As in any industry, retirement plan administration is full of professionals who hold various credentials, designed to distinguish them from the sea of competition. It is important for Plan Sponsors and Advisors to understand these designations so they can choose the best fit for the retirement plans they service. When searching for a Third Party Administrator to service a retirement plan, one should focus on firms who employ professionals with the Qualified 401(k) Administrat

An Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent (ERPA) is an individual who is qualified to practice before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in matters pertaining to retirement plans. This designation is awarded by the IRS to practitioners who have demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of the laws and regulations of the Internal Revenue Code Sections related to retirement plans. The ERPA designation can be earned following the completion of written examinations administered by the IRS or

Administering a company 401(k) plan comes with its own unique set of challenges and potential errors. As you familiarize yourself with the process, it is common to make a mistake or two. However, these mistakes can result in penalties, liability, and even plan disqualification. While it may sound scary, this is not the end of the road – let's discuss common 401(k) contribution errors and how to correct them. Error #1: Missing Employer Matching Contributions Whether you forgo

Employer-Sponsored Retirement plans are a great incentive to add to your company due to their low cost and numerous benefits . When it comes to choosing an employer-sponsored retirement plan it is important to consider your business type, size, as well as your current economic sector. In this blog, we will discuss the different types of employer-sponsored retirement plans. 401(k) 401(k) plans, also known as defined contribution plans, are the most common of employer-sponsore

Below is an outline of the newly released 2021 contribution limits, which will take effect on January 1, 2021. There are not many increases in 2021. The key increases are: Annual compensation limit is increased from $285,000 to $290,000 Annual additions limit for defined contribution plans is increased from $57,000 to $58,000 Social Security Wage Base is increased from $137,700 to $142,800 SEP Threshold is increased from $600 to $650 ESOP: Account Balance is increased from

When a business owner decides to start up a 401(k) or some other type of retirement plan, the inevitable question is "who will take care of the planning and administration?" That's a fair question, but Plan Sponsors will be glad to learn that there are firms dedicated to plan administration. Let's take a few moments to explore everything you ever needed to know about Third Party Administrators (TPA). What is a TPA and what do they do? A Third Party Administrator is a company