ERISA at 45: Retirement Plan Compliance

In the final installment of our ERISA at 45 series, Heather Abrigo spoke with Sarah Bassler Millar about the evolution of retirement plans since the inception of ERISA. Topics included the increasing sophistication of plan sponsors and a shift in fiduciary compliance, how employers are looking at employees and plan design to identify roadblocks to retirement, and the increased level of transparency in fees and expenses. They also discussed issues currently facing plan sponsors, such as how to address missing plan participants and the increased sophistication of alternative investment options, and took a look at what may be the most impactful trends in the years to come, including highly-focused DOL investigations, a resurgence of IRS activity surrounding compliance and qualification issues, and the introduction of state sponsored plans.

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About Author: Heather Bader

Heather Bader assists plan sponsors and service providers in navigating the complexities of qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, as well as health and welfare plans. While her work extends to all aspects of employee benefits, she is particularly experienced in assisting plan committees and sponsors in fulfilling their fiduciary duties. Heather advises on a variety of fiduciary compliance issues and assists with the defense of government agency audits and investigations, including but not limited to the Department of Labor (DOL), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Heather works with plan sponsors that are publicly traded and the issues surrounding employer securities in retirement plans. Heather is co-leader of the firm’s financial services industry group. View all posts by Heather Bader and Sarah Bassler Millar

About Author: Sarah Bassler Millar

Sarah Bassler Millar counsels employer plan sponsors and service providers on the design, implementation, and administration of health and welfare benefits, retirement plans and nonqualified plans. She routinely advises on fiduciary governance matters, including current best practices and the implications of the prohibited transaction rules. When counseling clients, she focuses on identifying solutions that effectively mitigate risks and manage identified compliance issues, while taking into account the client’s employee recruitment and retention goals. Sarah formerly led the firm’s benefits and executive compensation group. View all posts by Heather Bader and Sarah Bassler Millar