Blog Posts

        Category: Retirement Plans
        July 6, 2026

        Tax-exempt employers whose 403(b) plans offer catch-up contributions for participants age 50 and above should be well on their way to compliance with...

        May 1, 2026

        On March 30, 2026, the Department of Labor issued a proposed regulation purporting to implement an executive order to expand access to “alternative...

        March 19, 2026

        Recordkeepers will soon begin to distribute new Adoption Agreements or Adoption Agreement Amendments to their pre-approved plan customers. These...

        by Anna Mikhaylina on December 19, 2025

        We often are asked how to correct automatic enrollment and automatic escalation errors in 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plans. The fix typically has...

        by Kenneth F. Ginder on October 1, 2025

        Many 401(k) plan sponsors are currently discussing implementation of the new Roth catch-up contribution rules, which were published on September 16,...

        by Eric D. Altholz on August 12, 2025

        Participants in 401(k) plans and other defined contribution retirement plans may soon have the opportunity to invest their plan accounts in a variety...

        by Christopher S. Lockman on July 7, 2025

        The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision Cunningham v. Cornell University, 145 S.Ct. 1020 (2025) significantly lowers the pleading standard for...

        June 4, 2025

        Despite efforts by plan sponsors and third-party administrators/plan recordkeepers to communicate to defined contribution retirement plan...

        April 29, 2025

        On April 3, 2025, the Department of Labor issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2025-02 (the FAB), providing initial guidance and updated models for...

        by Kenneth F. Ginder on April 16, 2025

        On Labor Day, September 2, 1974, Gerald Ford signed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) into law. ERISA governs the...

        by Anna Mikhaylina on March 6, 2025

        Since we last discussed environmental, social, and corporate governance (“ESG”) developments in the context of ERISA retirement plans (see our...

        by William D. Jewett on February 14, 2025

        “Solo 401(k)” is a marketing term used for a 401(k) plan that is adopted by a sole proprietor or an incorporated business with no employees other...

        January 31, 2025

        Retirement plan fiduciaries have a new option for handling small benefit payments owed to missing participants and beneficiaries thanks to a...

        by Karen K. Hartford on December 18, 2024

        On September 6, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a press release announcing that it was publishing updated cybersecurity guidance in...

        December 16, 2024

        The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 added new Section 523 to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), requiring the Department of...

        by Kenneth F. Ginder on November 5, 2024

        For over twenty years, the IRS has provided guidance on correcting overpayments from retirement plans through its correction program, the Employee...

        by Eric D. Altholz on October 10, 2024

        In November 2023, the IRS issued proposed regulations addressing the SECURE 2.0 long-term part-time (LTPT) employee eligibility requirements...

        August 28, 2024

        Section 110 of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”) permits employers maintaining a 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b), or SIMPLE IRA plan...

        by Kenneth F. Ginder on June 27, 2024

        In our December 7, 2023 post, we noted five class action lawsuits, all filed by the same law firm within two months, in which 401(k) plan...

        by Kenneth F. Ginder on January 10, 2024

        As part of the routine administration of employee benefit plans, shortly after the end of a calendar year, many transactions must be reported to the...

        January 9, 2024

        The Internal Revenue Service gave retirement plan sponsors end-of-the-year gifts by providing guidance under twelve sections of the SECURE 2.0 Act of...

        by Kaitlyn Malkin on December 22, 2023

        This post summarizes provisions of SECURE 2.0 that retirement plans may need or want to implement for 2024. While no amendments are required for...

        by Eric D. Altholz on December 8, 2023

        Newly issued IRS Proposed Regulations regarding the special eligibility and vesting requirements for long-term, part-time employees provide guidance...

        by Anna Mikhaylina on December 7, 2023

        In five recently filed class action lawsuits,[1] 401(k) plan participants allege that plan fiduciaries violated ERISA by using plan forfeitures to...

        November 3, 2023

        On October 18, 2023, the Maine Retirement Savings Board adopted a final rule implementing Maine’s state-run retirement savings program, the Maine...

        by Kimberly S. Couch on August 30, 2023

        On August 25, 2023, the IRS issued IRS Notice 2023-62, providing much needed relief for employers who have been struggling to implement Section 603...

        by Kaitlyn Malkin on July 19, 2023

        The debate over investment of retirement plan funds based on environmental, social, and corporate governance (“ESG”) factors continues to make...

        by Eric D. Altholz on June 27, 2023

        The self-correction of retirement plan operational failures under IRS correction principles has been conditioned upon a plan sponsor’s...

        by William D. Jewett on June 6, 2023

        Two recent court decisions bring into focus two seldom-asked questions about the reasonable compensation requirement under ERISA. When must an ERISA...

        May 23, 2023

        This post summarizes the new distribution options, including penalty-free withdrawals, applicable to defined contribution plans under the SECURE 2.0...

        Firm Highlights

        Alerts and Newsletters

        Maine’s New Employer Surveillance Law, 26 M.R.S. § 620-A

        Effective July 14, 2026 Maine employers that electronically monitor employees must comply with a new disclosure law effective July 14, 2026. Under...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Recognized by U.S. News as One of the Best Law Firms to Work for in 2026

        BOSTON, Mass., BANGOR and PORTLAND, Maine, GREENWICH and WESTPORT, Conn., – Verrill has been featured on U.S. News’ 2026 Best Companies to Work...
        Blog

        SECURE 2.0 Roth Catch-Up Rules and the 403(b) 15-Year Catch-Up: What Tax-Exempt Employers Need to Know

        Tax-exempt employers whose 403(b) plans offer catch-up contributions for participants age 50 and above should be well on their way to compliance with...
        Media Mentions

        Robert Keach Quoted in Law360 on SIMAD Summer Camp Bankruptcy Sale

        Verrill attorney Robert Keach was recently quoted in a Law360 article examining the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings involving SIMAD Holdings and...
        Media Mentions

        Chris Tsouros Featured in Law360’s Coverage of Sports Real Estate Deals

        Verrill Partner Chris Tsouros was recently recognized in a Law360 article highlighting law firms involved in significant sports real estate projects...
        Blog

        What Maine’s New Employer Surveillance Law Means for Maine Employers

        Maine employers who monitor their workforce, whether through productivity software, GPS, call recording, or cameras, have a new compliance obligation...
        Blog

        Run Don’t Walk: The Implication of “While Supplies Last” Prize Promotions

        This month a big-chain grocery store has been offering daily mystery boxes during specific timed drops on a first-come, first-served basis, to users...
        Blog

        Maine’s Noncompete Statute is Reshaped for Health Care Workers: What You Need to Know

        Employers of individuals who are licensed under state law to perform, or provide, health care services in the State of Maine should be prepared for...
        Media Mentions

        Steven Davis Featured in the Environmental Business Journal

        Steven Davis, President of Verrill Strategic Consulting, was recently interviewed and featured in the Environmental Business Journal, Volume 39...
        Blog

        What is a Bonus for Purposes of ERISA?

        An ongoing dispute about a Department of Labor advisory opinion published last September raises a basic but unanswered question under the ERISA: What...
        Media Mentions

        Verrill Recognized by WMTW for Partnership Supporting Hunger Relief in Maine

        Verrill was recently featured in coverage by WMTW News 8 for its role in a collaborative effort to combat food insecurity across southern...
        Press Releases

        33 Verrill Attorneys, Across Four Offices, Recognized in the 2026 Chambers USA Guide

        BOSTON, Massachusetts, PORTLAND, Maine, WESTPORT, Connecticut, and WASHINGTON, D.C. – Verrill has been recognized as a Leading Firm in 14...