The Daily Brief for Benefits Professionals
BenefitsWire
Retirement Plans
September 14, 2026
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4 items · ~2 min read
In this issue
Regulatory Action and Guidance (2) · Litigation (1) · General Benefits (1)
Regulatory Action and Guidance
2 items“On August 7, 2026, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Q&As in Notice 2026-48 consistent with their intent to release proposed regulations for the Saver’s Match, a program designed to help low- and moderate-income workers save for retirement. The Q&As address administrative and compliance issues for retirement plan sponsors considering whether to accept Saver’s Match contributions. The notice requests public comments about the implementation process for Saver’s Match contributions and plan operation questions for plan sponsors. Eligible workers will need an account—either an individual retirement account (IRA) or an employer-sponsored ret” MORE >>
Source: blog.ifebp.org
“On June 15, 2026, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation issued its first opinion letter under its relaunched program. This administrative milestone redefines how New York employers navigate complex pension obligations and fiduciary exposure. For business owners managing frozen defined benefit plans or legacy annuity trusts, this directive eliminates months of regulatory guesswork and establishes a binding compliance pathway. We are breaking down exactly what this shift means for your operational calendar, how to secure formal guidance before year-end deadlines, and which retirement structures now qualify for immediate regulatory approval.” MORE >>
Source: bentonoakfield.com
Litigation
1 item“A federal judge has dismissed another pension-risk-transfer lawsuit because Athene has not yet missed a pension check. https://www.asppa-net.org/news/2026/9/lack-of-standing-stymies-prt-suit/ That is not financial analysis. That is waiting for the fire before admitting someone replaced the sprinkler system with a garden hose. In Dow v. Lumen Technologies, Lumen transferred approximately $1.4 billion of pension obligations covering 22,600 retirees to Athene.” MORE >>
Source: The Commonsense 401(k) Project
General Benefits
1 item“We believe pension capital investors – with their focus on investing to protect and grow the retirement savings of working people – could help bridge the U.S.’ funding gap and enhance the resilience and productivity of U.S. infrastructure assets. As pioneers of the asset class, these investors have deep expertise in infrastructure.” MORE >>
Source: NCPERS
Also of Note
- Edward Jones Fights Back in Challenge to Diversity Program — “The company characterizes this allegation as an “irreconcilable” conflict.” (Hall Benefits Law)