With more than 20 years of experience in employee benefits law, Ben advises employers regarding qualified retirement plans, health and welfare plans and executive compensation. He offers benefits support in business combinations and ERISA-related litigation.
Ben counsels clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses, about pension and welfare benefits compliance, and correction and fiduciary issues arising under tax laws or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
He has extensive knowledge in employee benefit plan compliance and administration, including maintaining plan documents, advising on operational issues, consulting on good fiduciary structures and determining permissible plan expenses. Ben guides clients through the labyrinth of regulations affecting a variety of employee benefit plans and programs, including ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Ben advises on a variety of employee benefit plans sponsored by private, public, government and church entities, qualified retirement plans (defined benefit and defined contribution), non-qualified retirement plans, self-funded and insured group health plans, and other health and welfare plans. Ben has worked with employers contributing to multiemployer plans, including those facing withdrawal liability assessments.
He also assists clients with audits, investigations and examinations conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service, and with drafting and submitting voluntary corrections to these federal agencies.
Prior to joining Harris Beach Murtha, Benjamin worked at USI Consulting Group, a national, full-service retirement plan consulting and benefits administration firm with more than 50 years of experience. He provided retirement plan consulting and benefits administration services to organizations and their employees. Before that, he was partner at a Louisville law firm, where he focused on ERISA counseling.
In those roles, he designed and drafted qualified retirement plan documents, summary plan descriptions and administrative forms for profit-sharing plans, pension plans, 401(k) plans and Employee Stock Ownership Plans. He also designed and drafted non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other executive compensation plans, and he analyzed Code Section 409A issues, including correction issues.
He prepared cafeteria plan documents, wrap-around plans, summary plan descriptions, COBRA notices and other administrative forms for health and welfare benefit plans. He also advised on the Affordable Care Act and wellness programs.