401(k) Q&A | Plan & Industry Content From DWC - The 401(k) Experts

Can a Former Employee Roll a Coronavirus-Related Distribution Back into our Plan?

DWC 09/15/20

Facts Earlier this year, we decided to make the CARES Act coronavirus-related distributions (CRDs) available to participant in our 401(k) plan. We know that it is possible for participants to repay CRDs, but we didn’t anticipate any would be interested in that option. We’re glad that some do now want to repay, but we want to be sure we handle ...

How Can I Minimize my Risk When Reviewing and Approving Hardship Withdrawals?

DWC 08/25/20

DWC 401(k) Q&A: How Can I Minimize my Risk When Reviewing and Approving a Hardship Withdrawal?

Facts As a plan sponsor, I want my employees to have access to their retirement accounts in the event of a financial emergency. I know that offering hardship withdrawals could satisfy that goal, but after doing some reading, I’m a little nervous about the risk associated with reviewing and approving these types of requests. Not only that, but I ...

Do We Have to Provide New Paperwork When a Participant Requests a Second Distribution?

DWC 06/16/20

Facts When a participant requests a distribution from our plan, I provide them with a with a package that includes an election form and a bunch of other information. A participant who terminated and took a distribution last year received an additional company contribution and, as a result, has additional money in her account and is asking for a ...

Should We Make Up for Earnings Lost as a Result of a Delayed Distribution?

DWC 05/19/20

Facts Over the past several months, our turnaround times for normal business processes have lagged somewhat as we have adjusted operations in response to the various stay-at-home orders. When participants in my 401(k) plan request distributions, I usually make them a priority and forward them along for processing by the next day at the latest. ...

Is There Any Coronavirus Relief for Participants Who Want to Postpone Plan Loan Payments?

DWC 04/14/20

DWC 401(k) Q&A: Is There Any Coronavirus Relief for Participants Who Want to Postpone Loan Payments?

Facts Several participants in our 401(k) plan currently have outstanding plan loans, and many others are looking to initiate them. However, given the current pandemic, many participants are concerned that they won’t have the funds available to continue making payments right now.

How Does the CARES Act Expand the Availability of Retirement Plan Loans?

DWC 04/7/20

DWC 401(k) Q&A Question of the Week: How Does the CARES Act Expand Availability of Plan Loans?

Facts Our 401(k) plan allows participants access to their accounts via hardship distributions and, for those at least age 59 ½, via in-service withdrawals. But with the economic uncertainty of the current environment, participants are now asking about taking loans from their plan accounts.

Can We Allow a Distribution for a Coronavirus-Related Hardship?

DWC 03/31/20

Facts Some of our employees are dealing with financial challenges due to the coronavirus situation, and they are asking whether they can access their 401(k) accounts. Our plan allows for loans and for in-service distributions at age 59 ½, but some of these employees are younger than that. As a plan sponsor, I’ve always felt strongly that our ...

Do We Still Need to Suspend Deferrals Following a Hardship Distribution?

DWC 02/25/20

Facts Larry and Kent are both participants in our company’s 401(k) plan. Both recently went back to school on a part-time basis to pursue graduate degrees and will continue working for us. Each of them took hardship distributions to help pay for tuition, Larry on September 18, 2019, and Kent on January 3, 2020. Both of them would like to resume ...

Do We Need to Continue Paying RMDs for a Deceased Participant?

DWC 02/18/20

Facts The CEO (and 5% owner) of our company passed away earlier this year at the age of 73. He started taking his required minimum distributions right on time after reaching age 70 ½. At the time of his passing, he was not married and had no children. He also had not designated a beneficiary under the plan.

Do 401(k) Loans Impact a Participant's Credit Score?

DWC 12/10/19

Facts Our 401(k) plan allows participants to take loans from their accounts. We have a written policy that describes how the loans work and spells out the requirements that the plan and participants must follow. Among other details, the loan policy indicates that payments must be made via payroll deduction.

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