Retirement accounts are a seemingly simple and effective way to protect assets from future creditors, but the subtle nuances of what is protected under Missouri law and what is protected in bankruptcy can be complex. In the July/August 2019 edition of the Journal of the Missouri Bar, attorneys Keith Herman and Jeffrey Herman analyze how
Ninth Circuit reverses precedent, sends Charles Schwab ERISA case to individual arbitration
A U.S. Court of Appeals determined that arbitration on an individual basis is the proper forum for a participant’s claim that Charles Schwab breached its fiduciary duties and engaged in prohibited transaction under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) by holding proprietary funds in its 401(k) plan.
The decision, Dorman v. Charles
IRS expands preventive care benefits that are not subject to HDHPs’ deductible
Certain treatments for chronic conditions can now be covered by high deductible health plans (HDHPs) as preventive care before the deductible is met. Pursuant to an executive order, a new IRS notice will allow individuals with certain conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, to obtain coverage for treatments and medications, such as inhalers and insulin
Supreme Court to review Eighth Circuit decision regarding standing in ERISA defined benefit plan cases
On Friday, June 28, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving a hotly debated ERISA topic: standing to bring breach of fiduciary duty claims in defined benefit plans. The court will review Thole v. U.S. Bank, Nat’l Ass’n, 873 F.3d 617, 628 (8th Cir. 2017), which the Eighth Circuit decided
Supreme Court fills docket with ERISA cases
After more than two years since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its last decision* in a case involving the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the court’s next term looks to be flush with ERISA issues. On June 10, 2019, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in a Ninth Circuit case addressing the “actual knowledge”
HHS retreats on controversial ACA non-discrimination regulations
On May 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced that it is issuing proposed revised regulations under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act that remove the redefinition of “sex” and certain regulatory burdens, including language taglines. The changes substantially roll back the original Obama-era regulations.
Section 1557 prohibits discrimination
Fixing retirement plan mistakes just got a little easier
The Internal Revenue Service has updated the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) to allow for the self-correction of more failures. EPCRS is a program that allows plan sponsors to correct errors involving qualified plans (such as 401(k) plans, profit sharing plans, defined benefit pension plans, etc.) and certain other types of plans that, if
Responding to 2016 226J letters: How to reduce your penalties
Recently, the IRS has been issuing 226J letters for the 2016 tax year. IRS Letter 226J is the penalty letter sent to employers who did not comply with the employer mandate under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in their offers of health coverage to employees. Frequently these penalties can be in the
New association health plan rules vacated, but old rules still valid
The battle over health benefits rages on. In the latest salvo, a group of states scored a major court victory against the Trump administration’s new “Association Health Plan” Final Rule, which was finalized in 2018. While this decision will have major ramifications, it is important to remember that association health plans may still be
Reminder: VCP submissions must be submitted electronically beginning April 1, 2019
In October 2018, the IRS updated the Employee Compliance Plans Resolution System (EPCRS) by issuing Rev. Proc. 2018-52. EPCRS is a program that allows plan sponsors to correct errors involving qualified plans (such as 401(k) plans, profit sharing plans, defined benefit pension plans, etc.) and certain other types of plans that, if left uncorrected, could