Retirement Plans

For decades, SS&B has developed expertise in the area of retirement plans.

Today our attorneys –

  • Review and amend existing retirement plans for regulatory compliance.
  • Design and document tax-qualified retirement plans, including profit sharing and 401(k) plans, stock bonus and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and defined benefit pension plans.
  • Submit plan documents and amendments to IRS for determinations of tax-qualified status of new plans, revised plans and terminated plans.
  • Design and document 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities (TSAs), Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs), and SIMPLE accounts and plans.
  • Submit and negotiate cases under the correction procedures contained in the IRS Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS), including the Voluntary Correction with Service Approval Program (VCP) and the Audit Closing Agreement Program (Audit CAP); and assist clients with corrections of plan operational errors under the EPCRS Self-Correction Procedure (SCP).
  • Assist clients in performing internal compliance audits.
  • Submit and negotiate cases under the compliance procedures in the DOL Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program and the Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program.
  • Respond to audits and investigations of defined benefit pension plans by IRS, DOL and PBGC.
  • Assist in division of retirement benefits in divorce through qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs).
  • Review QDROs on behalf of plans.
  • Provide advice on prohibited transactions, fiduciary responsibility and other issues governed by ERISA and DOL.
  • Practice before PBGC regarding premiums, reportable events and terminations of defined benefit pension plans.
  • Terminate defined benefit pension plans and submit plans to PBGC; work closely with clients and clients' advisors on plan liquidations.
  • Seek interpretive advice from PBGC on behalf of clients.
  • Support clients in the administration of plans, including handling claims for benefits, reporting and disclosure requirements.
  • Monitor and advise clients about major new guidance from IRS, DOL and PBGC on the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and other Acts of Congress.

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