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Employee Benefits

Reporting for Certain DB & DC Benefit Plans Is Changing

Reporting for Certain DB & DC Benefit Plans Is Changing

If you sponsor a defined benefit plan and/or defined contribution multi-employer plan, take note! There are a few updates to Form 5500 effective for 2022 plan year reporting (Source: Mercer.com; “Latest Form 5500 Updates”). Form 5500 is used to report about a plan’s qualification, financial condition, investments, and operation. All

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Are Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) Making a Comeback?

Are Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) Making a Comeback?

Data doesn’t show a big resurgence in Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), yet. Don’t be surprised if that changes, given the Great Resignation and increased competition for a shrinking pool of skilled workers. Today, about 14 million employees participate in 6,500 ESOPs, which means there are fewer plans than in

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DOL Audit Fights Cyberterrorism

DOL Audit Fights Cyberterrorism

Last updated on May 25th, 2022Of the many responsibilities Employee Retirement and Income Security Act (ERISA) plan sponsors, fiduciaries, and recordkeepers must uphold, one of the most challenging relates to cybersecurity to protect plan assets and plan participants’ information. The US Department of Labor (DOL) upped the ante associated with

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The Benefits of Offering a 457 Plan to Government Employees

The Benefits of Offering a 457 Plan to Government Employees

Still feeling the affects of the Great Resignation? With employers still feeling the effects of the Great Resignation, it’s a job seeker’s market and folks who are looking for work can afford to be picky about which employment offer to accept. Even employees who weren’t previously looking for another job

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Limited-Scope Audits Expand Auditor and Plan Sponsor Responsibilities

Limited-Scope Audits Expand Auditor and Plan Sponsor Responsibilities

Effective December 15, 2021, new standards apply to audits of financial statements for employee benefit plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). While this primarily expands what’s required of an auditor, plan sponsors have some new responsibilities as well. Employee retirement and health plans are legally required

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Understanding Your Role as a Trustee

Understanding Your Role as a Trustee

The trustee is responsible for the safekeeping of a plan’s investments and needless to say – it’s a critically important role. While operating in good faith is a baseline duty expected of all trustees, not all trustees understand what they can be liable for or the true extent of their

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Rolling a 401K into a Roth IRA

Rolling a 401K into a Roth IRA

While the goal is to retain loyal employees (rather than constantly hiring and training), the reality is most Americans don’t stay in one job their whole lives. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it turns out that the average person has 12 jobs over a 32-year span! Fortunately, 401(k)

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An Update on the New York State Foundation Aid Formula Study

An Update on the New York State Foundation Aid Formula Study

After Foundation Aid and the “hold harmless” provision survived New York’s 2025 budget process, Governor Hochul stated in her 2025 budget press release that education priorities include “a Rockefeller Institute study to examine Foundation Aid and prepare for formula changes next year.” Here’s what happened next… The Rockefeller Institute embarked on a
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Managing an Unassigned Fund Balance: An Overview

Managing an Unassigned Fund Balance: An Overview

Last updated on July 29th, 2024As part of a school district’s financial management, maintaining a reasonable unassigned fund balance provides a safety buffer for unforeseen expenses or revenue shortfalls. This is vital as it helps ensure adequate cash flow to cover the ongoing cost of operations. Managing these funds entails
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School District Audit Readiness Checklist

School District Audit Readiness Checklist

Last updated on July 3rd, 2024Putting in the time and effort to prepare for an audit can help your district facilitate a smooth process that saves time and money; leads to a reliable and objective audit report; and helps detect and rectify potential issues before the audit begins. Here’s a
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Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP) for Teachers Are Making the Grade

Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP) for Teachers Are Making the Grade

Last updated on June 13th, 2024In 2021, New York became one of the first states to approve a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) for K-12 teachers. Three years later, RAPs are growing in number, with a variety of support and resources available to get programs off the ground and reap their
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Navigating the 2024-2025 Budget Season

Navigating the 2024-2025 Budget Season

As if the annual budget season for school administrators and Boards of Education (BOE) isn’t challenging enough, a lack of information about the final New York state budget’s impact on Foundation Aid and the hold harmless (also referred to as save harmless) provision, along with enrollment challenges and the pending
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2024-2025 NYS Regents State Aid Proposal: The Top 10 Line Items for New Funding

2024-2025 NYS Regents State Aid Proposal: The Top 10 Line Items for New Funding

Last updated on February 13th, 2024In December, the New York State Board of Regents unveiled its proposed budget and legislative priorities for 2024-2025. Priorities focus on supporting lifelong learning, academic success, and improved outcomes; advancing equity, excellence, and access; and rebuilding the Department’s ability to support districts, teachers, students, and
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Does Your District’s Cell Phone Policy Go Far Enough?

Does Your District’s Cell Phone Policy Go Far Enough?

It is estimated that 80% of school districts in the U.S. have some type of cell phone policy. Is yours going far enough? We enter 2024 with hundreds of lawsuits filed on behalf of children and school districts against social media behemoths for purportedly fostering addiction among young users of
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Are Your District’s Students (and Families) Eligible for a Monthly Discount on Internet Services?

Are Your District’s Students (and Families) Eligible for a Monthly Discount on Internet Services?

We want to make sure you’re aware of a benefit that may be available to families of students in your district: a monthly discount on Internet services (plus other perks) via the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program. Put simply, anyone whose child is eligible for a free and/or reduced price school
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Map of Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs)

  • Move map to NY and scroll to zoom in
  • Under Map Options select “Color QCR Qualified Tracts”