Blog

Even strong retirement plans can drift out of alignment over time.

Richard Rhymaun

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Discover five simple ways to modernize your 401(k) plan design and boost effectiveness. Great for advisors and plan sponsors looking to improve participation and compliance before year-end.

Mid-Year Moves for Better Plans

Richard Rhymaun

Friday, July 11, 2025

Proactive Advisors Helping Clients Avoid Q4 Chaos We're back from the 4th of July weekend and have taken the first week to get focused on the remainder of the year. July is the halftime locker room moment for retirement plans and the...

Missed a 401(k) Deposit Deadline? You Could Be Out of Compliance

Jessica Schick

Friday, July 11, 2025

Missed a 401(k) Deposit Deadline? You Could Be Out of Compliance. Many plan sponsors still believe they have 15 business days to deposit employee contributions - That’s a myth.

What Even is a Safe Harbor?

Richard Rhymaun

Friday, June 20, 2025

What Even Is a Safe Harbor 401(k)? No boats, no pirates—just a smarter plan design that makes discrimination testing drama vanish. This post breaks it down with zero jargon and maybe a laugh or two.

Safe Harbor Isn’t Just a Yacht Thing

Richard Rhymaun

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Fall deadlines are approaching faster than a Labor Day sailboat race — is your retirement plan ready? Our latest blog post breaks down Safe Harbor 401(k) plans in plain English (with just a splash of nautical humor).

Cycle 3 Defined Benefit Restatement Cycle Coincides with Large Rate Hikes

Kurt Oswell

Friday, March 22, 2024

Every six years, pre-approved retirement plan documents are required to be restated onto an updated version.

DC Plan Document Restatement Cycle 3

Kurt Oswell

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Plan documents are drafted based on laws and regulations set forth by Congress, the Treasury Department (IRS), and the Department of Labor. As those laws and regulations change, qualified plan documents must be updated...

Time To Take A Second Look At The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act

Todd Farmer

Thursday, May 2, 2019

April 15 has safely passed, which means that tax season is officially over. This tax season was a little more exciting than usual because we finally got a chance to see how the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act plays out in each of our own personal...

How the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 (and Other New Laws) Affect Retirement Plans

Todd Farmer

Friday, April 27, 2018

The passage of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act at the end of 2017 brought with it changes that will affect all Americans, from individual taxpayers to corporations and retirement plan sponsors. Here are the key changes that you need to be...

St. Patrick’s Day is Great, But Not if Your Clients Have a Failed ADP Test!

Todd Farmer

Saturday, March 17, 2018

March 15 was a big day for your clients that sponsor 401(k) plans. It is the deadline for them to complete their Actual Deferral Percentage test. Unfortunately, the results of this test can upset retirement planning for highly...

The tax reform bill that went into effect on January 1, 2018 has gotten a lot of attention lately. Everyone wants to know how it will affect them and whether or not it will benefit their bottom line. Plan sponsors and business owners...

We're Hiring Pension Consultants! (Apply Now)

Todd Farmer

Saturday, January 20, 2018

We're hiring experienced Pension Consultants in new territories! Do you know someone who has demonstrated success in the retirement plan industry? Invite them to apply today to join the Farmer & Betts team!

Do Your Clients Need to Defer More in 2017?

Todd Farmer

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Thank You for a Great 2017! We appreciate your business and the trust you've put in Farmer & Betts over the past year. It's been a pleasure working with you and we look forward to a prosperous and bright 2018! We hope you and your...

Have your clients outgrown their SIMPLE IRA? The deadline to replace a SIMPLE IRA with a 401(k) profit sharing plan for 2018 is November 2, 2017. A SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match PLan for Employees) IRA is ideal for employers with...

Farmer & Betts Welcomes Two New Pension Consultants!

Todd Farmer

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

The Farmer & Betts team is thrilled to welcome two new Pension Consultants to the team, Gayle Sheeder in Miami and Sally Stresnak in Chicago! Both Gayle and Sally have extensive experience in the retirement planning industry and bring...

State-Run Retirement Plans: Good or Bad For Workers?

Todd Farmer

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Retirement savings are a hot topic these days, with the general consensus being that people are not saving enough. However, statistics show that about four-in-five private-sector employees have access to retirement plans at work and...

Farmer & Betts Fall 2016 Newsletter

Todd Farmer

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Thanks for being a part of the Farmer & Betts family. Our company consistently focuses on the quality and value of our service, and we are grateful for the many advisors and accountants who have entrusted us with their clients. Our...

April 30, 2016, was the IRS deadline for employers to restate their 401(k), profit-sharing, or other defined contribution (not including 403(b) plans) retirement plans. Failure to comply with new regulations could result in significant...

IRS Clarifies Mid-Year Amendment Guidelines for Safe Harbor 401(k) Plans: Plan sponsors now face less uncertainty and fear of losing their safe harbor status for 401(k) plans when making mid-year amendments. The IRS recently issued a...

Do Your Clients Need to Defer More? High earners and Baby Boomers nearing retirement often need to defer more of their income than a 401(k) will allow. For those who have already hit the 401(k) contribution limit, there is still time...

The deadline to replace a SIMPLE IRA with a 401(k) profit sharing plan is November 2. A SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) IRA is ideal for employers with fewer than 100 employees and without another retirement plan....