A multiemployer pension is generally a defined benefit plan to which more than one employer is required to contribute and is maintained pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. Many multiemployer pensions are expected to become insolvent in coming years. In fact, because of the number of pensions facing insolvency, and the total amount of unfunded […]
The Employee Retention Credit (ERC), which was created to encourage employers to keep their workforces intact during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been with us for a year. But questions about it remain for many employers. With the new American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) extending the credit and expanding eligibility — and the credit worth as […]
Updated 3/24/2021 (adding states that have also extended deadlines) The IRS has announced that the federal income tax filing deadline for individuals for the 2020 tax year is extended from April 15, 2021, until Monday, May 17, 2021. The IRS extended the deadline to provide relief to taxpayers facing challenges as a result of the […]
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The $1.9 trillion law is intended to provide far-reaching relief from the economic and other repercussions of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to funding for testing, contact tracing, vaccinations, education, and state and local governments, the ARPA includes extensive […]
by Stan Stahl, Ph.D. / originally written for and published on SecureTheVillage.org Hundreds of thousands of Microsoft Exchange Server systems have been hacked by what appears to be an unusually aggressive Chinese cyber espionage unit. Compromised systems have a powerful backdoor Trojan Horse installed allowing the attackers to take complete control of the Exchange server […]
Congress has passed the latest legislation aimed at providing economic and other relief from the COVID-19 pandemic that has haunted the country for the last year. President Biden is expected to sign the 628-page American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which includes $1.9 trillion in funding for individuals, businesses, and state and local governments. The ARPA […]
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01, which is of interest to employers. It clarifies the duration of certain COVID-19-related deadline extensions that apply to health care benefits plans. Extensions to continue The DOL and IRS issued guidance last year specifying that the COVID-19 outbreak period — defined as beginning […]
For employers that still maintain a pension plan, losing contact with former employees who are vested can be problematic. The issue typically becomes most acute when it’s time for those participants to begin receiving their required minimum distributions (RMDs). Everyone’s problem From a plan sponsor perspective, incurring administrative charges for servicing “lost” participant accounts, whether […]
In mid-January, the IRS issued final regulations that clarify the application of employer shared responsibility provisions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as well as nondiscrimination rules, to Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs). The regs also address Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs). These accounts allow employers to make tax-deductible contributions to reimburse employees for part […]
The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) includes a wide variety of provisions that address the ongoing economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are so many provisions, in fact, that you may find it challenging to keep track of everything pertinent to your organization. One example is retirement benefits. Although the CAA doesn’t make sweeping […]
By now you’ve likely heard and read much about the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA). Among its primary purposes, of course, is to provide much-needed relief to individuals and businesses still struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. A couple of the law’s most talked-about features are stimulus payments to individuals and expansion of the Paycheck Protection Program […]
Miller Kaplan, a top-100 certified public accounting firm, is pleased to announce that Igal Khoshlesan, CPA has been promoted to partner. Khoshlesan, with more than 15 years of public accounting experience, specializes in employer compliance and audit and assurance services for employee benefit plans and nonprofit organizations. “Igal has proven to be a steadfast resource […]