Qualified Plan Errors: Identification and Correction, Recent IRS and DOL Guidance, Avoiding Audits, Correction Methods

Ms. Bitseff is a member of the Corporate Law and Labor & Employment Practice Groups in the Firm’s Seattle office. She provides advice on compensation and benefit matters and serves as ERISA counsel in connection with employee benefit plans and employers. Ms. Bitseff addresses legal issues in design, implementation, administration, corrections, and conflict resolution related to health plans, severance plans, life insurance, disability benefits, wellness plans, 125 plans, individual account plans (HSAs, FSAs, and HRAs), and retirement plans. She assists clients with design, diligence review, internal audits, benefit outsourcing, vendor management, coverage issues, ERISA fiduciary liability, ERISA claims and appeals processes, and government audits. Ms. Bitseff also serves as ERISA counsel supporting contract negotiations and business transactions such as mergers and acquisitions.

Ms. Hurd is responsible for planning, supervising and reviewing audits of single and multi-employer benefit plans. ERISA attorneys frequently ask her to perform the final audit of terminated benefit plan financial statements for national companies undergoing bankruptcy proceedings in Delaware. Along with her retirement plan audit services, Ms. Hurd assists clients with corporate service matters for Delaware investment holding companies. She frequently gives the auditor’s perspective in education panels targeting plan sponsors, investment advisors, third-party administrators, and other service providers in the industry. Ms. Hurd initiated and leads the firm’s employee benefit audit blog – The Art of the Qualified Plan Audit.