Plan Sponsor’s Quarterly Calendar
Consult your plan’s counsel or tax advisor regarding these and other items that may apply to your plan.
JANUARY 2014
- Send payroll and employee census data to the plan’s record keeper for plan-year-end compliance testing (calendar year plans).
- Audit fourth quarter payroll and plan deposit dates to ensure compliance with the Department of Labor’s rules regarding timely deposit of participant contributions and loan repayments.
- Verify that employees who became eligible for the plan between October 1 and December 31 received and returned an enrollment form. Follow up for forms that were not returned.
FEBRUARY 2014
- Update the plan’s ERISA fidelity bond coverage to reflect the plan’s assets as of December 31 (calendar year plans). Remember that if the plan holds employer stock, bond coverage is higher than for non-stock plans.
- Issue a reminder memo or e-mail to all employees to encourage them to review and update, if necessary, their beneficiary designations for all benefit plans by which they are covered.
- Review and revise the roster of all plan fiduciaries and confirm each individual’s responsibilities and duties to the plan in writing. Ensure than each fiduciary understands his or her obligations to the plan.
MARCH 2014
- Begin planning for the timely completion and submission of the plan’s Form 5500 and, if required, a plan audit. (Calendar year plans) Consider, if appropriate, the Department of Labor’s small plan audit waiver requirements.
- Review all outstanding participant plan loans to determine if there are any delinquent payments. Also, confirm that each loan’s repayment period and the amount borrowed comply with legal limits.
- Check bulletin boards and display racks to make sure that posters and other plan materials are conspicuously posted and readily available to employees, and that information is complete and current.
IRS Announces 2014 Pension Plan Limitations
The Internal Revenue Code provides for dollar limitations on benefits and contributions under qualified retirement plans. IRC Section 415 requires the limits to be adjusted annually for cost-of-living increases. The IRS announced on October 31, 2013 cost-of-living adjustments applicable to dollar limitations for pension plans and other items for tax year 2014.
Please see our COLA Increases Table for prior years’ dollar limitations and Internal Revenue Code references.
