John Ortman

This year marks the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest victories in ASPPA’s storied history. Here’s what happened. It all started in 1989, when the IRS started to attack the actuarial assumptions the profession had been using since ERISA was enacted in 1974. At the time, it was permissible... READ MORE

Carol Weiser, Benefits Tax Counsel at the Treasury Department, announced some good news about the deadline for amending plans for the newly final hardship withdrawal regulations at the ASPPA Annual Conference on Oct. 22.   Timing of Amendments for Final Hardship Regulations   Appearing at the... READ MORE

At their defined benefit regulatory update at the ASPPA Annual Conference, speakers Tom Finnegan and Kelsey Mayo took attendees on a fast-paced tour of recent regulatory developments. Here’s a look at three key developments.   Retiree Lump Sum Windows   In Notice 2019-18, the IRS reversed... READ MORE

The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries honored Rich Hochman with the prestigious Harry T. Eidson Founders Award during the Oct. 20 opening session of the 2019 ASPPA Annual Conference in National Harbor, MD. Hochman is the Director of Retirement Plan Services at Actuarial... READ MORE

A workshop session on the first afternoon of this year’s ASPPA Annual conference looked at recent trends and best practices for recordkeepers regarding service agreements, use of plan- and participant-specific data and more. Speaker Richard A. Morgan, JD, MBA, of Schwab Retirement Plan Services,... READ MORE

At the DB Regulatory Update workshop session at the 2018 ASPPA Annual Conference, Marty Pippins, Executive Director of ACOPA, provided an update on legislation on Capitol Hill that if enacted, would have significant impacts on defined benefit plans. Pippins also serves as the American Retirement... READ MORE

Across the financial services industry, women are commanding a greater role in key decisionmaking. Where do today’s recordkeepers stand in that context? What are today's trends, and where is the industry headed tomorrow? Two women of influence explored those questions at an Oct. 22 workshop session... READ MORE

The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries welcomed James R. Nolan, QPA, as the 2019 President of the organization during the Oct. 21 Business Meeting that kicked off the 2018 ASPPA Annual Conference in National Harbor, MD. Nolan will succeed current ASPPA President Adam Pozek in... READ MORE

The biggest impact of the DOL’s proposed fiduciary rule, a.k.a. the “conflict of interest rule,” is on the IRA market, ERISA attorney Fred Reish told a workshop session at the ASPPA Annual Conference Oct. 20. Reish was joined by Marcy Supovitz, incoming president of the American Retirement... READ MORE