORD HUSS, CRAIG P. HOFFMAN, CATHERINE L. REAGAN, November, 2019  401(k) plans have been with us for almost 40 years. Over that time, the focus for most plans has been on helping participants accumulate savings that will be consumed in retirement. With the decline in defined benefit plans, 401(k) plans are providing a large […]

DOL Proposes New E-Disclosure Regulations

CRAIG P. HOFFMAN, October, 2019    Background On October 23, 2019, the Department of Labor (DOL) published proposed regulations that provide for a new e-disclosure safe harbor for distribution of participant notices required under ERISA. This regulatory project is in response to President Trump’s Executive Order on Strengthening Retirement Security, issued in August of last […]

SECURE Retirement Legislation on Hold in the Senate

CRAIG P. HOFFMAN, August, 2019    Congress will soon be returning to Washington from its summer recess. The question for those interested in retirement policy is whether pension reform will finally move forward this year. The answer will depend on whether several key senators agree to lift the “holds” they have placed on the legislation. […]

401(k) Student Loan Matching Programs — Private Letter Ruling 2018-33012

CRAIG P. HOFFMAN, June, 2019    Much has been written about the impact student loan debt is having on the American economy. According to the Wall Street Journal, student loan debt is currently in excess of $1.5 trillion, the average debt is $34,000 per person, two million loans have defaulted over the last six years […]

IRS Makes Significant Improvements to EPCRS in Rev. Proc. 2019-19

CRAIG P. HOFFMAN, April, 2019    Effective April 19, 2019, new rules under the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) will greatly expand the types of disqualifying defects that may be corrected under the Self-Correction Program (SCP). SCP is a component of EPCRS under which certain types of disqualifying defects may be corrected without the […]