Betterment Editors

The 401(k) employee engagement starter kit Mar 27, 2025 11:26:06 AM Here are 7 simple tools to help your employees get the most out of their 401(k) plans at Betterment. If you offer a 401(k) plan, making sure that your employees are engaged not only can improve their financial lives, but your business as well. With workers juggling competing financial priorities, we’ve seen that financial anxiety can impact people in every aspect of their lives, including their capacity to perform effectively in their jobs. Our 2024 Retirement Readiness report uncovered the need for employers to engage their employees when it comes to 401(k) education: Not only will engagement help your employees manage financial stress, but it will also help boost your workforce’s overall performance. If “employee engagement” sounds like a lot of work, don’t sweat it, we’ve got you covered. Use the seven tools in this playbook to help your employees feel comfortable navigating their 401(k) from day one. Your 401(k) starter kit: 7 tools to engage your employees Video: How to claim your Betterment 401(k) - Share this video with your employees. It walks them through claiming their account. Your employees will also receive a series of emails from Betterment, inviting them to claim their 401(k) account, but getting this video directly from you is a great way to nudge those who haven’t yet done so.. Video: Getting started webinar - Every month, our team at Betterment offers a live webinar where we walk through your employees’ 401(k). We’ll cover the importance of saving for retirement, how to use the platform, provide additional resources, and answer any questions your team may have. Resource center: Betterment.com/my401k - From 401(k) tricks to investing tips, our resource center has dozens of articles, videos, and more to help your employees navigate their financial lives. Video & article: How to pick a contribution rate - “How much from each paycheck should go into my account?” is a question every plan enrollee asks themselves (and we help them answer it). We highlight key considerations for employees to address when selecting a contribution rate. Article: How to rollover a 401(k) from a former employer - For employees with a 401(k) from an old employer, a rollover can sound daunting. In fact, in our Retirement Readiness Report, we found that 17% of employees don’t even know where their old 401(k) is, 22% don’t know how to do a rollover, and a whopping 34% with an old 401(k) plan have withdrawn it as cash, instead of rolling it into another retirement plan. In this article, we walk through why a rollover may make sense and the process to get started. Article: How to set up an emergency fund along with your 401(k) - Along with a 401(k), it’s recommended that people have three to six months of expenses saved in an emergency fund. We show employees three steps to help them figure out a number that works in their budget. . Article: Understanding required minimum distributions - For employees closer to retirement, required minimum distributions (RMDs) are important to start thinking about. In this article, we explain why the IRS requires RMDs and how they work. Start sharing these resources with your employees today. Together, we can help employees take control of their financial future.

Plan sponsor checklist: Key considerations for mergers & acquisitions Feb 27, 2025 9:51:46 AM Navigate 401(k) challenges during mergers and acquisitions with this guide for plan sponsors on compliance, plan decisions, and employee communication. M&A and your 401(k) Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can shake things up at a company—including your 401(k) plan. But, with a bit of foresight, plan sponsors can help manage the transition smoothly. Here’s what you need to know to stay compliant and on track. Planning ahead Before an M&A deal, it’s important to evaluate the retirement plans currently in place for both companies. Oftentimes, in the sale agreement, there will be language that dictates what happens to the seller’s 401(k) plan.For instance, it may be noted that the seller’s plan will be terminated before the sale date. This helps ensure that all plan assets are distributed or rolled over appropriately, minimizing potential complications for the acquiring company and employees. Alternatively, the buyer may decide to merge the seller’s plan into their own, which requires a thorough review of both plans to identify differences in features, investment options, and compliance requirements. Understanding these details early allows plan sponsors to make informed decisions, reduce risks, and streamline the process for employees impacted by the transition. Understanding asset purchase vs stock purchase The structure of an M&A deal—whether an asset purchase or a stock purchase—can impact how 401(k) plans are handled during the transition. Asset purchases: The buyer chooses which assets and liabilities to take on, which will be defined in the asset purchase agreement. The seller usually keeps their retirement plan. Stock purchases: The buyer takes control of the entire company, including its retirement plan, which may require more attention post-merger. Think of it like buying a house: In an asset sale, the buyer can choose which furniture or fixtures to keep in the house. In a stock sale, the buyer takes everything. Now, let’s look at the asset sale from the seller’s perspective. The seller retains ownership and responsibility of the 401(k) plan. Even if the seller’s company is going out of business, their 401(k) plan needs to be addressed. Until the two plans are fully combined, the seller still has the risk and liability over the existing plan. Next, let’s look at a stock sale from the buyer’s perspective. During a stock sale, the buyer will inherit everything from the seller, including the 401(k) plan. In this scenario, it is common for the seller’s plan to be terminated before the sale. This would ensure that the buyer does not inherit an active 401(k) plan. If they do inherit the plan, they may be taking on more risk. In this scenario a buyer would now have two active 401(k) plans that they would have to manage. Terminating the seller’s plan is not possible once the buyer “owns” the 401(k) plan, since this would now be considered a “successor 401(k) plan”. The buyer has three options in this scenario: Freeze the acquired plan. This requires full maintenance of the plan, including the accounts, documents, annual Form 5500 filing, as well as any audits, but stops further contributions Merge the acquired plan into the buyer’s plan. This requires a close review of the merged assets, as well as the plan provisions to determine if any changes are needed to accommodate protected benefits. Keep the acquired plan as is. This means the buyer now operates two separate 401(k) plans, and has two sets of documents, two 5500 filings, and potentially two audits. The plan sponsor would also need to combine the plans for compliance testing purposes. How to manage risks and costs As with any major transition, managing costs and mitigating risks requires careful planning and collaboration. The acquiring party will want to budget for extra admin expenses during an M&A transition, such as recordkeeping fees and legal costs, to avoid unexpected financial strain. It’s also crucial to document key decisions to ensure compliance and reduce fiduciary (and litigation) risks. It could be beneficial to partner with experts, like ERISA attorneys, financial advisors, and recordkeepers, who can help you navigate the complexities of transitioning your 401(k) plan. Planning and understanding are everything. You’ll want to share updates with your employees in a timely manner. Let them know the timelines and what they can expect as you start the M&A transition. If you can, it would be helpful to designate an HR person for extra support during the merger, to help them make decisions about their retirement savings. While it is important to ensure participants have a seamless experience during any M&A situation, you want to plan ahead to avoid expensive corrections. The retirement plans involved in M&A deals can be tricky, but by analyzing the details, staying compliant, and seeking expert help, you can set up the merger or acquisition for long-term success.

