• Registration is Now Open for NIPA's 2013 Business Management Conference 
• Submit Your Presentation for the 2013 NIPA Annual Forum & Expo by August 10 
• Join NIPA Today!  
• Upcoming Webcasts   
• A Gift From NIPA: $99 Live Webcast 
• The Latest Q&As for TPAs

NIPA's 2013 Business Management Conference (BMC), January 12-14, 2012, will  provide insight into the evolution and lifecycle of successful TPA business management. Featuring high-impact keynotes and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, this one-of-a-kind event is an open forum for TPA business owners to examine the latest industry developments and challenges affecting your business and day-to-day work.

The 2013BMC will allow you to: 

• Network with fellow TPA business owners from around the country
• Learn new ideas, strategies and best practices from industry thought-leaders
• Identify ways to effectively drive growth and maximize efficiency within your firm  

Mark your calendar and start planning now to attend NIPA's 2013BMC this January. 

NIPA invites you to participate in the open call for speakers and presentations for the 2013 NIPA Annual Forum & Expo (2013NAFE), taking place April 28-May 1, 2013 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. NIPA's call for presentations is now open through Friday, August 10.

Position yourself as an industry leader and showcase your expertise to the retirement plan industry! Learn more about the NAFE and submit the online form.

• In 2012, NIPA attracted more than 400 attendees and 39 vendors to the conference.
• The NAFE typically offers 25 or more education sessions and at least three general sessions.
• The majority of attendees are pension administrators. Other attendees include business owners, consultants, business managers, certificate financial planners and more. 

To be considered for this opportunity, complete the online form by Friday, August 10.

For questions or additional information, contact NIPA Headquarters at nipa@nipa.org or 800.999.NIPA (6472). 

Become a member of NIPA to enjoy a variety member benefits and opportunities, including:

As an approved ERPA sponsor, NIPA live webcasts are worth two NIPA and two ERPA CPE credits each.

Timing is Everything: A Look at Fiscal Year Plan Issues

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Having plan years that end other than December 31 can be helpful in spreading out the workload. However, have you considered all of the issues that a fiscal plan year brings with it? This webcast will help you recognize and understand how to handle these issues for fiscal year plans.
Register today!

Creditor Protection of Retirement Assets
Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Clients frequently ask questions regarding the "safety" of funds held in a qualified retirement plan. This session will review the asset protection features and potential weaknesses of tax qualified retirement plans and IRAs.
Register today!

RMDs for a DB
Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Explore the trials and tribulations of required minimum distributions in defined benefit plans, including the many complexities of the calculations and subsequent distribution.
Register today!


View the full webcast schedule.

Register for the live webcast, Plan Designation Consideration for 2013, taking place on Wednesday, October 24 for the special rate of $99! That's a savings of $76 off the member rate! To take advantage of this special offer, join NIPA today.

With 2012 quickly coming to a close and the New Year just around the corner, now is the time to think about plan designs for the 2013 plan year. Join Aimee Nash and Christian Hofstadter of Wolters Kluwer for a valuable discussion of design options that will enhance your clients' retirement plans, including:

• Adding safe harbor or auto enrollment features to 401(k) plans
• Using early or dual eligibility provisions
• Creative uses of matching contributions
• Using cross-testing allocations
• Maximizing forfeitures
• Allocation condition considerations
• Possible changes to the definitions of compensation
• Timing of amendments and document type considerations
• Required participant disclosures
• Additional responsibilities required of the plan sponsor as a result of the amendment(s) 

Don't wait - this discount will only be available through August 31! Register today for the special price of $99 by joining NIPA.

 

Q: Fee disclosure - For purposes of the quarterly statements that participants receive, do the statements have to itemize the expenses paid out of the account?  Can the expenses be summarized or do you have to itemize a list showing each time a fee was paid?

A: The requirement is to provide "The dollar amount of the fees and expenses...that are actually charged...during the preceding quarter to the participant's...account for such services; (and)....A description of the services to which the charges relate (e.g., plan administration, including recordkeeping, legal, accounting services); and...".

Q: 403(b) special catch-up - Under 402(g)(7)(A), the 402(g) limit is increased for employees of qualified organizations.  This calculation can be quite complex. The regulations are clear that the age 50 catch-up is optional and the plan does not have to allow. However, it is not clear on the 15 year of service catch-up contributions.

Can a sponsor of a 403(b) plan not allow employees to make this additional contribution without violating universal availability?

A: Yes. A 403(b) plan document can provide that the maximum deferral allowed is the limit under 402(g), without regard to 402(g)(7). This is not a universal availability issue.

Read more Q&As for TPAs.

TAG is a technical support service that offers answers to pension questions via e-mail. TAG subscribers have access to an extensive Web site with a full array of links to primary source materials, a database of over 4,000 FAQs asked by pension professionals, tools and much more. Subscribers also receive daily updates on breaking news in the industry. For more information about TAG, go to: http://www.tagdata.com. TAG is part of Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, which includes CCH, Aspen Publishers, and FTWilliam.com.