by JoAnn Cassell | Apr 15, 2026 | 401k Compliance, Employee Termination
If forfeitures are little more than an afterthought in managing your 401(k) plan, you are not alone. 401(k) forfeitures are one of those quiet plan mechanics that can create outsized compliance issues when plan sponsors misunderstand—or worse, ignore them. Let’s break...
by JoAnn Cassell | Mar 15, 2026 | 401k Compliance Error, 401k Plan Mistakes, Audit Insights
As a sponsor of a 401(k) plan, you’re not trying to break the rules—the opposite, you have the best intentions for your employees. You’re offering a benefit that protects their futures! But as I recently shared on The 401(k)ouple Podcast, most mistakes don’t come...
by JoAnn Cassell | Feb 15, 2026 | 401k Communication, Preparing for a 401(k) audit, Record Retention
Census data… I know, exciting! But seriously, before you hit “send” on your employee census to your third-party administrator (TPA) or auditor for testing, double-check the details. An accurate census is the foundation of your 401(k) plan audit, leading to reliable...
by JoAnn Cassell | Jan 15, 2026 | 401k Compliance
A practical guide to Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUPs) Just because you don’t need a 401(k) plan audit doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still protect your employees and organization. That’s where Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUPs) come in—a customizable, cost-effective...
by JoAnn Cassell | Dec 15, 2025 | 401k Audit Time, Preparing for a 401(k) audit
If you’ve been through a few 401(k) audits, you know the routine. But for Kyle Mishler, Director of Operations at Civiltech Engineering, Inc., audit prep isn’t just a once-a-year task—it’s part of how she stays organized year-round. We sat down with Kyle (a long-time...
