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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20142586.tiff INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY P. O. BOX 2508 CINCINNATI, OH 45201 l} O�O Employer Identification Number: Date: F E 8 v v 84-6000813 DLN: 17007029057009 WELD COUNTY Person to Contact: 915 10TH ST YOLANDA NAJERA ID# 95083 GREELY, CO 80631 Contact Telephone Number: (626) 312-3622 Plan Name: WELD COUNTY 401K SAVINGS PLAN Plan Number: 005 Dear Applicant: We have made a favorable determination on the plan identified above based on the information you have supplied. Please keep this ltter, the application forms submitted to request this letter and all correspondence with the Internal Revenue Service regarding your application for a determination letter in your permanent records. You must retain this information to preserve your reliance on this letter. Continued qualification of the plan under its present form will depend on its effect in operation. See section 1.401-1(b) (3) of the Income Tax Regulations. We will review the status of the plan in operation periodically. • The enclosed Publication 794 explains the significance and the scope of this favorable determination letter based on the determination requests selected on your application forms. Publication 794 describes the information that must be retained to have reliance on this favorable determination letter. The publication also provide examples of the effect of a plans operation on its qualified status and discusses the reporting requirements for qualified plans. Please read Publication 794. This letter relates only to the status of your plan under the Internal Revenue Code. It is not a determination regarding the effect of other federal or local statutes. This determination letter gives no reliance for any qualification change that becomes effective, any guidance published, or any statutes enacted, after the issuance of the Cumulative List (unless the item has been identified in the Cumulative List) for the cycle under which this application was submitted. This letter may not be relied on after the end of the plan's first five-year remedial amendment cycle that ends more than 12 months after the application was received. This letter expires on January 31, 2014. This letter considered the 2007 Cumulative List of Changes in Plan Qualification Requirements. This determination letter is applicable for the amendment(s) executed Letter 2002 (DO/CG) • 2014-2586 S se--/y "Loo/le -2- WELD COUNTY on 12-17-01, 10-27-03. This determination letter is also applicable for the amendment(s) dated on 3-16-05, 8-6-08. This determination letter is also applicable for the amendment(s) dated on 8-2-06, 4-6-05. This determination letter is based solely on your assertion that the plan is entitled to be treated as a Governmental plan under section 414(d) of the Internal Revenue Code. The information on the enclosed addendum is an integral part of this determination. Please be sure to read and keep it with this letter. If you have questions concerning this matter, please contact the person whose name and telephone number are shown above. Sincerely, Andrew E. Zuckerman • Director, EP Rulings & Agreements Enclosures: Publication 794 Addendum Letter 2002 (DO/CG) -3- WELD COUNTY This determination letter applies to the amendments adopted on 12-5-01 and 12-17-07. Letter 2002 (DO/CG) r Publication 794 Introduction (Rev. April 2009) This publication explains the significance of Catalog Number 20630M your favorable determination letter,points out some features that may affect the Department qualified status of your employee of the retirement plan and nullify your Treasury determination letter without specific notice Internal from us,and provides general information Revenue on the reporting requirements for your Service P 9 4 plan. Favorable Significance of a Favorable Determination Anemplo Determination Letter yeeretirement plan qualified under Internal Revenue Code(IRC) Letter section 401(a)(qualified plan)is entitled to favorable tax treatment.For example, contributions made in accordance with the plan document are generally currently deductible.However,participants will not include these contributions into income until the time they receive a distribution from the plan,at which time special income averaging rates for lump sum distributions may serve to reduce the tax liability.In some cases,taxation may be further deferred by rollover to another qualified plan or individual retirement arrangement. ' (See Publication 575,Pension and Annuity Income,for further details.)Finally,plan earnings may accumulate free of tax. Employee retirement plans that fail to satisfy the requirements under IRC section . 401(a)are not entitled to favorable tax 11, Illi"IIIIIII treatment.Therefore,many employers desire advance assurance that the terms of III their plans satisfy the qualification requirements. The Internal Revenue Service provides such advance assurance by means of the • determination letter program.A favorable — _ determination letter indicates that,in the opinion of the Service,the terms of the plan conform to the requirements of IRC section 401(a).A favorable determination letter expresses the Service's opinion regarding the form of the plan document. miiila. However,to be a qualified plan under IRC section 401(a)entitled to favorable tax treatment,a plan must satisfy,in both form and operation,the requirements of IRC section 401(a),including nondiscrimination and coverage requirements.A favorable determination letter may also provide . assurance,on the basis of Information and demonstrations provided in your application,that the plan satisfies certain of - -- .. iiiiiii these nondiscrimination and coverage mailItii.