On June 3,2020, the IRS released Notice 2020-42. This notice provides temporary administration relief and flexibility to participants or beneficiaries and plan administrators in qualified retirement plans and other tax-favored retirement arrangements.
For the period between January 1,2020 through December 31,2020, participants or beneficiaries and plan administrators will be relieved of the physical presence requirement. In states that allow remote notarization, individuals are now able to access electronic mediums to be used to make participant elections. The electronic system must be designed to preclude any person other than the participant to make the election. In addition, the system must also provide reasonable time to review, make changes or to rescind the terms of the election before it becomes effective, as well as provide a way to confirm the election, either in writing or under a system to include applicable notice requirements. In the case where a participant election is witnessed by a plan representative, the individual may use an electronic system with audio-video technology. As permitted by the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), guidance is also given to accommodate social distancing practices in local shutdowns where the intent is to safely facilitate payments of COVID-19 related plan loans and distributions. SPS/GZ is a full-service ACA reporting firm that provides personalized service and exceptional support, utilizing state-of-the-art technology to create and e-file ACA forms. Let SPS/GZ be your trusted ACA tax form reporting provider.
