Fundamentals of 401(k) and Other Qualified Plans

The details and information below is from the June - July 2011 programs and for reference only. Spring 2012 program information and online registration will be available here in February 2012.

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If you are interested in an on-site presentation for your group, please e-mail our Educational Services team - relius.education@sungard.com – and put “Private Seminar” in the subject. We will respond promptly.


Fundamentals of 401(k) and Other Qualified Plans
Preparing for Accountability and Communication in the Information Age 

Disclosures by service providers to plan fiduciaries and by plan fiduciaries to participants have been the focal point for plan administrators for the last year. As government-mandated disclosures take effect and participants become more involved in their retirement saving process, there is increasing emphasis on proper administration.

The key to effective administration and clear communication is a solid grounding in the "rules of the game." Fundamentals will provide the background you need to meet the challenges of qualified plan administration. For new practitioners, Fundamentals is essential learning. For experienced practitioners, Fundamentals is an excellent refresher on the many rules that form the basis of qualified plan practice, and it provides exposure to the latest new concepts. Fundamentals gives you no-nonsense answers to the basic retirement plan questions practitioners regularly face.

Fundamentals is a three-day course that combines a comprehensive study of defined contribution plan requirements with a thorough introduction to 401(k) plans. Knowledgeable, experienced attorney-speakers carefully examine the unique administrative and testing rules that are essential to 401(k) plan compliance. Case studies and slide presentation help simplify the complex rules and help you learn how these rules apply to "everyday" situations. Fundamentals provides the practical background that helps you work comforatably with 401(k) and other defined contribution plans.

What you'll learn:

  • Automatic Enrollment and Other 401(k) Designs
  • Related Employer and Top-heavy Rules
  • Coverage and Nondiscrimination Testing
  • Roth Deferrals and 401(k) Taxation Issues
  • 401(k) Plan Testing: ADP and ACP Tests
  • Safe Harbor 401(k) Plans
  • Participant Loans and Hardship Distributions
  • Distribution Requirements and Special 401(k) Restrictions
  • Service Provider and Participant Disclosures
  • Deduction and 415 Limits

Plus, download comprehensive outlines, including the latest changes and regulatory guidance.

Added Value! As an attendee at one of our Fundamentals seminars, you will also receive one free registration for a 100-minute live or archived Web seminar of your choice - a $190 value. Details about how to claim your free registration will be provided in an e-mail following each month's Fundamentals programs. Offer expires 12/31/11.

TAKING THE ASPPA OR NIPA EXAMS?
Fundamentals is the ideal tool to help you prepare if you are new to the area of retirement plan concepts and terminology. This comprehensive study of retirement plans is presented in a logical and easy-to-understand manner. Leave confident and better prepared for the exams you may face on the way to becoming a retirement plan specialist.

OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of Fundamentals of 401(k) and Other Qualified Plans, an attendee should understand:

  1. The basic definition and benefits of a "qualified" plan.
  2. The eligibility requirements for a qualified plan, the special requirements for a 401(k) plan, and the difference between a one-year of service and a two-year of service eligibility requirement design.
  3. The vesting alternatives for qualified plans.
  4. The cash-out rule and its application.
  5. The employer deduction limit (and be able to calculate the limit) for a qualified defined contribution plan.
  6. The 415 limits and what items constitute "annual additions" for 415 purposes.
  7. The ratio percentage coverage test and the effect of "mandatory disaggregation" in a 401(k) plan.
  8. The nondiscrimination testing requirements for a defined contribution plan and the requirements for a uniform allocation safe harbor plan and for an "integrated" plan.
  9. The special nondiscrimination tests (ADP and ACP) that apply to a 401(k) plan.
  10. The definition of a safe harbor 401(k) plan and the benefits of a safe harbor design.
  11. The difference between a "traditional" safe harbor plan, a QACA (qualified automatic contribution arrangement) safe harbor plan, and an EACA (eligible automatic contribution arrangement).
  12. The definintion of a controlled group of corporations, "businesses under common control," and an A-organization "affiliated service group."
  13. The definition of a top-heavy plan and how the top-heavy rules impace a 401(k) plan.
  14. The general requirements for service provider and participant fee disclosures.
  15. A particpant's rollover options and the effect of the mandatory rollover requirements.
  16. The special 401(k) distribution restrictions, including the hardship distribution requirements.
  17. The definition of Roth deferrals and the requirements for a "qualified" distribution from a Roth 401(k) plan.
  18. The requirements for a qualified domestic relations order and how a plan should administer a QDRO.
  19. The distribution requirements that apply to a plan subject to the joint and survivor annuity requirements.
  20. The definition of a prohibited transaction and the consequences of a prohibited transaction.
  21. The components of the IRS plan correction program and correction methods for specific 401(k) errors.