2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act and Employee Benefits

Money Purchase Plan Distributions, Plan Terminations, Transfer of Pension Plan Assets, Health and Dependent Care, Student Loans

Recording of a 90-minute premium CLE video webinar with Q&A

Conducted on Thursday, March 25, 2021

Recorded event now available

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Course Materials

This CLE course will provide employee benefits counsel and plan sponsors guidance on key provisions of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) impacting retirement and health and welfare plans. The panel will discuss significant rules for money purchase plan distributions, plan terminations, pension plan transfers, and other key items. The panel will also discuss compliance and administrative challenges stemming from the CAA and methods for managing them.

Description

On Dec. 27, 2020, the CAA was signed into law. Employee benefits attorneys must understand its key provisions impacting retirement and health and welfare plans and implement any necessary plan amendments and administrative safeguards.

The CAA contains significant provisions relating to employee benefits that extend or clarify relief provided in the CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). It also provides other key provisions requiring specific amendments to benefit plans.

For health and welfare plans, the CAA includes provisions designed to increase transparency in employee health benefit plans, such as the removal of clauses limiting the disclosure of price and quality information, compensation to brokers and consultants under Section 408(b)(2) of ERISA, revisions to ERISA and PHSA and the tax code, and other key items. It also includes guidance and relief for flexible spending arrangements.

For retirement plans, the CAA includes provisions providing a safe harbor for partial plan terminations, an extension of CARES Act distributions to certain plans, and the termination of future transfers. Other critical components of the 2021 CAA include new provisions relating to employer tax credits, fringe benefits, and other key items.

Listen as our panel discusses significant rules for retirement and health and welfare plans, compliance and administrative challenges stemming from the CAA, and methods for managing them.

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Outline

  1. Overview of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act for benefits counsel
  2. Health and welfare plan provisions
    1. Pricing and quality information
    2. Disclosures
    3. Mental health parity and substance use
    4. Pharmacy benefits and drug costs
  3. Retirement plan provisions
    1. Partial plan termination
    2. Money purchase plans
    3. Future transfers
  4. Employer tax credit provisions
    1. Deferred payroll
    2. Wages paid by PPP loans
    3. Non-FFCRA leave
    4. CARES Act employee retention credit
  5. Other key provisions
  6. Necessary plan amendments and best practices for counsel and plan sponsors

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key issues:

  • Understanding the key provisions applicable to health and welfare plans
  • Significant provisions for retirement plans
  • Changes to employer tax credits, including deferred payroll, PPP loans, non-FFCRA leave, retention tax credit, and more
  • Best practices for plan sponsors and administrators in light of employee benefits provisions under the 2021 CAA

Faculty

Andrew, Laura
Laura Miller Andrew
Senior Counsel
Smith Gambrell & Russell

Ms. Andrew advises clients in all major aspects of employee benefits including qualified and nonqualified plans, IRS...  |  Read More

Cozort, Brooke
Brooke K. Cozort, JD, CPC
Attorney
Definiti

Ms. Cozort has significant experience working on ERISA matters and qualified plans. She provides guidance on plan...  |  Read More

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