Retirement plans, post-employment health plan benefits, and self-insured business financial and liability reporting requirements continually evolve and change over time. Retirement and health plan regulatory parties must consequently update terms, conditions, and reporting obligations regularly. Keep your business up-to-date and compliant by connecting with the latest retirement and health plan news on the Watkins Ross blog. From 401(k) rules and pension benefit specifics to deferrals, distributions, and incurred liability considerations, Watkins Ross breaks down the latest news and important retirement and health plan updates so you can ensure your business provides the best possible benefits for your employees at the least amount of regulatory reporting risk. Interested in obtaining an expert look into your business’s current benefits and exploring how they fit within an ever-changing regulatory climate? Contact the Watkins Ross actuaries and retirement and health plan teams to obtain an in-depth assessment of your plan positioning, reporting liabilities, and cost-saving opportunities.
Employers with qualified 401(k) plans that fail nondiscrimination testing each year may find that a plan amendment to add a safe harbor contribution is an effective solution. A safe harbor provision requires a mandatory employer contribution, 100% immediate vesting of...
The ESOP Association provides a one of a kind Press & Event Planning Kit to help members plan Employee Ownership Month (EOM) celebrations: http://www.esopassociation.org/news-landing/2014/08/07/employee-ownership-month-2014 Employee stock ownership through an ESOP...
Plan sponsors of defined benefit pension plans who are subject to PBGC coverage receive an email each year from the PBGC requiring input (and payment). What’s also required is a deep breath and a strong heart. Although the purpose of the PBGC is meaningful and...
For over 20 years, The ESOP Association and its member companies have been celebrating Employee Ownership Month every October. It is a celebration of the incredible spirit of employee ownership and an opportunity to educate employee owners about the tremendous...
Watkins Ross, a Conference Sponsor, will be attending the Michigan Chapter of The ESOP Association Annual Fall ESOP Conference in Lansing, Michigan on Thursday, September 25, 2014. This Fall’s Theme is 'On The Go For ESOPs.' Morning speakers J. Michael Keeling,...
According to Wikipedia, an Actuary is a business professional who deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Basically, actuaries are super smart individuals, with an unfair reputation for being super boring. But not all actuaries are boring. Did you...
WR Mission Statement “Proud of our Past, Committed to the Future in providing specialized employee benefit services” This statement was commissioned by Dick Ross several years ago and has significant meaning, still today. Watkins Ross has been in business for over 65...
On August 8, the president signed the Highway and Transportation Funding Act (HATFA). Part of the revenue-raising in the Act provides for “pension smoothing” which is accomplished by resetting required interest rates used in minimum funding calculations back to the...
Rick Zweering will retire this October, after 38 years of service with the company. Rick successfully managed Watkins Ross, as President, since 1993 and was instrumental in strengthening the long standing reputation Watkins Ross has within the retirement plan...
According to the National Center for Employee Ownership, about 12,000 companies in the United States, employing 11-million Americans, have embraced Employee Stock Ownership Plans, commonly known as ESOPs, or other similar trust-based plans. The concept can motivate...