SunGard Relius

Fundamentals of 401(k) and Other Qualified Plans
Qualification, ERISA, and More

Getting your arms around the many retirement rules can be challenging for new and current employees. For an employee without a foundation in our complex retirement system, practicing in this area leads to time-wasting searches for answers, lost productivity and mistakes. SunGard has a well-established Fundamentals program (started shortly after ERISA) that has trained thousands of retirement plan practitioners around the country.

Fundamentals of 401(k) and Other Qualified Plans is a 3-day course combining an introduction to 401(k) plans with a comprehensive study of defined contribution plan requirements and challenges of qualified plan administration. Speakers examine the unique administrative and testing rules essential to 401(k) plan compliance and use case studies and presentations to teach attendees how these rules apply to everyday situations. Fundamentals provides a practical background to help pension professionals who work with these types of plans and offers an opportunity to download comprehensive outlines, including the latest changes and regulatory guidance.

For new practitioners, Fundamentals is essential learning. For experienced practitioners, it is an excellent refresher on the basics of qualified plan practice, as well as exposure to the latest new concepts.

Topics include:

• 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

Who Should Attend
For the novice qualified retirement plan practitioner interested in 401(k) plan operation, the program offers a wealth of practical and technical information. Experienced practitioners will find the program provides an excellent review. Fundamentals is beneficial to anyone new to the industry, including the pension consultant, administrator, CPA, attorney, actuary, trust officer, or financial advisor. It is also especially suited for corporate HR, employee benefits, and payroll staff who provide retirement plan information to employees or who may work with third party service providers.

The primary focus of the program is on the defined contribution plan rules, with an emphasis on 401(k) plan basics. It is a “must” for practitioners who want a complete understanding of the broad qualified plan rules in which 401(k) plans operate. Completion of this course prepares beginning practitioners for SunGard’s two–day, 401(k) Plans: Beyond the Basics course Fall 2013, which focuses exclusively on 401(k) plans.

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. Basic definition and benefits of a “qualified” plan.
2. Eligibility requirements for a qualified plan, the special requirements for a 401(k) plan, and the difference between a 1-year of service and a 2-year of service eligibility requirement design.
3. Vesting alternatives for qualified plans.
4. Cash-out rule and its application.
5. Employer deduction limit for a qualified defined contribution plan and how to calculate the limit.
6. 415 limits and what items constitute “annual additions” for 415 purposes.
7. Ratio percentage coverage test and the effect of mandatory disaggregation in a 401(k) plan.
8. Nondiscrimination testing requirements for a defined contribution plan and the requirements for a uniform allocation safe harbor plan and for an integrated plan.
9. Special nondiscrimination tests (ADP and ACP) that apply to a 401(k) plan.
10. Safe harbor 401(k) plans and the benefits of a safe harbor design.
11. Difference between a traditional safe harbor plan, a qualified automatic contribution arrangement (QACA), safe harbor plan and an eligible automatic contribution arrangement (EACA).
12. Definition of a controlled group of corporations, “businesses under common control,” and an A-organization “affiliated service group.”
13. Top-heavy plans and how the top-heavy rules impact a 401 (k) plan.
14. General requirements for service provider and participant fee disclosures.
15. Participant’s rollover options and the effect of the mandatory rollover requirements.
16. Special 401(k) distribution restrictions, including the hardship distribution requirements.
17. Roth deferrals and requirements for a qualified distribution from a Roth 401(k) plan.
18. Requirements for a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) and how to administer it.
19. Distribution requirements that apply to a plan subject to the joint and survivor annuity requirements.
20. Prohibited transactions and their consequences.
21. Components of the IRS plan correction program and correction methods for specific 401(k) errors.