Voluntary Correction Program

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On January 2, 2018, the IRS published its annual bulletin that updates procedures for requesting rulings, determinations, and other guidance from the IRS. As in past years, the bulletin includes new user fees for determination requests and submissions under the Voluntary Correction Program (“VCP”). But this year’s update includes a significant surprise for the VCP…

On March 27, 2015, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Revenue Procedure 2015-27, which modifies, effective July 1, 2015, prior guidelines under the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS).  The IRS established EPCRS so that plan sponsors could correct documentary and operational errors without jeopardizing a plan’s tax qualified status.  EPCRS consists of three programs under which plan sponsors can correct plan errors – the Self-Correction Program, the Voluntary Correction Program and the Audit Closing Agreement Program.   The new guidance modifies, but does not supersede, the most recent restatement of EPCRS set forth in Revenue Procedure 2013-12.

What happens if a tax-exempt organization becomes ineligible to sponsor a Section 403(b) Plan because it loses its exempt status under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3)?  As an example, loss of tax-exempt status may occur automatically if the organization fails to file an annual Form 990 information return for three consecutive years.  It may also lose its exempt status if the IRS revokes or terminates exempt status for other reasons.

Final Internal Revenue Code Section 403(b) regulations, which became effective January 1, 2009, require that plan sponsors adopt written 403(b) Plan documents.  A 403(b) Plan is a form of defined contribution retirement plan that may only be offered by employers that are tax-exempt entities under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or that are…