Everything You Need to Know about Form 5500 Dec 13, 2024 2:27:00 PM If you’d like to get a general idea of what it takes to file a Form 5500 for a 401(k) plan, here are the top five things you need to know. As you can imagine, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) like to keep tabs on employee benefit plans to make sure everything is running smoothly and there are no signs of impropriety. One of the ways they do that is with Form 5500. You may be wondering: What is Form 5500? Well, Form 5500—otherwise known as the Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan—discloses details about the financial condition, investments, and operations of the plan. Not only for retirement plans, Form 5500 must be filed by the employer or plan administrator of any pension or welfare benefit plan covered by ERISA, including 401(k) plans, pension plans, medical plans, dental plans, and life insurance plans, among others. If you’re a Betterment client, you don’t need to worry about many of these Form 5500 details because we do the heavy lifting for you. But if you’d like to get a general idea of what it takes to file a Form 5500 for a 401(k) plan, here are the top five things you need to know. 1. There are three different versions of Form 5500—each with its own unique requirements. Betterment drafts a signature-ready Form 5500 on your behalf. But if you were to do it yourself, you would select from one of the following form types based on your plan type: Form 5500-EZ – If you have a one-participant 401(k) plan —also known as a “solo 401(k) plan”—that only covers you (and your spouse if applicable), you can file this form. Have a solo 401(k) plan with less than $250,000 in plan assets as of the last day of the plan year? No need to file a Form 5500-EZ (or any Form 5500 at all). Lucky you! Form 5500-SF– If you have a small 401(k) plan—which is generally defined as a plan that covers fewer than 100 participants on the first day of the plan year—you can file a simplified version of the Form 5500 if it also meets the following requirements: It satisfies the independent audit waiver requirements established by the DOL. It is 100% invested in eligible plan assets—such as mutual funds and variable annuities—with determinable fair values. It doesn’t hold employer securities. Form 5500– If you have a large 401(k) plan—which is generally defined as a plan that covers more than 100 participants with assets in the plan—or a small 401(k) plan that doesn’t meet the Form 5500-EZ or Form 5500-SF filing requirements, you must file a long-form Form 5500. Unlike Form 5500-EZ and Form 5500-SF, Form 5500 is not a single-form return. Instead, you must file the form along with specific schedules and attachments, including: Schedule A -- Insurance information Schedule C -- Service provider information Schedule D -- Participating plan information Schedule G -- Financial transaction schedules Schedule H or I -- Financial information (Schedule I for small plan) Schedule R -- Retirement plan information Independent Audit Report Certain forms or attachments may not be required for your plan. Is your plan on the cusp of being a small (or large) plan? If your plan has between 80 and 120 participants on the first day of the plan year, you can benefit from the 80-120 Rule. The rule states that you can file the Form 5500 in the same category (i.e., small or large plan) as the prior year’s return. That’s good news, because it makes it possible for large retirement plans with between 100 and 120 participants to classify themselves as “small plans” and avoid the time and expense of completing the independent audit report. 2. You must file the Form 5500 by a certain due date (or file for an extension). You must file your plan’s Form 5500 by the last business day of the seventh month following the end of the plan year. For example, if your plan year ends on December 31, you should file your Form 5500 by July 31 of the following year to avoid late fees and penalties. If you’re a Betterment client, you’ll receive your signature-ready Form 5500 with ample time to submit it. Plus, we’ll communicate with you frequently to help you meet the filing deadline. But if you need a little extra time, Betterment can file for an extension on your behalf using Form 5558—but you have to do it by the original deadline for the Form 5500. The extension affords you another two and a half months to file your form. (Using the prior example, that would give you until October 15 to get your form in order.) What if you happen to miss the Form 5500 filing deadline? If you miss the filing deadline, you’ll be subject to penalties from both the IRS and the DOL: The IRS penalty for late filing is $250 per day, up to a maximum of $150,000. The DOL penalty for late filing can run up to $2,259 per day, with no maximum. There are also additional penalties for plan sponsors that willfully decline to file. That said, through the DOL’s Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program (DFVCP), plan sponsors can avoid higher civil penalty assessments by satisfying the program’s requirements. Under this special program, the maximum penalty for a single late Form 5500 is $750 for small 401(k) plans and $2,000 for large 401(k) plans. The DFVCP also includes a “per plan” cap, which limits the penalty to $1,500 for small plans and $4,000 for large plans regardless of the number of late Form 5500s filed at the same time. 3. The Form 5500 filing process is done electronically in most cases. For your ease and convenience, Form 5500 and Form 5500-SF must be filed electronically using the DOL’s EFAST2 processing system (there are a few exceptions). EFAST2 is accessible through the agency’s website or via vendors that integrate with the system. To ensure you can file your Form 5500 quickly, accurately, and securely, Betterment facilitates the filing for you. Whether you file electronically or via hard copy, remember to keep a signed copy of your Form 5500 and all of its schedules on file. Once you file Form 5500, your work isn’t quite done. You must also provide your employees with a Summary Annual Report (SAR), which describes the value of your plan’s assets, any administrative costs, and other details from your Form 5500 return. The SAR is due to participants within nine months after the end of the plan year. (If you file an extension for your Form 5500, the SAR deadline also extends to December 15.) For example, if your plan year ends on December 31 and you submitted your Form 5500 by July 31, you would need to deliver the SAR to your plan participants by September 30. While you can provide it as a hard copy or digitally, you’ll need participants’ prior consent to send it digitally. In addition, participants may request a copy of the plan’s full Form 5500 return at any time. As a public document, it’s accessible to anyone via the DOL website. 