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

        Published Works

        Four Verrill Attorneys Co-Author Massachusetts Trends and Developments Chapter for Chambers and Partners Child Relocation 2026 Guide

        Verrill attorneys Mary H. Schmidt, Rachel A. Deering, Hannah R. Zukoff, and Mariah G. Tappan co-authored the “Trends and Developments” chapter...
        Blog

        A New Protected Class in Maine: Holders of Final Protection Orders

        In the lead-up to Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, employers may be taking a closer look at how their policies and practices respond to...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        Verrill Secures SJC Victory for Boston Legacy FC in White Stadium Litigation

        Verrill has secured a significant appellate victory for Boston Legacy FC in the litigation challenging the redevelopment of White Stadium in...
        Blog

        Hurry Up and Wait

        This is the third in a series of Verrill blog posts on Maine’s packaging extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) law[1]. In July we reported...
        Media Mentions

        Robert Keach Discusses First Brands Chapter 11 Case in Law360

        Verrill attorney Robert Keach was recently quoted in a Law360 article examining the rejection of First Brands Group's Chapter 11 plan and the...
        Media Mentions

        Cybersecurity and AI Governance: Scott Anderson Featured in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

        Verrill Managing Partner Scott Anderson was recently featured in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly discussing how law firms can build attorney buy-in for...
        Blog

        Section 530A Account Update: ERISA Status of Trump Accounts

        The Department of Labor has issued important guidance addressing whether employer programs that permit contributions to Section 530A accounts (and...
        Press Releases

        97 Verrill Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2027, Including Four Named Lawyers of the Year

        AUGUSTA, Maine, BANGOR, Maine, BOSTON, Mass., PORTLAND, Maine, and WESTPORT, Conn., (August 20, 2026) – Verrill is proud to announce that 97...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        SEC’s Proposed “Reg Crypto”: What Founders Need to Know

        Startup founders and emerging-growth companies have a number of options for raising capital under the federal securities laws, including Regulation D...
        Blog

        After 45 Years, the IRS Speaks on DCAP Nondiscrimination Testing – And It’s Good News

        Employers that provide a Dependent Care Assistance Program will be pleased to learn that for the first time in 45 years, the IRS has issued guidance...
        Media Mentions

        U.S. Courts Highlights Annabel Rodriguez’s Journey from Fellow to Mentor

        Verrill attorney Annabel Rodriguez was featured in a recent U.S. Courts article titled “From Fellows to Mentors: Alumni Share Lasting Lessons from...
        Media Mentions

        Robert Keach Discusses Bankruptcy Auction Strategy in Law360

        Verrill attorney Robert Keach spoke with Law360 article examining the complex bankruptcy auction process that resulted in the sale of 23 summer...