Learning Options

Retirement Plans—Design and Management
Certification Course: B2

Drill Down into Retirement Principles

This intermediate-level course presents an overview of objectives, design principles, practices, and rules and regulations in retirement planning. It provides the foundation on which retirement programs are designed, implemented and managed. This course does not cover multi-employer, government, 403(b) or nonqualified retirement plans.

• Specifically look at income needs and sources of employer-sponsored retirement plans and cover the basics of Social Security
• Discuss plan design and communication—distinguishing between qualified and nonqualified plans
• Learn the legal and regulatory entities that interpret and enforce plan requirements
• Gain deeper knowledge of defined contribution (DC) and defined benefit (DB) plans, along with hybrid plans
• Discover tax laws and fiduciary responsibilities
• Discuss plan investment and financing issues

Who Should Attend

This course is designed specifically for HR professionals seeking an overview of qualified retirement plans and those preparing to assume responsibility for the detailed administration and management of these plans, and for benefits practitioners whose specialized knowledge is in areas other than pension management. Course B2 is not designed to serve as a fundamental overview of the entire field of employee benefits. It is recommended that participants attend course B1 prior to attending B2.Those with no prior experience in the benefits field, or those who do not understand and are not comfortable with the information covered in WorldatWork course B1, will find this course too advanced.

What You Will Learn

Retirement Income Needs and Sources

• Total rewards
• Retirement income needs
• Retirement income sources
• Phased retirement
• Social Security overview

Employer-sponsored Retirement Plans

• Evolution of employer-sponsored retirement plans
• Why employers sponsor retirement plans
• Employer-sponsored retirement plans
• Exercise
• Qualified/nonqualified rules
• Operating plans
• Communication guidelines

Legal, Regulatory and General Nondiscrimination Rules

• Regulatory and legal entities
• ERISA
• Internal Revenue Code
• Pension Benefit Guaranty
• Corporation (PBGC)
• Other guidance
• Nondiscrimination rules

Defined Contribution (DC) Plan Design

• Overview of defined contribution (DC) plans
• Advantages and disadvantages of defined contribution plans
• Types of defined contribution plans
• Defined contribution plan design considerations
• Administrative considerations
• ADP/ACP Tests

Defined Benefit (DB) Plan Design

• Overview of defined benefit (DB) plans
• Advantages and disadvantages of defined benefit plans
• Retirement plan design
• Types of defined benefit plans
• Defined benefit plan design considerations
• Social Security integration
• Administrative requirements

Hybrid Plans

• Comparative features of defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Exercise
• Hybrid plans
• Cash balance plans
• Pension equity plans
• Target benefit plans

Tax Laws and Fiduciary Responsibilities

• Deductibility of contributions
• Tax law limits
• Taxation/timing of retirement distributions
• Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)
• Fiduciary Issues
• ERISA regulations
• Mutual fund issues

Plan Investment and Financing Issues

• Investment policy
• General investment management
• Additional considerations for defined contribution plans
• Financial education versus financial advice
• Defined benefit financial considerations
• Defined benefit funding and accounting
• Pension funding reform

	Credits  CBP: Required Certificate in Benefits Administration: Required Recertification: 2 course, .5 Exam CEUs: 1.5 Course, .3 Exam CPEs: 16 CFP: 16 credits CPIM/CFPIM/CSCP: 14 points PHR/SPHR/GPHR recertification hours: 16
	Faculty
	Course book amendments
	Test your knowledge

Consider Bringing This Course to Your Location This professional development program and others offered by WorldatWork can be customized to meet the unique needs of your organization and delivered at your location. For more information, contact a Corporate Education Resource Manager at 877/710-5970 or 480/905-5980.

Learning Options

Retirement Plans — Design Considerations and Administration
Certification Course: B2

Drill Down into Retirement Principles

With retirement plan offerings, today’s HR professionals have the burden of minimizing their organization’s risks while ensuring employees are benefiting from and contributing to their plan. This intermediate-level course provides an introduction to retirement plans and focuses on the design and administration of defined contribution plans from a strategic perspective. Fiduciary responsibilities and plan investment and financing are discussed along with plan auditing and evaluation.

• Examine the alignment of retirement plan objectives with organizational strategy.
• Discuss defined contribution plan types.
• Learn key aspects of 401K plans.
• Review fiduciary requirements for retirement plans and understand general investment and financing guidelines.
• Discuss auditing retirement plans to evaluate the effectiveness, financial performance and plan delivery.
• Learn considerations for integrating retirement plans in the case of a merger or acquisition.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed specifically for human resources professionals seeking an overview of defined contribution retirement plans and those preparing to assume responsibility for the detailed administration and management of these plans.

What You Will Learn

Introduction to Retirement Plans

• Retirement – income needs and sources
• Employer-sponsored retirement plans
• Qualified and nonqualified plans
• Aligning retirement plans with organizational strategies
• Objectives of employer-sponsored retirement plans

Employer-Sponsored Plans

• Characteristics of defined contribution plans
• Types of defined contribution plans
• Portability of retirement plans
• Hybrid plans – Target benefit and cash balance

Defined Contribution Plan Components

• Retirement plan regulations
• Design components of DC plans
• Contributions
• Taxation and timing of distribution

Nondiscrimination Tests

• Plan qualification requirements
• ADP/ACP nondiscrimination tests
• Corrective actions for ADP or ACP test failure

Fiduciary Responsibilities and Plan Investment and Financing

• Fiduciary issues
• Financial education vs. financial advice
• Role of retirement plan committee
• Investment policy
• General investment management

Audits and Evaluation

• Why benefits professionals collect and use data
• Plan assessment

Implementing Changes in Retirement Plans

• Advising management of trends and developments
• Obtaining management approval
• Integrating retirement plans following a merger or acquisition

	Credits  CBP: Required Certificate in Benefits Administration: Required Recertification: 2 course, .5 Exam CEUs: 1.5 Course, .3 Exam CPEs: 16 CFP: 16 credits CPIM/CFPIM/CSCP: 14 points PHR/SPHR/GPHR recertification hours: 16
	Faculty

Consider Bringing This Course to Your Location This professional development program and others offered by WorldatWork can be customized to meet the unique needs of your organization and delivered at your location. For more information, contact a Corporate Education Resource Manager at 877/710-5970 or 480/905-5980.