4. It’s easy to make mistakes on the Form 5500 (but we aim to help you avoid them). As with any bureaucratic form, mistakes are common and may cause issues for your plan or your organization. Mistakes may include: Errors of omission such as forgetting to indicate the number of plan participants Errors of timing such as indicating a plan has been terminated because a resolution has been filed, yet there are still assets in the plan Errors of accuracy involving plan characteristic codes and reconciling financial information Errors of misinterpretation or lack of information such as whether there have been any accidental excess contributions above the federal limits or failure to report any missed contributions or late deposits Want to avoid making errors on your Form 5500? Betterment prepares the form on your behalf, so all you need to do is review, sign, and submit—it’s as simple as that. 5. Betterment drafts a signature-ready Form 5500 for you, including related schedules When it comes to Form 5500, Betterment does nearly all the work for you. Specifically, we: Prepare a signature-ready Form 5500 that has all the necessary information and related schedules Remind you of the submission deadline so you file it on time Guide you on how to file the Form 5500 (it only takes a few clicks) and make sure it’s accepted by the DOL Provide you with an SAR that’s ready for you to distribute to your participants Ready to learn more about how Betterment can help you with your Form 5500 (and so much more)? Let’s talk.

Understanding 401(k) Annual Compliance Testing Dec 13, 2024 2:25:00 PM These yearly required tests are meant to ensure everyone is benefiting from your 401(k) plan. If your company has a 401(k) plan—or if you’re considering starting one in the future—you may have heard about annual compliance testing, also known as nondiscrimination testing. But what is it really? And how can you help your plan pass these important compliance tests? Read on for our explanation. What is annual compliance testing? Mandated by ERISA, annual compliance testing helps ensure that 401(k) plans benefit all employees—not just business owners or highly compensated employees. Because the government provides significant tax benefits through 401(k) plans, it wants to ensure that these perks don’t disproportionately favor high earners. We’ll dive deeper into nondiscrimination testing, but let’s first discuss an important component of 401(k) compliance: contribution limits. What contribution limits do I need to know about? Because of the tax advantages given to 401(k) plan contributions, the IRS puts a limit on the amount that employers and employees can contribute. Here’s a quick overview: Limit What is it? Notes for 2024 plan year Employee contribution limits (“402g”) Limits the amount a participant may contribute to the 401(k) plan. The personal limit is based on the calendar year.1 Note that traditional (pre-tax) and Roth (post-tax) contributions are added together (there aren’t separate limits for each). $23,000 is the maximum amount participants may contribute to their 401(k) plan for 2024. Participants age 50 or older during the year may defer an additional $7,500 in “catch-up” contributions if permitted by the plan. Total contribution limit (“415”) Limits the total contributions allocated to an eligible participant for the year. This includes employee contributions, all employer contributions and forfeiture allocations. Total employee and employer contributions cannot exceed total employee compensation for the year. $69,0002 plus up to $7,500 in catch-up contributions (if permitted by the plan) for 2024. Cannot exceed total compensation. Employer contribution limit Employers’ total contributions (excluding employee deferrals) may not exceed 25% of eligible compensation for the plan year. N/A This limit is an IRS imposed limit based on the calendar year. Plans that use a ‘plan year’ not ending December 31st base their allocation limit on the year in which the plan year ends. This is different from the compensation limits, which are based on the start of the plan year. Adjusted annually; see most recent Cost of Living Adjustments table here. What is nondiscrimination testing designed to achieve? Essentially, nondiscrimination testing has three main goals: To measure employee retirement plan participation levels to ensure that the plan isn’t “discriminating” against lower-income employees. To ensure that people of all income levels have equal access to—and awareness of—the company’s retirement plan. To encourage employers to be good stewards of their employees’ futures by making any necessary adjustments to level the playing field (such as matching employees’ contributions) Where do I begin? Before you embark on annual compliance testing, you’ll need to categorize your employees by income level and employee status. Here are the main categories (and acronyms): Highly compensated employee (HCE)—According to the IRS, an employee who meets one or more of the following criteria: Prior (lookback) year compensation—For plan years ending in 2024, earned over $150,000 in the preceding plan year; some plans may limit this to the top 20% of earners (known as the top-paid group election), which would be outlined in your plan document; or Ownership in current or prior year—Owns more than 5% of (1) outstanding corporate stock, (2) voting power across corporate stock, or (3) capital or profits of an entity not considered a corporation Non-highly compensated employee (NHCE)—Someone who does not meet the above criteria. Key employee—According to the IRS, an employee who meets one or more of the following criteria during the plan year: Ownership over 5%—Owns more than 5% of (1) outstanding corporate stock, (2) voting power across corporate stock, or (3) capital or profits of an entity not considered a corporation. Ownership over 1%—Owns more than 1% of the stock, voting power, capital, or profits, and earned more than $150,000. Officer—An officer of the employer who earned more than $220,000 for 2024; this may be limited to the lesser of 50 officers or the greater of 3 or 10% of the employee count. Non-key employee—Someone who does not meet the above criteria. What are the tests that need to be performed? Below are the tests typically performed for 401(k) plans. Betterment will perform each of these tests on behalf of your plan and inform you of the results. 