Art of the Qualified Plan Audit

403(b) Plan Eligibility Exclusions Before SECURE 2.0 403(b) plans are bound by a universal availability mandate, whereby if one employee has the opportunity to defer, all employees must have the opportunity to defer. Since 1989, the universal availability mandate could be subject to the following exceptions, which allowed 403(b) plans to exclude:   Student employees; … Continued

Long-term, Part-time employees became eligible for the first time in 2024 for for-profit corporations and in 2025 for nonprofit corporations. 403(b) plan sponsors’ auditors will request backup for LTPT employee identification, eligibility, and their effective opportunity to defer during next year’s audits. This blog will explain the rules and the best practices for employers challenged … Continued