The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule to assist employers when determining whether a worker is considered an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Read MoreOne new penalty tax exception is for the terminal illness of a retirement plan participant or IRA owner. The provision applies to terminally ill distributions made after December 29, 2022. The rationale for this new exception is the potential need of an individual to use retirement funds for expenses related to a terminal illness.
To assist Ascensus clients during the busy contribution and tax season, the 800 Consulting telephone lines will be open for extended hours.
Read MoreThere are many deadlines to keep track of throughout the year. Although it’s generally up to clients to track these deadlines, they may come to you for guidance. This article will cover some common questions surrounding certain IRA-related deadlines.
Read MoreToday, many employers offer long-term incentives, such as employer matching contributions, to boost participation in their retirement plans. But, as of plan years beginning after December 29, 2022, a small immediate financial incentive can also be offered to entice those not deferring in their employer’s 401(k) or 403(b) plan to start contributing to the plan. Inevitably, this has generated questions—the most popular of which we will answer here.
Read MoreThe Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released final regulations that provide de minimis error safe harbor exceptions to penalties for failure to file correct information returns or furnish correct payee statements.
Read MoreBefore SECURE 2.0’s enactment, SEP and SIMPLE IRA plan contributions had to be made as pre-tax contributions, but now employers may allow employees to elect to have contributions into a SEP or SIMPLE IRA made as Roth contributions.
Read MoreThe SECURE 2.0 Act contains provisions that allow individuals to place more of their assets into Roth accounts. Implementing these provisions requires significant retooling for employers, third-party providers, and financial organizations.
Read MoreEmployers may now terminate a SIMPLE IRA and replace it with a safe harbor plan.
Read MoreEmployers that sponsor a SIMPLE plan may allow increased salary deferral limits for their employees, starting in tax year 2024.
Read MoreGiven the many changes to the retirement landscape brought about by the SECURE 2.0 Act legislation, it would be difficult to identify any one provision that has the greatest potential to impact retirement savers. But, certainly, one strong candidate would be the new ability to make Roth contributions to simplified employee pension (SEP) and savings incentive match plans of small employers (SIMPLE) IRA retirement plans.
Read MoreThe Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Notice 2024-02, which provides guidance in a question and answer format regarding several provisions of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0). This article summarizes the guidance contained in Notice 2024-02.
Read MoreBeginning with account owner deaths in 2020 and later, the SECURE Act of 2019 made significant changes to the rules on how qualified plan beneficiaries distribute their inherited assets. One significant provision prevents most nonspouse beneficiaries from “stretching” out distributions and taxation over their life expectancy.
Read MoreSome HSA owners may not fully understand what medically-related expenses their HSA is allowed to cover. Although financial organizations are not responsible for determining whether a medical expense is a qualified expense, it is helpful to know some of the basics.
Read MoreAn employer can design a plan and avoid worrying about ADP/ACP testing by offering an ADP/ACP safe harbor 401(k) plan.
Read MoreThe SECURE Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) made many changes to both individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and retirement plans sponsored by employers. The following are important provisions of SECURE 2.0 that did not take effect immediately, but become effective in 2024.
Read MoreIt's a brand-new year filled with fresh reporting deadlines, and perhaps a good time to take note on whether your financial organization is on track to meet these obligations—or to refresh your memory on when specific deadlines occur. First quarter is always a busy reporting season.
Read MoreOne primary reason individuals contribute to a Traditional IRA is for the tax deduction. But deduction eligibility is different than contribution eligibility, and individuals who do not qualify for a deduction can still contribute to a Traditional IRA.
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