Pension & Benefits Reporter Index-Summary

TARGET DATE FUNDS

TAX REFORM AND SIMPLIFICATION

– Baucus (D-Mont) urges flexibility in cap on itemized deductions, 548
– Capital gains

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 1082

– Estate tax reform, small business may oppose White House proposal, 1230
– High value insurance plans, Obama supports excise tax, 2097
– Information collection

– – Comments sought, In Brief, 835
– – FICA, In Brief, 835

– Management of tax rate and taxation of international operations, firms express concerns, 282
– Master and prototype and volume submitter plans, In Brief, 1272; review sought, In Brief, 2233
– Nat'l Research Program to cover employment taxes, 2227
– Outlook discussed by House tax counsel, 682
– Patents on tax planning methods

– – CRS reports, 1682
– – Limits

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 2584

– Pay-as-you-go, In Brief, 1490
– Potential revenue sources outlined in IPS report, 465
– Priority guidance recommendations issued by ABA, 1402
– Qualified plan amendment timing, Special Report, 474
– Self-correction program, In Brief, 543
– Self-employment tax

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 1470

– Simplification pushed by small business, 1128
– §6707A penalties, moratorium sought, 1064
– Stock options

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, S 1491

– Subsidies for health care, economists debate, 942
– Suspending distribution penalties, CRS reports on congressional proposals, 1801
– Tax-preferred plans, simplification and consolidation urged, 55
– Underwithholding due to tax credit possible for some workers, 680
– Upcoming issues reviewed at conference, 1125
– White House plans review of tax expenditures, 1194
– Windfall for high-income households questioned, 2091
– Withholding calculations revised by IRS, 1193

TAXATION

– Alternative minimum tax reduction options, Analysis & Perspective, 265
– Applications for tax exemptions or determination letters, In Brief, 347
– Asset smoothing, guidance expected from Treasury, 529
– Damages from physical injuries or sickness, IRS proposes exclusion, 2195
– “Dirty Dozen” tax scams, IRS issues news release, 949
– E-mailed informal legal advice, IRS releases, 398
– Elder care

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, S 1604

– Employer's Tax Guide updated by IRS, 949
– Excise taxes, In Brief, 1550
– Exempt organizations

See EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS

– FBAR

See FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS (FBAR)

– Fringe benefits

See FRINGE BENEFITS

– Health care reform

See HEALTH CARE REFORM, FEDERAL

– Information collection, In Brief, 1998
– International account reporting delayed by IRS, Special Report, 1879; comments received, 2088
– Madoff clients, relief sought for taxes paid on false returns from bogus hedge funds, 218
– Patents on tax strategies, ban urged, 2423
– §414(x) guidance planned, 1895; comments sought, 2323
– Sin taxes, effect reported, 1597
– §6707A tax shelter penalties, lawmakers seek suspension, 1473
– State and local taxes

See STATE AND LOCAL TAXES

– TRANSPORATION

See TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES

– Value-added tax proposed, In Brief, 903
– White House memo on rule publication applies to IRS, 288

TEACHERS

– Cal., L.A. school district reaches pact with union, 561
– D.C. worker pension records, In Brief, 1490
– 403(b) plans, teachers allege NEA improperly paid undisclosed commission for annuity insurers (9th Cir.), 2114
– Md. teacher's pension is marital asset (Me.), 436
– New York

– – §403(b) plan exempt from ERISA, 2058
– – Long Island schools, Atty. Gen. says lawyer held improper employment arrangements with 6 districts, 1548
– – N.Y.C. reaches tentative pact with teachers, 1548

– Ohio, state pension system fraud claims settled (S.D.N.Y.), 583
– Pa. retirement plan assets down, 391
– Private sector workers get fewer benefits, study reports, 394
– Tex. trust fund value drops, 684
– W.Va. plans to end retiree health subsidies, 1915

TEAMSTERS

See UNIONS

TENNESSEE

– HMO premium tax increased proposed, 771

TERMINATION OF PLANS

– AB&C Group, trustees cannot obtain court order to use assets for plan fees (N.D W.Va.), 1659
– Amsterdam Memorial Hosp., In Brief, 1418
– Brooklyn Foil, PBGC seeks takeover (E.D.N.Y.), 801
– Circuit City, PBGC to take over, 1260
– CNF, ex-workers lack standing to sue over funding, 702
– Contech, PBGC takes over, 1260
– Dan River, In Brief, 1550
– Delphi defined benefit plans, PBGC may take over, 1345; PBGC becomes trustee, 1737; retirees challenge (E.D. Mich.), 2201
– Dillard Stores indemnification claims against sponsor dismissed (6th Cir.), 1309
– East River Mgmt. Plan, In Brief, 623
– Enforcement policy