�iil: requirements in form or operation.See the following topic,Limitations and Scope of a Favorable Determination Letter,for more details. Limitations and Scope of a in addition,the following apply business requirements of IRC section Favorable Determination generally to all determination letters: 414(r)). Letter • If you maintain two or more • The determination letter applies only A favorable determination letter Is retirement plans,some of which were to the employer and its participants on limited in scope.A determination letter either not submitted to the Service for whose behalf the determination letter generally applies to qualification determination or not disclosed on each was issued. requirements regarding the form of the application,certain limitations and plan.A determination letter may also requirements will not have been • A determination letter does not apply to certain operational(non-form) considered on an aggregate basis. express an opinion whether disability requirements. Therefore,you may not rely on the benefits or medical care benefits are determination letter regarding the plans acceptable as accident or health plan Generally,a favorable determination when considered as a total package. benefits deductible under IRC section letter does not consider,and may not 105 or 106. be relied on with regard to: • A determination letter for a defined • certain requirements under IRC benefit plan may be relied on regarding • A determination letter does not section 401(a)(4),including the the requirements of IRC section express an opinion on whether requirement that the plan be 401(a)(26)if the application requested contributions made to a plan treated as nondiscriminatory in the amounts of a determination regarding section a governmental plan defined in IRC contributions or benefits for highly 410(b). section 414(d)constitute employer compensated and nonhighly contributions under IRC section compensated employees; • A determination letter does not 414(h)(2). • the coverage requirements under consider the special requirements IRC sections 410(b)and 401(a)(26); relating to:(a)affiliated service groups; You should become familiar with the and (b)leased employees;or(c)plan terms of the determination letter. • the definition of compensation under assets or liabilities involved In a Please call the contact person listed on IRC section 414(s). merger,consolidation,spin-off or the determination letter ii you do not transfer of assets with another plan understand any terms in your In addition,a favorable determination unless the letter includes a statement determination letter. letter may not be relied on for any that the requirements of IRC section qualification changes that become 414(m)(affiliated service groups)or Retention of information.Whether a effective,any guidance published,or 414(n)(leased employees)has been plan meets the qualification any statutes enacted,after the considered. requirements Is determined from the issuance of the applicable Cumulative information in the written plan List of Changes in Plan Qualification • No determination letter may be relied document,the application form and the Requirements(Cumulative List)unless on with respect to the effective supporting Information submitted by the the item has been identified in that availability of benefits,rights,or employer.Therefore,you must retain Cumulative List for the cycle under features under the plan.(See section copies of any demonstrations or which the application was submitted. 1.401(a)(4)-4(c)of the Income Tax other Information submitted with See section 4 of Revenue Procedure Regulations.)Reliance on whether your application.Such (Rev.Proc.)2007-44,2007-28 I.R.B. benefits,rights,or features are demonstrations determine the extent 54. currently available to a of reliance provided by your nondiscriminatory group of employees determination letter.Failure to retain However,if you requested one or more is provided to the extent requested in such information may limit the of the optional nondiscrimination and the application. scope of reliance on issues for coverage determinations offered on the which demonstrations were determination letter application forms • A determination letter does not provided. (Form 5300,Form 5307,Schedule Q), consider whether actuarial assumptions your favorable determination letter are reasonable for funding or deduction Other conditions for reliance.We considers,and may be relied on,with purposes or whether a specific have not verified the information . regard to the specific determination(s) contribution is deductible. submitted with your application.The you requested,provided you satisfy the determination letter will not provide following requirement;you must retain • A determination letter does not reliance if: copies of the application forms,any consider,and may not be relied on with required demonstrations,and all respect to,certain other matters (1)there has been a misstatement or correspondence with the Internal described in section 5 of Rev.Proc. omission of material facts(for Revenue Service related to the 2009-8,2009-1 I.R.B.189(I.e.,whether example,the application indicated application for a favorable a plan amendment is part of