News

A provision allowing high deductible health plans (HDHPs) to waive the deductible for telehealth and other remote care services without causing plan participants to lose the ability to contribute to a health savings account (HSA) will expire for calendar year plans on December 31, 2024.

Department of Labor (DOL) guidance titled “Adoption of Amended and Restated Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program” has left the Office of Management and Budget.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a Major Disaster Declaration on December 24, 2024, for North Dakota wildfires and straight-line winds, for the incident period of October 5 – October 6, 2024. 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Revenue Ruling 2025-2, containing the covered compensation tables for the 2025 plan year.

Effective December 18, 2024, the prime interest rate decreased to 7.50 percent.

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has released a final rule updating the table for determining expected retirement ages for participants in pension plans undergoing distress or involuntary termination to reflect valuation dates falling in 2025.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) has released draft legislation titled Protecting Proper Life Insurance from Abuse Act. According to a press release, the proposal follows an 18-month committee investigation and release of a report in February.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Announcement 2025-2, delaying the anticipated applicability date for future final regulations relating to required minimum distributions (RMDs) under section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The IRS has announced the postponement of certain tax-related deadlines for victims of Post-Tropical Storm Helene in West Virginia until May 1, 2025.

The Internal Revenue Service has issued Notice 2025-1, which contains updated guidance on factors used in certain defined benefit (DB) pension plan minimum funding and present value calculations.