Post-Election 2009 Wasington Update: What's New? Recent Guidance and Current Employee Benefit Projects

Qualified Plans

Mutual Funds as Employee Plan Investments: Your Exposure, Due Diligence, Liability

Implementation of Best Practices - Corporate Governance Standards in Employee Plan Administration

Employee Plan Fiduciaries: Why You are One, What Your Duties Are, What Your Liability is

Trimming Your Employee Plan Administration Expense Budget - What Expenses Can You Charge to Your Plan?

Cost Effective Management of Your Plan's Service Providers: Getting the Services You Pay For and are Entitled to Receive

Implementation of an Employee Plan Compliance Calendar

Identifying Plan Errors and Developing Solutions to the Errors
Focus on both IRS and Department of Labor guidance that addresses correcting plan errors including a case study analysis of the voluntary compliance programs that both the IRS and DOL administer. An analysis of the multiple types of correction methods as well as the venue appropriate for the particular error will be analyzed.

IRS DOL Audits: How to Manage
Focus on the practical and legal aspects of managing an audit by either the DOL or the IRS. Included in this discussion will be specific areas of DOL concern following the ENRON audit.

Plan Administrators: Enhancing Communication and Avoiding Pitfalls
Focus on various administrative functions with respect to qualified plans including a detailed discussion of electronic plan administration guidance and other recent developments.

Executive Compensation: Recent Developments
Alternative methods of providing non-qualified benefits to executives including the use of secular trust as well as other funding techniques. This session will address 409A implications.

ERISA Litigation
We will cover the newest trend in ERISA litigation - 401k fee cases that challenge the industry norms in this area, including what we should be doing to avoid getting sued with regard to such fees in your plans. In addition, we will discuss the latest employer stock cases, what's new with cash balance plans under the PPA and the most recent appellate decisions, and developments on handling of individual benefit claims. And, as always, we will review matters of attorney-client privilege, potential criminal liability and pre-emption.

HIPAA Compliance: Security and Other Advanced Issues
We all know the rules (we think) but how do we implement the HIPAA requirements? This two-part session includes: an overview of the HIPAA privacy, EDI and security requirements; and a practical privacy implementation roadmap for plan sponsors.

VEBA Do's and Don'ts
What rules apply to VEBA deductions? What expenses can be paid from a plan? When does UBIT apply? Learn why VEBAs might not always be the best funding vehicle for retiree medical expenses.

What's a Benefits Administrator to Do? How to Manage Risks Under New Federal Health and Welfare Mandates
Federal agencies have been hyper-active in promulgating new mandates and guidance, including Department of Labor electronic disclosure guidance, DOL claims requirements for health plans and new COBRA guidance. Which mandates require the most attention and when? You will learn how to best manage these new requirements, gaining a roadmap for negotiating the maze.

Disease Management: Overcoming Legal Compliance Hurdles
As the popularity of wellness, disease management and health risk assessment programs continues to grow, many employers have overlooked the many legal compliance issues that may arise in connection with a successful program. Hidden compliance costs associated with the "carrots" and "sticks" need to be considered. Also, are "mandatory" participation requirements allowed? What about smoker rate differentials? Attendees of this session will be able to identify and avoid potential compliance traps under HIPAA's non-discrimination and privacy requirements, the Americans with Disabilities Act and COBRA.

New Commandments to Live By
New IRS Guidance impacts cafeteria plan design and administration and health benefit cards. What new plan and operational requirements apply.

Show Me the Money
An interactive discussion of benefit savings ideas. A Top Ten List of new ideas will be presented, but participants should be ready to learn (and share) the latest. What works; and what doesn't.

Special Participant Issues
This session will address the legal and plan administration issues (including plan documents) participants raise via e-mail with the faculty prior to the session.

Please note: Because of the dynamic changes taking place in employee benefits law, IAML will make every effort to ensure that the program content presented is timely and includes all new significant developments in the area of employee benefits law. Therefore, we reserve the right to modify the curriculum when such changes are deemed beneficial.