1. 410(b) Coverage Tests—These tests determine the ratios of employees eligible for and benefitting from the plan to show that the plan fairly covers your employee base. Specifically, these tests review the ratio of HCEs benefitting from the plan against the ratio of NHCEs benefitting from the plan. Typically, the NHCE percentage benefitting must be at least 70% or 0.7 times the percentage of HCEs considered benefitting for the year, or further testing is required. These annual tests are performed across different contribution types: employee contributions, employer matching contributions, after-tax contributions, and non-elective (employer, non-matching) contributions. 2. Actual deferral percentage (ADP) test—Compares the average salary deferral of HCEs to that of non-highly compensated employees (NHCEs). This test includes pre-tax and Roth deferrals, but not catch-up contributions. Essentially, it measures the level of engagement of HCEs vs. NHCEs to make sure that high income earners aren’t saving at a significantly higher rate than the rest of the employee base. Specifically, two percentages are calculated: HCE ADP—The average deferral rate (ADR) for each HCE is calculated by dividing the employee’s elective deferrals by their salary. The HCE ADP is calculated by averaging the ADR for all eligible HCEs (even those who chose not to defer). NHCE ADP—The average deferral rate (ADR) for each NHCE is calculated by dividing the employee’s elective deferrals by their salary. The NHCE ADP is calculated by averaging the ADR for all eligible NHCEs (even those who chose not to defer). The following table shows how the IRS limits the disparity between HCE and NHCE average contribution rates. For example, if the NHCEs contributed 3%, the HCEs can only defer 5% (or less) on average. NHCE ADP HCE ADP 2% or less → NHCE% x 2 2-8% → NHCE% + 2 more than 8% → NHCE% x 1.25 3. Actual contribution percentage (ACP) test—Compares the average employer contributions received by HCEs and NHCEs. (So this test is only required if you make employer contributions.) Conveniently, the calculations and breakdowns are the same as with the ADP test, but the average contribution rate calculation includes both employer matching contributions and after-tax contributions. 4. Top-heavy determination—Evaluates whether or not the total value of the plan accounts of “key employees” is more than 60% of the value of all plan assets. Simply put, it analyzes the accrued benefits between two groups: Key employees and non-Key employees. A plan is considered top-heavy when the total value (account balance with adjustments related to rollovers, terminated accounts, and a five-year lookback of distributions) of the Key employees’ plan accounts is greater than 60% of the total value (also adjusted as noted above) of the plan assets, as of the end of the prior plan year. (Exception: The first plan year is determined based on the last day of that year). If the plan is considered top-heavy for the year, employers must make a contribution to non-key employees. The top-heavy minimum contribution is the lesser of 3% of compensation or the highest percentage contributed for key employees. However, this can be reduced or avoided if no key employee makes or receives contributions for the year (including forfeiture allocations). What happens if my plan fails these tests? If your plan fails the ADP and ACP tests, you’ll need to fix the imbalance by returning 401(k) plan contributions to your HCEs or by making additional employer contributions to your NHCEs. If you have to refund contributions, that money may be subject to state and federal taxes. Plus, if you don’t correct the issue in a timely manner, there could also be a 10% penalty fee and other serious ramifications. Why is it common to fail testing? Small and mid-size businesses may struggle to pass if they have a relatively high number of HCEs. If HCEs contribute a lot to the plan, but non-highly compensated employees (NHCEs) don’t, there’s a chance that the 401(k) plan will not pass nondiscrimination testing. It’s actually easier for large companies to pass the tests because they have many employees at varying income levels contributing to the plan. How can I help my plan pass the tests? It pays to prepare for nondiscrimination testing. Here are a few tips that can make a difference: Add automatic enrollment —By adding an auto-enrollment feature to your 401(k) plan, you can automatically deduct elective deferrals from your employees’ wages unless they opt out. It’s a simple way to boost participation rates and help your employees start saving. In fact, the government is getting more behind auto-enrollment; SECURE 2.0 mandates plans that launched after Dec. 29, 2022 add automatic enrollment to the plan by Jan. 1, 2025. Add a Safe Harbor provision to your 401(k) plan—Safe Harbor plan design typically makes compliance testing easier to pass. Make it easy to enroll in your plan—Is your 401(k) plan enrollment process confusing and cumbersome? If so, it might be stopping employees from enrolling. Consider partnering with a tech-savvy provider like Betterment that can help your employees enroll quickly and easily—and support them on every step of their retirement saving journey. Learn more now. Encourage your employees to save—Whether you send emails or host employee meetings, it’s important to get the word out about saving for retirement through the plan. That’s because the more NHCEs that participate, the better chance you have of passing the nondiscrimination tests. (Plus, you’re helping your team save for their future.) Add automatic escalation - By adding automatic escalation, you can ensure that participants who are automatically enrolled in the plan continue to increase their deferral rate by 1% annually until a cap is reached (generally 15%). It’s a great way to increase your employees retirement savings and to engage them in the plan. How can Betterment help? Nondiscrimination testing and many other aspects of 401(k) plan administration can be complex. That’s why we do everything in our power to help make it easier for you as a plan sponsor. We help with year-end compliance testing, including ADP/ACP testing, top-heavy testing, annual additions testing, deferral limit testing, and coverage testing. With our intuitive online platform, you can better manage your plan and get the support you need along the way. Ready to learn more? Let's talk. Any links provided to other websites are offered as a matter of convenience and are not intended to imply that Betterment or its authors endorse, sponsor, promote, and/or are affiliated with the owners of or participants in those sites, or endorses any information contained on those sites, unless expressly stated otherwise. The information contained in this article is meant to be informational only and does not constitute investment or tax advice.

