regulatory and legislative

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has issued Statement of Auditing Standards (SAS) Number 141, which provides for a delay in effective dates for several SAS’s, including SAS 136, Forming an Opinion and Reporting on Financial Statements of Employee Benefit Plans Subject to ERISA.

In an atmosphere more partisan than earlier coronavirus relief efforts, the Democratic caucus of the House of Representatives has released a bill to fund another round of assistance as the nation attempts to cope with the health and economic effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This legislation, as yet unnumbered, is being referred to as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act.

The IRS has issued news release OR-2020-01, announcing an extension of time to complete certain time-sensitive tax-related acts as a result of storms, flooding, mudslides, and landslides in Oregon. At this time, the only area to which the relief applies is Umatilla County, as well as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Under this guidance, certain tax-related acts with deadlines falling on or after February 5, 2020, and before April 1, 2020, are extended through July 15, 2020. (This guidance is in addition to the nationwide coronavirus-related relief already available to taxpayers for time-sensitive tax act completions that are due on or after April 1, 2020, and before July 15, 2020, which are extended through July 15.)

OR-2020-01 specifically notes that this extension applies to IRA contributions, as well as to the numerous time-sensitive acts described in Treasury Regulation 301.7508A-1(c)(1). These acts include completion of rollovers or recharacterizations, correction of certain excess contributions, making plan loan payments, filing Form 5500, and certain other acts under this regulation.

This relief applies specifically to residents of the identified area, to those whose businesses or records necessary to meet a covered deadline are located there, and to certain relief workers providing assistance following the disaster events. Any individual visiting a covered disaster area who is injured or killed as a result of the events is also entitled to deadline relief.

Affected taxpayers who reside, or have a business located, outside the covered disaster area are required to call the IRS disaster hotline at 1-866-562-5227 to request relief.

The IRS’ posting earlier this week of new question-and-answer (Q&A) guidance on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, was welcomed by those who administer retirement savings arrangements. The guidance provides some additional details on the IRA and retirement plan relief provided by the CARES Act.

The IRS has issued guidance in question-and-answer (Q&A) format on the special IRA and retirement plan relief granted in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, legislation signed into law on March 27, 2020. This relief is intended to aid those affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has impacted the health and economic welfare—or both—of many Americans.

Click here to download the PDF.

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed the Paycheck Protection and Healthcare Enhancement Act, legislation that would provide $320 billion in additional funding to the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This lending program is intended to help small employers retain employees on their payrolls during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and resulting economic emergency. The legislation would also provide funding for hospitals dealing with the immediate effects of the pandemic, and, specifically, for enhanced COVID-19 testing.

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has introduced the Securing Additional Value for Every Retirement Saver (SAVERS) Act, legislation that would permit increased annual contributions to tax-qualified retirement savings arrangements for 2020.

The Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), has issued several information and guidance items to provide administrative and operational relief to ERISA-governed retirement and health benefit plans as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Among the guidance items is a final rule jointly issued with the Department of the Treasury and the IRS.

Following passage by an overwhelming margin in the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday, President Trump today signed into law the Paycheck Protection and Healthcare Enhancement Act, infusing $320 billion in additional funding into the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).