a pattern that the plan was a governmental determination letter.A favorable of amendments that significantly plan and it was not a governmental determination letter cannot be relied discriminates in favor of highly plan); on with regard to any optional compensated employees;the use of determination request unless all of the substantiation guidelines contained (2)the facts subsequently developed are the required information is retained. In Rev.Proc.93-42,1993-31 I.R.B.32; materially different than the facts on and certain qualified separate lines of which the determination was made;or (3)there is a change in applicable law. Plan Must Qualify in plan,the method used to test that this Operation requirement continues to be satisfied is Law changes affecting the plan.A changed(or Is required to be changed determination issued to an adopting Generally,a plan qualifies in operation because the facts have changed)from employer of an individually designed if it continues to satisfy the coverage the method employed in the plan will be based on the most recent and nondiscrimination requirements • demonstration,the letter may no longer Cumulative List published prior to the and is maintained according to the be relied upon with respect to this one-year period starting February 1 and terms on which the favorable requirement. ending January 31 in which the determination letter was Issued. determination letter application was Changes In facts and other basis on Contributions or benefits In excess filed.The Cumulative List is a list which the determination letter was of the limitations under IRC section published annually by the Service issued may mean that the 416.A retirement plan may not provide which identifies on a year-by-year basis determination letter may no longer be retirement benefits or,In the case of a all changes in the qualification relied upon. defined contribution plan,contributions requirements resulting from statute and other additions,that exceed the changes,regulations,or other guidance Some examples of the effect of a plan's limitations specified in IRC section 415. published in the internal Revenue operation on a favorable determination Your plan contains provisions designed Bulletin that are required to be taken are: to provide benefits within these into account in the written plan limitations.Please become familiar with document.See sections 4,13,and 14 Not meeting nondiscrimination in these limitations,or your plan will be of Rev.Proc.2007-44 for further amount requirement.If the disqualified if these limitations are details.Generally,a determination determination letter application exceeded. letter issued to an adopting employer of requested a determination that the plan . a pm-approved plan(i.e.,Master& satisfies the nondiscrimination in Top heavy minimums.If this plan Prototype(M&P)plan or volume amount requirement of section primarily benefits employees who are submitter(VS)plan)will be based on 1.401(a)(4)-1(b)(2)of the regulations on key employees,it may be a top heavy the Cumulative List used by the Service the basis of a design-based safe plan and must provide certain minimum in reviewing the pre-approved plan. harbor,the plan will generally continue benefits and vesting for non-key However,see section 19 of Rev.Proc. to satisfy this requirement in operation employees.If your plan provides the 2007.44 for exceptions to this rule.For if the plan Is maintained according to its accelerated benefits and vesting only terminating plans,a determination letter terms.If the determination letter for years during which the plan is top Is based on the law In effect at the time application requested a determination heavy,failure to Identify such years and of the plan's proposed date of that the plan satisfies the to provide the accelerated vesting and termination.See Section 8 of Rev. nondiscrimination In amount benefits will disqualify the plan. Proc.2007-44. requirement on the basis of a nondesign-based safe harbor or a Actual deferral percentage or Amendments to the plan.A favorable general test,and the plan subsequently contribution percentage tests.If this determination letter issued to an fails to meet this requirement in plan provides for cash or deferred individually designed plan will provide operation,the favorable determination arrangements,employer matching reliance up to and including the letter may no longer be relied upon with contributions,or employee expiration date identified on the respect to this requirement. contributions,the determination letter determination letter.This reliance is does not consider whether special conditioned upon the timely adoption of Not meeting minimum coverage discrimination tests described in IRC any necessary interim amendments as requirements.If the determination section 401(k)(3)or 401(m)(2)have required by section 5.04 of Rev. letter application Includes a request for been satisfied in operation.However, Proc.2007-44.A favorable a determination regarding the ratio the letter considers whether the terms determination letter issued to an percentage test of IRC section 410(b) of pl an lan satisfy the section 401(k)(3) adopting employer of a preapproved and the plan subsequently falls to or thela 401(m)(2) spec ified requirements in plan will provide reliance up to and satisfy the ratio percentage test in IRC section 401(k)(3)or (2). Including the last day of the six-year operation,the letter may no longer be cycle following the six-year remedial relied upon