by JoAnn Cassell | Jun 15, 2026 | 401k Compliance, Regulations & Policies, SECURE Act
Every year has its “you really can’t ignore this anymore” compliance items. 2026 is… one of those years. To help, we put together this 2026 SECURE checklist to ensure you are on track with every compliance item due this year. To be fair, most plan sponsors have been...
by JoAnn Cassell | Sep 15, 2025 | 401k Communication, Audit Procedures
Completing your independent 401(k) plan audit is a big milestone—but it’s not the final step. Once your auditor issues the report, there are still a few key tasks to wrap up on your end as the plan sponsor. Here’s what happens after the audit is finished, what’s...
by JoAnn Cassell | Oct 15, 2024 | 401k Auto-Enrollment, 401k Communication, 401k Compliance, Employee Addition, Regulations & Policies, Safe Harbor 401(k)
Autumn is well underway, and with it comes those seasonal tasks: Hire the neighborhood kid to rake fallen leaves… Check. Stock up on candy for Halloween trick-or-treaters… Check. Put together this year’s annual 401(k) plan notices… Check?! Consider this a gentle...
by JoAnn Cassell | Jun 15, 2024 | 401k Compliance, 401k Plan Audit, Audit Procedures, Preparing for a 401(k) audit, Regulations & Policies
Here’s how to determine the number of qualifying participants for your 401(k) audit. The total number of participants with balances in your retirement plan drives how the IRS Code and the Department of Labor see your plan. For audit purposes, this definition...
by JoAnn Cassell | Mar 15, 2024 | 401k Plan Audit, 401k Plan Audit Documentation, Audit Deadlines, Audit Procedures, Preparing for a 401(k) audit
For employers or plan sponsors with 401(k) plans with 100 or more participants with balances, here’s how to prepare for your first 401(k) plan audit. Step One: Determine whether your 401(k) plan requires an independent audit. Firstly, who makes this determination? ...
