In the ongoing effort to help individuals impacted by COVID-19, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities Act (CARES Act) on March 27, 2020. The President signed the CARES Act into law the same day. The historic stimulus package provides wide-ranging relief for both employers and employees. This includes rules that impact health
CARES Act Impacts All Benefit Plans
COVID-19 FAQs: For Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
Coronavirus (COVID-19) raises serious concerns for employers of all shapes and sizes, across all industries and in every business sector. As the impact of COVID-19 continues to grow, many employers are faced with new challenges that affect not only their businesses and their employees, but the health and welfare, retirement and executive compensation plans and
IRS Aims to Curb Workaround of Limit on Executive Pay Tax Break
Public companies would have a harder time evading a stricter limit on deductions for compensation paid to top executives under an IRS proposal. The proposed regulations (REG-122180-18) implement a 2017 tax law provision that expanded the scope of tax code Section 162(m), which prevents public companies from getting a tax deduction for
Exec Comp Regs Crack Down on Partnership Arrangements
Corporations looking to use partnerships to avoid the executive compensation deduction limitation may be out of luck. The new proposed regs (REG-122180-18) on the section 162(m) executive compensation deduction limitation include a rule on compensation paid by a partnership to an executive of a publicly held corporation that’s subject to the limitation.
McDermott’s Andrew C.
Capital Perspective: An Analysis of Hot Topics in Benefits and Compensation
With the uncertainty of the general election just one year away—and change on the horizon—now is the time to take stock of the legal and regulatory environment to prepare your organization for the future.
On September 10 in Boston, the ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC), Fidelity and McDermott invite you to join your peers and colleagues
Timely Actions – Highly Compensated Excise Tax Deadline Imminent
As an update on an important matter that we raised during McDermott’s May 8 Tax Symposium, it is critical to promptly assess whether to report any excise taxes imposed under Section 4960 as the deadline for filing Form 4720 is May 15, 2019 for calendar year taxpayers. Section 4960 of the Internal Revenue Code imposes a 21% excise tax on compensation over $1 million paid to the five highest paid employees of a tax exempt organization, including a private foundation (PF). For purposes of applying Section 4960, the Internal Revenue Service includes compensation paid by related taxable organizations, which may include publicly held or privately held corporations that control who sits on the PF’s board of trustees.
Set forth below are the key issues relevant to establishing a reasonable, good faith position under Notice 2019-9 that the Section 4960 excise tax should not apply to volunteer officers of a PF who receive all of their compensation from taxable organizations related to such PF. What is important to understand is that the Section 4960 excise tax only applies if volunteer officers are treated as employees of the related PF. Whether an employee relationship exists is a facts and circumstances test, and having someone serve as an officer to meet state law nonprofit corporation requirements does not result, by itself, in employee status.
We have also provided steps that companies may follow in developing the facts necessary to establish such reasonable, good faith position pending the issuance of proposed regulations. Please feel free to contact us for assistance in developing such position or with any questions concerning Section 4960.
Changes in Executive Compensation
In a presentation at McDermott’s Employment and Employee Benefits Forum, Andrew Liazos discussed areas of focus for Section 162(m) and third-party loan funding for employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs). He also provided insight on the new SEC final rule on hedging, and the 21 percent excise tax on pay over $1 million to covered employees
Emerging Trends Alert | Filling in the Gaps: Pay Equity
In a presentation at McDermott’s Employment and Employee Benefits Forum, our lawyers discuss the patchwork of state and local laws surrounding pay equity for similarly situated employees doing the same job. Particularly in California, new developments have emerged further clarifying pay equity laws. For best practices, they recommend:
- Establishing compensation ranges across substantially similar jobs
Top Takeaways for Tax-Exempts from IRS Guidance on Executive Compensation
One of the more controversial and complex provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has been the 21 percent excise tax on certain nonprofit executive compensation. On December 31, 2018, the IRS issued interim guidance that addresses how this tax will apply in various situations that commonly arise for tax-exempt employers. Establishing internal systems
ISS and Glass Lewis Update Proxy Voting Guidelines for 2019
Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. and Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC both recently issued their annual proxy voting guideline updates. As revised, these guidelines have important implications for companies preparing for the 2019 proxy season.