Department of Labor Issues Guidance Regarding Missing Participants in Defined Contribution Plans
(Posted on September 30, 2004 by )


Field Assistance Bulletin 2004-02 gives guidance on what a plan fiduciary needs to do in order to fulfill its fiduciary obligations under ERISA with respect to: (1) locating a missing participant of a terminated defined contribution plan; and (2) distributing an account balance when efforts to communicate with a missing participant fail to secure a distribution election.

Automatic Rollover Safe Harbor: Final Rule and Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption
(Posted on September 28, 2004 by )


The Department of Labor has issued a final regulation that establishes a safe harbor pursuant to which a fiduciary of a pension plan subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), will be deemed to have satisfied his or her fiduciary responsibilities in connection with automatic rollovers of certain mandatory distributions to individual retirement plans. Read more