Blog Posts: Benefits Law Update
Visit the Full BlogVerrill’s Benefits Law Update blog delivers timely insights and practical guidance on the ever-evolving landscape of employee benefits and executive compensation. Our blog provides up-to-date analysis and commentary on a wide range of topics to provide timely updates and commentary on developments in law affecting employee benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements.
Spence v. American Airlines: A Texas Court’s View of the Duty of Loyalty under ERISA
Since we last discussed environmental, social, and corporate governance (“ESG”) developments in the context of ERISA retirement plans (see our post here ), ESG litigation has taken a rather unexpected turn. Although the plan lineup in Spence v. American Airlines [1] did not include ESG funds, the court concluded...
Student Loans and Code Section 127 Educational Assistance Programs: A Reminder from the IRS, FAQs, and a Sample Plan Document
On August 28, the IRS issued IR-2024-227 , reminding employers of the following key aspects of educational assistance programs under Internal Revenue Code Section 127: They can be used to help reimburse the costs of or pay for employees’ student loans through December 31, 2025; They must be established...
RxDC Reporting in Light of June 1, 2024 Deadline and Recent PBM Litigation
Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (“CAA”), employer-sponsored group health plans, including medical-only plans, must submit information about their prescription drugs and health care spending. [1] This submission is often referred to as the Prescription Drug Data Collection report, or the RxDC report. The deadline for RxDC reports...
Use of Retirement Plan Forfeitures: The IRS Proposed Regulations, Recent Litigation, and the DOL’s Position
In five recently filed class action lawsuits, [1] 401(k) plan participants allege that plan fiduciaries violated ERISA by using plan forfeitures to offset employer contributions instead of paying plan expenses. The use of forfeitures to offset employer contributions is a long-standing practice expressly approved by IRS proposed regulations issued...
How to Comply with the Health FSA Debit Card Claims Substantiation Rules
The IRS’s recent Chief Counsel Advice Memorandum 202317020 (the “Memo”) brings into focus the importance of compliance with the debit card claims substantiation requirements for medical care expenses reimbursed or paid for through a health flexible spending account (“health FSA”) offered under a cafeteria plan. [1] The risk of...
Pension-Linked Emergency Savings Accounts: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Forthcoming
Following the initial flurry of publications summarizing the retirement plan enhancements under the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”), this post takes a deeper dive into one of those enhancements: the optional “pension-linked emergency savings account” (“PLESA”). Plan sponsors may add PLESAs to their defined contribution retirement plans...
When Cash is not King: Holiday Gifts as “De Minimis” Fringe Benefits
To celebrate the holiday season, this post highlights the tax consequences of employer-sponsored holiday perks such as gift cards, turkeys, hams and gift baskets. Under the current tax rules, employers may give infrequent low value gifts of property or services to employees on a tax-free basis. [1] Cash and...
2025 Is the New 2022: IRS Extends Deadline to Adopt SECURE Act Amendments and CARES Act Waiver of 2020 RMDs Amendment
This post was updated on September 27, 2022. On August 3, 2022, the IRS released Notice 2022-33 , which extends the deadline for plans to adopt: all SECURE Act [1] amendments, optional or required (a summary of SECURE Act changes can be found here ); CARES Act [2] amendments...
