Allison Wilkerson
Subscribe to Allison Wilkerson's PostsAllison Wilkerson focuses her practice on employee benefits matters. She has extensive experience handling issues pertaining to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). Read Allison Wilkerson's full bio.
ESOP legislation gains bipartisan support: A look at recent Senate bills
By Allison Wilkerson and Myriem Bennani on Oct 9, 2025
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Retirement Plans
Recent bipartisan US Senate proposals aim to strengthen Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) by streamlining their formation for small businesses and expanding US Department of Labor support. The legislation reflects growing consensus that ESOPs enhance retirement security and employee engagement, aligning with broader efforts to modernize benefit structures. In this BenefitsPRO article, Allison Wilkerson and...
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Allison Wilkerson weighs in on ESOP legislation in PLANSPONSOR
By Allison Wilkerson on Sep 30, 2025
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Retirement Plans
The US House of Representatives’ Committee on Education and Workforce recently advanced three retirement-related bills, including the bipartisan Retire through Ownership Act, which aligns Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) valuations with Internal Revenue Service standards. Allison Wilkerson said the bill would “go a long way” in reducing the valuation and fiduciary risk for ESOP trustees...
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Managing ESOP distribution and diversification obligations
By Allison Wilkerson and Myriem Bennani on Jun 24, 2025
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
On June 3, 2025, Allison Wilkerson and Myriem Bennani participated in a webinar hosted by the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO). They discussed proactive strategies for managing ESOP distribution and diversification obligations, including legal requirements, planning opportunities with “administrative loans,” and methods to meet benefit level goals, offering valuable insights for companies navigating ESOP...
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How PPM Health Plans Can Solve the MEWA Problem
By Sarah Raaii, Alden Bianchi, Erin Turley, Teal Trujillo and Allison Wilkerson on Mar 6, 2025
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
A physician practice management (PPM) structure can help ensure compliance with corporate practice of medicine laws and simplify administrative tasks. However, it can also unintentionally lead to health plan issues that need to be carefully managed to prevent compliance problems or complications when selling PPM entities. Read more here.
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Trump Administration Places DOL’s ESOP Proposals in Regulatory Moratorium
By Ted Becker, Allison Wilkerson, Erin Turley and Myriem Bennani on Feb 25, 2025
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Retirement Plans
On January 16, 2025, the US Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration released two proposed regulations related to employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). One regulation aims to clarify the valuation process for non-publicly traded employer stock, while the other would provide a safe harbor for transactions involving newly established ESOPs. However, on January...
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Save It for a Rainy Day: Recent Amendment Extensions for Qualified Retirement Plans, 403(b) Plans and Individual Retirement Accounts
By Teal Trujillo, Allison Wilkerson and Diane Morgenthaler on Sep 21, 2022
Posted In Executive Compensation, Fiduciary and Investment Issues, Retirement Plans
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued needed relief to extend some amendment deadlines for non-governmental qualified retirement plans and 403(b) plans, and for individual retirement accounts (IRAs) under the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act), the Bipartisan American Miners Act of 2019 (Miners Act), and certain provisions of...
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Mature ESOPs: Remodeling the House You Own
By Allison Wilkerson on Jun 23, 2022
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Fiduciary and Investment Issues, Retirement Plans
On May 5, 2022, McDermott Partner Allison Wilkerson delivered a presentation during the 2022 TEA National Conference titled “Mature ESOPs: Remodeling the House You Own.” Her presentation focused on the traits of a sustainable employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), common concerns of a mature ESOP and other ESOP-specific investment issues. Allison and her co-presenters also...
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Current Trends in DOL and IRS Investigations
By Allison Wilkerson on Sep 23, 2021
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), Retirement Plans
What can employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) managers due to prepare an effective record in advance of a potential US Department of Labor or Internal Revenue Service investigation? McDermott Partner Allison Wilkerson presented on this topic during The ESOP Association‘s TEA National 2021 Conference. Access the slides.
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COVID-19 Ate My Homework – Recent Extensions and Relief for Retirement Plans
By Allison Wilkerson, Diane Morgenthaler and Erin Steele on May 18, 2020
Posted In Benefit Controversies, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary and Investment Issues, Retirement Plans
In recognition of the difficulties faced by retirement plan sponsors, participants and beneficiaries due to the COVID-19 pandemic, new guidance extends the deadlines for notices and disclosures required by Title I of ERISA and extends deadlines for retirement plan participants and beneficiaries to submit benefit claims and benefit appeals. The new guidance also provides some...
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COVID-19 FAQs: For Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
By Erin Steele, Evan A. Belosa, Jacob Mattinson, McDermott Will & Emery, Sarah L. Engle, Brian Tiemann, Allison Wilkerson, Andrew Liazos and William R. Pomierski on Mar 26, 2020
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Executive Compensation, Health and Welfare Plans, Retirement Plans
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...
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