The Importance and Benefits of Offering Employer Match Nov 25, 2024 8:45:00 AM Some employees resist saving because they feel retirement is too far away, can’t afford it, or can’t grasp the benefit. You can help change that mentality by offering a 401(k) employer match. Beyond being an attractive employee benefit, a 401(k) plan can act as a catalyst for employees at all career stages to save for retirement. Some employees, however, will resist saving because they feel retirement is too far away, or can’t afford it, or can’t make room in their budget (and current spending levels). However, as a 401(k) plan sponsor, you can help change that mentality by offering a 401(k) employer matching contribution. What is a 401(k) employer matching contribution? With an employer match, a portion or all of an employee’s 401(k) plan contribution will be “matched” by the employer. Common matching formulas include: Dollar-for-Dollar Match: Carla works for ABC Company, which runs payroll on a semi-monthly basis (two times a month = 24 pay periods a year). Her gross pay every period is $2,000. She has decided to defer 4% of her pre-tax pay every pay period, or $80 (4% x $2,000). The ABC Company 401(k) plan generously offers a dollar-for-dollar match up to 4% of compensation deferred. With each payroll, $80 of Carla’s pay goes to her 401(k) account on a pre-tax basis, and ABC Company also makes an $80 matching contribution to Carla’s 401(k) account. At a 4% contribution rate, Carla is maximizing the employer contribution amount. If she reduces her contribution to 3%, her company matching contribution would also drop to 3%; but if she increases her contribution to 6%, the formula dictates that her employer would only contribute 4%. Partial Match (simple): Let’s take the same scenario as above, but ABC Company 401(k) plan matches 50% on the first 6% of compensation deferred. This means that it will match half of the 401(k) contributions. If Carla contributes $80 to the 401(k) plan, ABC Company will contribute $40 on top of her contribution as the match. Tiered Match: By applying different percentages to multiple tiers, employers can encourage employees to contribute to the plan while controlling their costs. For example, ABC Company could match 100% of deferrals up to 3% of compensation and 50% on the next 3% of deferrals. Carla contributes 4% of her pay of $2,000, which is $80 per pay period. Based on their formula, ABC Company will match her dollar-for-dollar on 3% of her contribution ($60 = 3% x $2,000), and 50 cents on the dollar on the last 1% of her contribution for a total matching contribution of $70 or 3.5%. The plan’s matching formula is chosen by the company and specified in the plan document or may be defined as discretionary, in which case the employer may determine not only whether or not to make a matching contribution in any given year, but also what formula to use. Is there a limit to how much an employer can match? The IRS limits annual 401(k) contributions, and these limits change from year to year. It’s also important to note that the IRS caps annual compensation that’s eligible to be matched. Potential Benefits of Providing an Employer Match Attract talent: Offering a 401(k) is a great way to set your company apart from the competition, and a matching contribution sweetens the deal! A Betterment at Work study found that 68 percent of respondents would prioritize having better financial wellness benefits above an extra week of vacation! Better 401(k) plan participation: Unlike other types of employer contributions, a matching contribution requires employees to contribute their own money to the plan. In other words, the existence of the match drives plan participation up (not contributing is like leaving money on the table), encouraging employee engagement and increasing the likelihood of having your plan pass certain compliance tests. Financial well-being of employees: A matching contribution shows employees that you care about their financial well-being and are willing to make an investment in their future. The additional funds can help employees reach their retirement savings goal. Improved retention: The match is essentially “free money” that can be considered part of an employee’s compensation, which can be hard to give up. And by applying a vesting schedule to the employer match, you can incentivize employees to stay longer with your company to gain the full benefits of the 401(k) plan. Employer tax deduction: matching contributions are tax deductible, which means you can deduct them from your company’s income so long as they don’t exceed IRS limits. Offering a 401(k) plan is already a huge step forward in helping your employees save for their retirement. Providing a 401(k) matching contribution enhances that benefit for both your employees and your organization. Ready for a better 401(k) solution? Whether you’re considering a matching contribution or not, Betterment is here to help. We offer an all-in-one dashboard that seeks to simplify plan administration, at one of the lowest costs in the industry., Our dedicated onboarding team, and support staff are here to help you along the way. Any links provided to other websites are offered as a matter of convenience and are not intended to imply that Betterment or its authors endorse, sponsor, promote, and/or are affiliated with the owners of or participants in those sites, or endorses any information contained on those sites, unless expressly stated otherwise. Betterment is not a tax advisor, nor should any information herein be considered tax advice. Please consult a qualified tax professional.

