Industry & Regulatory News

On May 10, 2021, the IRS released Notice 2021-26, which addresses the taxation of dependent care benefits available during taxable years ending in 2021 or 2022 because of a carryover or extended claims period enacted under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA).  This notice clarifies that amounts that would have been excluded in the prior tax year remain excludable from income in the subsequent tax year. In particular, Notice 2021-26 provides three examples to illustrate when amounts carried over or available under an extended claims period are excludable from income, as follows.

The IRS issued Notice 2021-24, which provides guidance following the passage of the American Rescue Plan of 2021 (ARPA). The Notice provides information regarding the applicable penalty relief available to an employer under the ARPA for failing to pay employment taxes in anticipation of a credit for COBRA premium assistance paid to assistance-eligible individuals.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) and Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX) have introduced the Securing a Strong Retirement Act (SSRA) of 2021, legislation that was first introduced in October 2020. It builds upon the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE) Act of 2019. The House Ways and Means Committee held a markup hearing Wednesday, May 5, and unanimously voted to advance this legislation to the full House of Representatives to vote on the measure.

The Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division is withdrawing the independent contractor rule that was scheduled to take effect on May 7, 2021. The rule had previously been delayed from its original effective date of March 7, 2021. The withdrawal of the rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register May 6, 2021.

The IRS has issued a news release announcing the postponement of certain tax-related deadlines for Alabama victims of severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes. The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on March 25. The areas included in the relief are Bibb, Calhoun, Clay, Hale, Jefferson, Perry, Randolph, and Shelby counties.

The IRS has issued a news release announcing the postponement of certain tax-related deadlines for Kentucky victims of severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides. The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on February 27. The areas included in the relief are Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clay, Cumberland, Elliott, Estill, Floyd, Franklin, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Magoffin, Marion, Martin, Mason, Morgan, Ohio, Pike, Powell, Rockcastle, and Wolfe counties.

Objective investment advice. Simple concept, right? And most everyone agrees that every saver and retirement investor is entitled to this. But ensuring that individuals have access to objective investment advice is easier said than done. In fact, the Department of Labor (DOL) has been trying to make this happen since the 1970s, when it first released a five-part test to help determine whether investment professionals owed their clients a duty to provide objective advice.

The IRS released a five-part Q&A on the temporary partial plan termination rules for qualified retirement plans in accordance with the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 (the Act). Generally, there is a presumption that a partial plan termination has taken place when an employer’s turnover rate is at least 20 percent during the plan year. Partial plan termination requires those participants covered under the portion of the plan that is terminated to be fully vested.

Recent cyberattacks have gotten a lot of attention. Some of these hacks have created turmoil through a broad swath of the business community. But another widespread menace threatens our financial security. In fact, even as you read this, the global threat of cybercrime continues around the clock as criminals try to steal retirement plan assets.

The 2020 tax year version of IRS Publication 590-B, Distributions From Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs),reflects the following noteworthy updates pursuant to the passage of the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE), Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES), and Consolidated Appropriations Acts.