We concluded our Summer Webinar Series in August of 2022. We had a great turnout and thank you to our clients and friends that joined us live. The educational series covered great topics such as planning for loved ones, retirement plan basics, behavioral investing, Social Security and Medicare. We hope you learned something new to help you achieve your retirement goals.
For those that were unable to attend or for those that want to re-listen to the webinars, the replays are now available at BFSG University on YouTube. We always suggest you subscribe to BFSG University on YouTube to ensure you never miss the latest educational videos and presentations, many of which are pre-recorded and not broadcast via live webinar.
Again, we hope you enjoyed our summer webinar series and we look forward to having you back for future sessions.
September 2022
15th: Required contribution to Money Purchase Pension Plans, Target Benefit Pension Plans, and Defined Benefit Plans.
Contribution deadline for deducting 2021 employer contributions for those sponsors who filed a tax extension for Partnership or S-Corporation returns for the March 15, 2022 deadline.
30th: Deadline for certification of the Annual Funding Target Attainment Percentage (AFTAP) for Defined Benefit plans for the 2022 plan year.
October 2022
17th: Extended due date for the filing of Form 5500 and Form 8955 for plan years ending December 31, 2021.
Due date for 2022 PBGC Comprehensive Premium Filing for Defined Benefit plans.
Contribution deadline for deducting 2021 employer contributions for those sponsors who filed a tax extension for C-Corporation or Sole-Proprietor returns for the April 18, 2022 deadline.
Due date for non-participant-directed individual account plans to include Lifetime Income Illustrations on the annual participant statement for the plan year ending December 31, 2021.
Q: I didn’t file my 12/31/21 plan year end Form 5500 by 7/31/22, now what?
A: Contact your Form 5500 preparer! First, confirm whether or not an extension applies. This would occur with a Form 5558 filed before 7/31, or possibly a special extension or automatic extension. If so, you have until 10/15/22 to file the Form 5500. No extension? The Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program (DFVCP) is a DOL program designed for this purpose. Using this program, the maximum penalty is $750 for a small plan and $2,000 for a large plan. This is much lower than the IRS late filing penalty ($250 a day, up to $150,000) and the DOL late filing penalty (up to $2,529 per day, with no maximum).
Q: What if I didn’t sign the document restatement for my 401(k) Profit Sharing plan that was due by 7/31/22?
A: This plan document restatement (commonly referred to as Cycle 3, Tricycle or Post PPA) required signatures by 7/31/22. Contact your TPA as soon as possible, or your document provider if handled by someone other than your TPA. The steps to ensure your document remains in compliance will vary based on the type of plan document and provisions included, but the options are not as cut and dry as a late Form 5500. Be sure to act promptly!
In June 2022, the IRS began piloting a pre-examination retirement plan compliance program. This is beneficial to plan sponsors because it provides an opportunity for plan sponsors to correct mistakes at a reduced cost and possibly avoid a full IRS examination. Anytime you receive a correspondence from the IRS or DOL, you should inform your TPA or service provider as soon as possible to determine if a response is needed. In some situations, no action is required. In this case, however, the letter opens a 90-day window. Within that time frame, you will need to:
Your TPA or service provider will be able to review the plan information with you to ensure that all necessary steps were previously taken to maintain compliance. If an issue is discovered as part of this review, they can discuss the correction options available. Of course, you don’t have to wait until you receive a letter from the IRS to be sure your plan is compliant! Understanding the terms of the plan and operating the plan according to the document are very important actions to help avoid mistakes.
Once you submit your response, it is reviewed to see if they agree with your conclusion. The IRS will either issue a closing letter or conduct a limited or full scope examination. The intention is that this program will reduce taxpayer burden and the shorten the time spent on retirement plan examinations. The end date of this pilot program is not known, but the process may continue after the pilot period if they find it to be successful.
If you do not provide a response, you will be contacted to schedule the examination. Of course, this is the least favorable option. It is best not to ignore any letter from the IRS or DOL. It is in the best interest of your plan to take action when it is requested, and a 90-day window can close pretty fast!
Every year, most employers file a Form 5500 for each qualified plan that they sponsor. The purpose of the Form 5500 is to provide required information to the Department of Labor (DOL), but it can also provide valuable insight to the plan sponsor.
The Form 5500 has several “types” and the type of form you file will vary based on the size of your plan. The Form 5500-SF is generally for small plans with under 100 participants and the Form 5500, which requires a number of attached schedules, is generally for large plans with 100 or more participants. Additionally, the full Form 5500 requires an accountant’s audit. In some cases, even small plans may be required to file a Form 5500 if the plan assets include employer securities or if the plan is considered a multi-employer or pooled employer plan.
There is an even briefer version of the 5500 series called the 5500-EZ. This version of the 5500 is typically filed by one-participant plans (usually the self-employed (and spouse) or one or more partners (and spouses)). The following are examples of the useful information provided on the Form 5500-SF or Form 5500:
Participant Count
Small plan vs large plan
Eligible participants vs active participants with an account balance
Terminated participants with an account balance
ERISA Fidelity bond coverage amount
Late deposits of employee contributions and loan repayments
Your Form 5500 preparer, often your TPA, will prepare the form on your behalf for your review and signature. They will be able to help guide you through the information that is reported on the form and be sure you understand the information as it reflects on the plan year. The more you understand the Form 5500, the more proactive discussions you can have.