Meeting Your 401(k) Fiduciary Responsibilities Nov 25, 2024 12:00:00 AM To help your business avoid any pitfalls, this guide outlines your 401(k) fiduciary responsibilities. If your company has or is considering starting a 401(k) plan, you’ve probably heard the term “fiduciary.” But what does being a fiduciary mean to you as a 401(k) plan sponsor? Simply put, it means that you’re obligated to act in the best interests of your 401(k) plan, its participants and beneficiaries. It’s serious business. If fiduciary responsibilities aren’t managed properly, your business could face legal and financial ramifications. To help you avoid any pitfalls, this guide outlines ways to understand your 401(k) fiduciary responsibilities. A brief history of the 401(k) plan and fiduciary duties When Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1978, it included the little-known provision that eventually led to the 401(k) plan. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, referred to as ERISA, is a companion federal law that contains rules designed to protect employee savings by requiring individuals and entities that manage a retirement plan, referred to as “fiduciaries,” to follow strict standards of conduct. Among other responsibilities, fiduciaries must always act with care and prudence and not engage in any conflicts of interest with regard to plan assets. When you adopt a 401(k) plan for your employees as a plan sponsor, you become an ERISA fiduciary. And in exchange for helping employees build retirement savings, you and your employees receive special tax benefits, as outlined in the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS oversees the tax rules, and the Department of Labor (DOL) provides guidance on ERISA fiduciary requirements and enforcement. As you can imagine, following these rules can sometimes feel like navigating a maze. But the good news is that an experienced 401(k) provider like Betterment can help you understand your fiduciary duties, and may even shoulder some of the responsibility for you as we’ll explain below. Key fiduciary responsibilities No matter the size of your company or 401(k) plan, every plan sponsor has fiduciary duties, broadly categorized as follows: You are considered the “named fiduciary” with overall responsibility for the plan, including selecting and monitoring plan investments. You are also considered the “plan administrator” with fiduciary authority and discretion over how the plan is operated. As a fiduciary, you must follow the high standards of conduct required by ERISA when managing your plan’s investments and when making decisions about plan operations. There are five cornerstone rules you must follow: Act in employees’ best interests—Every decision you make about your plan must be solely based on what is best for your participants and their beneficiaries. Act prudently—Prudence requires that you be knowledgeable about retirement plan investments and administration. If you do not have the expertise to handle all of these responsibilities, you will need to engage the services of those who do, such as investment managers or recordkeepers. Diversify plan investments—You must diversify investments to help reduce the risk of large losses to plan assets. Follow the plan documents—You must follow the terms of the plan document when operating your plan (unless they are inconsistent with ERISA). Pay only reasonable plan fees—Fees from plan assets must be reasonable and for services that are necessary for your plan. Detailed DOL rules outline the steps you must take to fulfill this fiduciary responsibility, which include reviewing fees on an ongoing basis, collecting and evaluating fee disclosures for investments and service provider’s revenue, and comparing (or benchmarking) fees to help ensure they are reasonable. You don’t have to pay a lot to get a quality 401(k) plan Fees can really chip away at your participants’ account balances (and have a detrimental impact on their futures). So take care to help ensure that the services you’re paying for are necessary for the plan and that the fees paid from plan assets are reasonable. To determine what’s reasonable you may need to benchmark the fees against those of other similar retirement plans. And if you have an existing 401(k) plan, it’s important to take note of the “ongoing” responsibility to review fees to determine their reasonableness. The industry is continually evolving and what may have been reasonable fees from one provider may no longer be the case! It’s your responsibility as a plan fiduciary to keep an eye on what’s available. Why it’s important to fulfill your fiduciary duties Put simply, it’s incredibly important that you meet your 401(k) fiduciary responsibilities. Not only are your actions critical to your employees’ futures, but there are also serious consequences if you fail to fulfill your fiduciary duties. In fact, plan participants and other plan fiduciaries have the right to sue to correct any financial wrongdoing. If the plan is mismanaged, you face a two-fold risk: Civil and criminal action (including expensive penalties) from the government and the potentially high price of rectifying the issue. Under ERISA, fiduciaries are personally liable for plan losses caused by a breach of fiduciary responsibilities and may be required to: Restore plan losses (including interest) Pay expenses relating to correction of inappropriate actions. While your fiduciary responsibilities can seem daunting, the good news is that ERISA also allows you to delegate many of your fiduciary responsibilities to 401(k) professionals like Betterment. Additional fiduciary responsibilities On top of the five cornerstone rules listed above, there are a few other things on a fiduciary’s to-do list: Deposit participant contributions in a timely manner —This may seem simple, but it’s extremely important to do it quickly and accurately. Specifically, you must deposit participants’ contributions to your plan’s trust account on the earliest date they can be reasonably segregated from general corporate assets. The timelines differ depending on your plan size: Small plan—If your plan has fewer than 100 participants, a deposit is considered timely if it’s made within seven business days from the date the contributions are withheld from employees’ wages. Large plan— If your plan has 100 participants or more, you must deposit contributions as soon as possible after you withhold the money from employees’ wages. It must be “timely,” which means typically within a few days. For all businesses, the deposit should never occur later than the 15th business day of the month after the contributions were withheld from employee wages. However, contributions should be deposited well before then. Fulfill your reporting and disclosure requirements—Under ERISA, you are required to fulfill specific reporting requirements. While the paperwork can be complicated, an experienced 401(k) provider like Betterment should be able to help to guide you through the process. It’s important to note that if required government reports—such as Form 5500—aren’t filed in a timely manner, you may be assessed financial penalties. Plus, when required disclosures—such as Safe Harbor notices—aren’t provided to participants in a timely manner, the consequences can also be severe including civil penalties, plan disqualification by the IRS, or participant lawsuits. Get help shouldering your fiduciary responsibilities For most employers, day-to-day business responsibilities leave little time for the extensive investment research, analysis, and fee benchmarking that’s required to responsibly manage a 401(k) plan. Because of this, many companies hire outside experts to take on certain fiduciary responsibilities. However, even the act of hiring 401(k) experts is a fiduciary decision! Even though you can appoint others to carry out many of your fiduciary responsibilities, you can never fully transfer or eliminate your role as an ERISA fiduciary. Take a look at the chart below to see the different fiduciary roles—and what that would mean for you as the employer: Defined in ERISA section Outside expert Employer No Fiduciary Status Disclaims any fiduciary investment responsibility Retains sole fiduciary responsibility and liability 3(21) Shares fiduciary investment responsibility in the form of investment recommendations Retains responsibility for final investment discretion 3(38) Assumes full discretionary authority for assets and investments Relieves employer of investment fiduciary responsibility (yet still needs to monitor the 3(38) provider) 3(16) Has discretionary responsibility for certain administrative aspects of the plan Relieves employer of certain plan administration responsibilities Betterment can help Betterment serves as a 3(38) investment manager for all plans that we manage and can serve as a limited 3(16) fiduciary with agreed upon administrative tasks as well. This means less work for you and your staff, so you can focus on your business. Get in touch today if you’re interested in bringing a Betterment 401(k) to your organization: 401k@betterment.com.

True-Ups: What are they and how are they determined? Nov 22, 2024 10:00:00 AM You've been funding 401(k) matching contributions, but you just learned you must make an additional “true-up” contribution. What does this mean and how was it determined? Employer matching contributions are a great benefit and can help attract and retain employees. It’s not unusual for employers to fund matching contributions each pay period, even though the plan document requires that the matching contribution be calculated on an annualized basis. This means that the matching contribution will need to be calculated both ways (pay period versus annualized) and may result in different matching contribution amounts to certain participants, especially those whose contribution amounts varied throughout the year. For many employers (and payroll systems), the per-pay-period matching contribution method can be easier to administer and help with company cash flow. Employer matching contributions are calculated based on each employee’s earnings and contributions per pay period. However, this method can create problems for employees who max out their 401(k) contributions early, as we will see below. Per-pay-period match: Consistent 401(k) contributions throughout the year Suppose a company matches dollar-for dollar-on the first 4% of pay and pays employees twice a month for a total of 24 pay periods in a year. The per period gross pay of an employee with an annual salary of $120,000, then, is $5,000. If the employee makes a 4% contribution to their 401(k) plan, their $200 per pay period contribution will be matched with $200 from the company. Per-pay-period matching contribution methodology for $120K employee contributing 4% for full year Employee contribution Employer matching contribution Total Contributions per pay period $200 $200 $400 Full year contributions $4,800 $4,800 $9,600 For the full year, assuming the 401(k) contribution rate remains constant, this employee would contribute a total of $4,800 and receive $4,800 from their employer, for a total of $9,600. Per-pay-period match: Maxing out 401(k) contributions early Employees are often encouraged to optimize their 401(k) benefit by contributing the maximum allowable amount to their plan. Suppose instead that this same employee is enthusiastic about this suggestion and, determined to maximize their 401(k) contribution, elects to contribute 20% of their paycheck to the company’s 401(k) plan. Sounds great, right? At this rate, however, assuming the employee is younger than age 50, the employee would reach the $19,500 annual 401(k) contribution limit during the 20th pay period. Their contributions to the plan would stop, but so too would the employer matching contributions, even though the company had only deposited $3,800 into this employee’s account, — $1,000 less than the amount that would have been received if the employee had spread their contributions throughout the year and received the full matching contribution for every pay period. Per-pay-period matching contribution methodology for $120K employee contributing 20% from beginning of year Employee contribution Employer matching contribution Total Contributions per pay period $1,000 $200 $1,200 Full year contributions $19,500 $3,800 $23,300 Employees who max out too soon on their own contributions are at risk of missing out on the full employer matching contribution amount. This can happen if the contribution rate or compensation (due to bonuses, for instance) varies throughout