Defined Benefit Plan Provisions of the SECURE Act

Jan 22, 2020 Ken Prell Regulations & Compliance

On December 20, as part of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, President Trump signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) into law. It is...

DC Provisions of the Secure Act

Jan 14, 2020 Maryann Geary Regulations & Compliance

On December 19th, President Trump signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) into law. This act aims to bolster retirement security with numerous provisions....

What is a Basis Point and how does it relate to the cost of VEBA/HRA Administration?

Jan 14, 2020 Karni Adamson VEBA/HRA

VEBA/HRAs are a valuable, fully tax-sheltered vehicle through which employees can be reimbursed for eligible medical expenses. The cost of administering both the VEBA Trust and claims reimbursement can be incurred...

What H.R. 1865 Means for Health Plans

Jan 09, 2020 Dan Megelick Health & Welfare

On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed H.R. 1865 into law, entitled “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020.” The legislation is a sweeping funding bill that incorporates the SECURE Act’s numerous provisions...

New Year Planning

Jan 02, 2020 Melissa Varvarezis Financial Education

I usually start these blog posts with a cute little antidote about my family, a friend or even my dog. This one is missing that component, so I hope that’s not...

2019 Interest Rate Cuts Impact on Pension and Postretirement Plans

Dec 09, 2019 William Stuart Postretirement Healthcare Defined Benefit Plan

This year, we’ve seen a significant downward trend in interest rates. Although the Federal Reserve doesn’t anticipate another interest rate cut prior to year-end, the federal funds rate was reduced three...

Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA: Which is the Best Fit?

Dec 05, 2019 Brian Douglas IRA

Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) are types of savings accounts designed to help you set money away for retirement in a tax-advantaged account. Two of the most common types are traditional and...

Not Spending All of Your FSA is Like Giving Away Your Money for Free

Dec 02, 2019 Hannie Spitzack Flexible Spending Accounts

What happens to your FSA dollars at year end? As the end of the year fast approaches it’s important to know what your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) year-end options are. Unlike...

What’s in a Name?

Nov 14, 2019 Susie Playman About BPAS

B-P-A-S vs B-pas vs B-pass Having someone mispronounce your name can be awkward, especially if you’re too polite to correct them. At BPAS, it happens to us a lot. It’s perfectly...

Salary Deferrals: Dollar or Percent?

Oct 08, 2019 Melissa Varvarezis Plan Participants Retirement Planning

For my niece’s 7th birthday, my husband told me that he’d take care of the birthday money, proudly showing me a $50 bill. She opened up her presents and cards from...