with respect to the Reporting Requirements amendment cycle In which the coverage requirements.Likewise,if the p g q determination letter application was determination letter application Most plan administrators or employers filed.The reliance is conditioned upon requests a determination regarding the who maintain an employee benefit plan average benefit test,the letter may no must file an annual return/report.The the timely adoption of any a mired by longer be relied upon with respect to following is a general discussion of the interim amendments as required by forms to be used for this purpose,See section 5.04 of Rev.Proc.2007-44. the coverage requirements once the Also see Rev.Proc.2005-16,2005-10 plan falls to satisfy the average benefit the instructions to each form for specific I.R.B.674 sections 5.01 and 15.05 and test in operation. information: Announcement 2005-37,2005-21 Form 5500-EZ,Annual Return of I.R.B.1096. Changes In testing methods.If the determination letter is based in part on One-Participant(Owners and Their a demonstration that a coverage or Spouses)Retirement Plan—generally nondiscrimination requirement is for a"one-participant plan,'which is a satisfied,and,in the operation of the plan that covers only: (1)an individual, or an individual and his or her spouse who wholly own a business,whether person)are prohibited,unless almost any employer reversion of plan incorporated or not;or(2)partner(s)in specifically exempted from this assets.Form 5330 must be filed by the a partnership or the partners)and the requirement.A few examples are loans, last day of the month following the partner's spouse. sales and exchanges of property, month in which the reversion occurred. leasing of property,furnishing goods or If the Form 5500-EZ cannot be used, services,and use of plan assets by the Form 5310-A for certain transactions the one-participant plan should use disqualified person.Disqualified -Under IRC section 6058(b),an Form 5500,Annual Return/Report of persons who engage in a prohibited actuarial statement is required at least Employee Benefit Plan. transaction for which there Is no 30 days before a merger,consolidation, exception must file Form 5330 by the or transfer(including spin-off)of assets See Instructions to Form 5500-EZ for last day of the seventh month after the to another plan.This statement is specific rules. end of the tax year of the disqualified required for all plans.However, person. penalties for non-filing will not apply to Note: A'one-participant'plan that has defined contribution plans for which: no more than$250,000 in assets at the Form 5330 for tax on nondeductible end of the plan year is not required to employer contributions to qualified (1)The sum of the account balances in file a return.However,Form 5500-EZ plans-If contributions are made to this each plan equals the fair market must be filed for any subsequent year plan in excess of the amount value of all plan assets, in which plan assets exceed$250,000. deductible,a tax may be Imposed upon (2)The assets of each plan are If two or more one-participant plans the excess contribution.Form 5330 combined to form the assets of the have more than$250,000 in assets,a must be filed by the last day of the plan as merged, separate Form 5500-EZ must be filed seventh month after the end of the (3)Immediately after a merger,the for each plan. employer's tax year. account balance of each participant is equal to the sum of the account A`Final"Form 5500-EZ must be filed if Form 5330 for tax on excess balances of the participant the plan is terminated. contributions to cash or deferred immediately before the merger,and arrangements or excess employee (4)The plans must not have an Form 5500,Annual Retum/Report of contributions or employer matching unamortized waiver or unallocated Employee Benefit Plan—for a contributions-If a plan includes a suspense account. pension benefit plan that is not eligible cash or deferred arrangement(IRC to file Form 5500-EZ. section 401(k))or provides for Penalties will also not apply if the employee contributions or employer assets transferred are less than three Note.Keogh(H.R.10)plans having matching contributions(IRC section percent of the assets of the plan over$250,000 in assets are required to 401(m)),then excess contributions that Involved In the transfer(spinoff),and file an annual return even if the only would cause the plan to fail the actual . the transaction is not one of a series of participants are owner-employees.The deferral percentage or the actual two or more transfers(spinoff term"owner-employee"includes a contribution percentage test are subject transactions)that are,in substance, partner who owns more than a 10% to a tax unless the excess is eliminated one transaction. interest in either the capital or profits of within 2%months after the end of the the partnership.This applies to both plan year.Form 5330 must be filed by The purpose of the above discussions defined contribution and defined benefit the due date of the employer's tax is to illustrate some of the principal plans. return for the plan year in which the tax filing requirements that apply to was incurred. pension plans.This is not an exclusive Form 5330 for prohibited listing of all returns and schedules that transactions-Transactions between a Form 5330 for tax on reversions of must be filed. plan and someone having a plan assets-Under IRC section 4980, relationship to the plan(disqualified a tax is payable on the amount of Hello