– – Alternatives to terminations, IRS proposes safe harbor rules, 1193; comments received, 1947; hearing planned, 1993
– – Distress termination, PBGC test questioned, 2373
– – Downsizing firms and liability, PBGC plans rules, 1206
– – Investment policy at PBGC, Analysis & Perspective, 100
– – Non-elective terminations, IRS guidance sought, 388
– – Standard terminations examined by PBGC, 58
– – Standard terminations, PBGC rules reviewed at conference, 2376

– Foamex, PBGC takes over, 1266
– Fortunoff, PBGC takes over, In Brief, 1489
– Hurd Windows & Doors, In Brief, 1854
– IndyMac, PBGC to take over, In Brief, 1949
– Interlake, PBGC takes over, In Brief, 1593
– Jane Addams Hull House Ass'n, In Brief, 229
– LandAmerican, PBGC takes over, 1208
– Lehman Brothers opposes PBGC involuntary termination (S.D.N.Y.), 182; Lehman Brothers seeks approval of PBGC settlement (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.), 1235; PBGC takes over, In Brief, 1490
– Metaldyne, In Brief, 1810
– Milacron plans, PBGC seeks to terminate (S.D. Ohio), 1464
– Mother's Cake and Cookie, In Brief, 1690
– Nortel Networks, PBGC takes over, 1682
– Onieda cannot discharge PBGC termination premiums in bankruptcy (2nd Cir.), 910; Analysis & Perspective, 1163
– Patton Corp., In Brief, 761
– Powermate, In Brief, 2429
– Precision Custom, PBGC takes over, In Brief, 1593
– Proliance, PBGC takes over, 1903
– Propex, In Brief, 762
– Sencorp, PBGC to take over, In Brief, 1617
– U.S. Airways pilots seek to block PBGC recoupment of overpaid benefits, injunction denied (D.C. Cir.), 1711; removal of PBGC as trustee sought, 2063
– USERRA

See UNIFORMED SERVICES EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT (USERRA)

– Wadley Regional Medical Center, PBGC takes over, 2271
– Walworth, PBGC seeks termination (S.D. Tex.), 720
– Wilmington Printing, PBGC seeks takeover (E.D.N.C.), 875

TEXAS

– County employee trust premium exempt from taxation, 2099
– Teachers trust fund value drops, 684
– Uninsured workers, pilot coverage program planned in Houston area, 2438

THRIFT SAVINGS PLANS (TSPs)

– Annuity calculations

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 1198, HR 1263, HR 1804

– Automatic agency contributions, In Brief, 1641
– Automatic enrollment

– – Final rule issued, 1476
– – Tobacco bill

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 1263

– CRS reports, 1808
– Investment options

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 1256, HR 1263

– Mandates and budget, In Brief, 2233
– Merits of amendments debated by advisory panel, 285
– Minimum distributions suspended, Thrift Board plans processing changes, 114
– Positive returns reported for Apr. 2009, 1263

TOP HAT PLANS

– Bayer does not owe benefits to Sterling workers (2nd Cir.), 2068
– ERISA, Merrill Lynch ex-exec alleges fiduciary breach for failure to ensure that plan complied with top-hat requirements (D. Conn.), 973
– U.S. Bancorp plan administrator's determination when retirement occurred upheld (9th Cir.), 1713

TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES

– Aircraft

– – Employer-provided, IRS issues valuation rates, 2272
– – Mileage, In Brief, 689
– – Usage by CEOs up, 1414

– IRS updates rules, In Brief, 891
– Mass transit subsidy

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 1, S 1

– Mileage, maximum vehicle values set by IRS, 168
– Per diem, guidance issued by IRS, 2272
– Review of rules, In Brief, 1550

TREASURY DEPARTMENT

– Benefits tax counsel resigns, 1131; replacement named, In Brief, 2186
– Economic policy chief approved by Senate, 1125
– Geithner approved by Senate panel, 162; confirmed, 226
– Senior advisor named, 1066
– Tax policy chief, In Brief, 2185