By Lois Colbert and Harrison Taylor
In a recent memorandum to employee plan auditors, the IRS prescribes missing participant search procedures for 403(b) plans (the “Memo”). Locating missing participants (and beneficiaries) often arises as an issue for 403(b) plans in the context of paying required minimum distributions (“RMDs”). Under the RMD rules, once participants reach a certain age, generally 70 ½, the plan must commence paying their benefits. If a 403(b) plan fails to pay RMDs, its tax-advantaged status could be placed at risk. The challenge for 403(b) plans is balancing maintaining their tax-advantaged statuses with expending plan resources searching for missing participants. According to the Memo, IRS auditors will not challenge a 403(b) plan as failing to satisfy the RMD rules for missing participants if each of the following steps is taken:- The plan searched its records, those of related plans, and publicly-available records or directories for alternative contact information.
- The plan used any of the following search methods:
- A commercial locator service,
- A credit reporting agency, or
- A proprietary internet search tool for locating individuals.
- The plan attempted to contact the missing participant via United States Postal Service certified mail to the missing participant’s last known mailing address, email address and phone number.
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