the year. True-up contributions using annualized matching calculation When the plan document stipulates that the matching contribution calculation will be made on an annualized basis, plans who match each pay period will be required to make an extra calculation after the end of the plan year. The annualized contribution amount is based on each employee’s contributions and compensation throughout the entire plan year. The difference between these annualized calculations and those made on a per-pay-period basis will be the “true-up contributions” required for any employees who maxed out their 401(k) contributions early and therefore missed out on the full company matching contribution. In the example above, the employee would receive a true-up contribution of $1,000 in the following year. Plans with the annualized employer matching contribution requirement (per their plan document) may still make matching contributions each pay period, but during compliance testing, which is based on annual compensation, matching amounts are reviewed and true-ups calculated as needed. The true-up contribution is normally completed within the first two months following the plan year end and before the company’s tax filing deadline. Making true-up contributions means employees won’t have to worry about adjusting their contribution percentages to make sure they don’t max out too early. Employees can front-load their 401(k) contributions and still receive the full matching contribution amount. Often true-up contributions affect senior managers or business owners; hence companies are reluctant to amend their plan to a per-pay-period matching contribution calculation. That said, employers should be prepared to make true-up contributions and not be surprised when they are required.

Related Companies and Controlled Groups: What this means for 401(k) plans Nov 20, 2024 9:30:00 AM When companies are related, how to administer 401(k) plans will depend on the exact relationship between companies and whether or not a controlled group is deemed to exist. Understanding Controlled Groups Under IRS Code sections 414(b) and (c), a controlled group is a group of companies that have shared ownership and, by meeting certain criteria, can combine their employee bases into one 401(k) plan. The controlled group rules were put into place to ensure that the plan provides proper coverage of employees and that it does not discriminate against non-highly compensated employees. Parent-Subsidiary Controlled Group: When one corporation owns at least an 80% interest in another corporation. The 80% ownership threshold is determined either by owning 80% of the total value of the corporation’s shares of stock or by owning enough stock to hold 80% of the voting power. Brother-Sister Controlled Group: When two or more entities are controlled by the same person or group of people, provided that the following criteria are met: Common ownership: Same five or fewer shareholders own at least an 80% controlling interest in each company. Identical ownership: The same five or fewer shareholders have an identical share of ownership among all companies which, in the aggregate, is more than 50%. In this first example below, a brother-sister controlled group exists between Company A and Company B since the three owners together own more than 80% of Companies A and B, and their identical ownership is 75%. Owner Company A Company B Identical Ownership Mike 15% 15% 15% Tory 40% 50% 40% Megan 40% 20% 20% Total 95% 85% 75% In this second example below, a brother-sister controlled group does not exist between Company A and Company B since the identical ownership is only 15%, well below the required 50% threshold. Owner Company A Company B Company C Identical Ownership Jon 100% 15% 15% 15% Sarah 0% 40% 50% 0% Chris 0% 40% 20% 0% Total 100% 95% 85% 15% Combined Controlled Group: More complicated controlled group structures might involve a parent/subsidiary relationship as well as one or more brother/sister relationship. Three or more companies may constitute a combined controlled group if each is a member of a parent-subsidiary group or brother-sister group and one is: A common parent company included in a parent-subsidiary group and Is also included in a brother-sister group of companies. In the below example, we see that Company A and B are in a brother-sister controlled group as the common ownership for both are at least 80% and the identical ownership is greater than 50%. However, since Company B also owns 100% of Company C, there’s a parent-subsidiary controlled group, which results in a combined controlled group situation. Owner Company A Company B Company C Identical Ownership Ariel 80% 85% 80% Company B 100% Controlled groups and 401(k) plans If related companies are determined to be part of a controlled group, then employers of that controlled group are considered a single employer for purposes of 401(k) plan administration. So even if multiple 401(k) plans exist among the employers within a single controlled group, they must meet the requirements as if they were a single-employer for purposes of: Determining eligibility Determining HCEs ADP & ACP testing Coverage testing Top heavy testing Compensation and contribution limits Vesting determination Maximum contribution and benefit limits Given the complexities associated with controlled group rules and how it may impact 401(k) plan administration, we encourage companies that have questions related to controlled groups to consult with their attorney or tax accountant, as Betterment is not a licensed tax advisor. Betterment assumes no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the content, accuracy, reliability or opinions expressed in a third-party website, to which a published article links (a “linked website”) and such linked websites are not monitored, investigated, or checked for accuracy or completeness by Betterment. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, reliability, timeliness and completeness of any information available on a linked website. All products, services and content obtained from a linked website are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement, security, or accuracy. If Betterment has a relationship or affiliation with the author or content, it will note this in additional disclosure.