Our primary goal is to help you make the most of your company's valuable human, financial, and community resources. We will listen to your needs and provide support in attaining your corporate objectives.

We provide a full range of actuarial and consulting services for all plans, including:

---

We will assist you in defining the objectives of your employee benefit plans, and identifying and solving any related problems. We will also provide assistance with a wide range of employee benefits. We can design a single plan or a combination of plans to achieve your ultimate goal, including:

---

Defined Benefit Pension Plans

Because the primary goal of your benefit plan is to take care of your employees, benefit determinations for prospective retirees is one of the most valuable services we provide. We strive to implement systems that streamline the processing of benefit determinations for each of our clients. Our goal is to respond to each request for a benefit determination within three business days. There will be no charge for any response that is delayed more than five business days. We may implement in-house programs to calculate the benefits according to your needs. These calculations are then verified by our actuaries. Upon completion of the annual actuarial valuation and receipt of your auditor�s report, we will prepare the necessary government forms.

Other actuarial services we can provide include:

• Actuarial Valuations
• Supplemental Retirement Plans
• Supplemental Retirement Plan Funding
• Forecasts of Future Costs and Benefits
• Asset and Liability Forecasts
• Early Retirement Incentive Programs
• FASB Reporting
• Post Retirement Medical Valuations and Projections
• Expert Witness Testimony
• Valuation of Legal Settlements
• New Plan Design
• Plan Termination

As new requirements and regulations are issued, we will review your plan and administrative forms to ensure compliance with current regulations. We will provide insight as to how proposed legislative changes may affect your plan.

Defined Contribution Plans

Plan Design

Acuff & Associates will work jointly with senior management, staff, investment and financial advisors, and legal counsel to create a qualified plan tailored to the needs of your company. Specific goals and objectives are set to solve tax problems, reward key personnel, improve productivity, boost employee morale, or provide solutions to your company’s primary benefit goals, whatever they might be. We will also aid in the preparation of all necessary government forms for submitting the plan to the IRS for a favorable determination letter.

Existing plans are reviewed for design, administrative ease, and compliance with current IRS guidelines. Recommendations are made for your consideration concerning improvements or updates that should be made.

Our experience and capabilities encompass:

• Safe Harbor Plans
• Profit Sharing Plans
• 401(k) Plans
• 457 Plans
• 403(b) Plans
• ESOPs
• Money Purchase Pension Plans
• Cross Tested Plans

Plan Implementation

Once the design/review phase is complete, the legal documentation and administrative documents may be prepared for review by your legal counsel to implement the plan. In addition to preparing the documentation to submit to the IRS, we can prepare:

• Plan and Trust Documents
• Summary Plan Descriptions
• Corporate Resolutions
• Administrative Forms
• Administrative Manuals

We can also provide assistance in selecting investment vehicles and/or managers for the investment of plan assets. Our professionals provide guidance in establishing a written investment policy that outlines criteria and objectives for the performance of investments. We are available to interview, monitor, and evaluate prospective investment companies.

Once a plan has been launched, Acuff & Associates can perform full-service, ongoing administration and recordkeeping. We will provide complete administrative services for your plan, including everything necessary to maintain compliance with the regulations and filing requirements of all federal agencies.

A team of professionals, ranging from consultant to technician, is assigned to your plan. This team can conduct explanation and enrollment meetings, collect and maintain all employee data and related financial data to prepare financial reports, individual allocations, participant statements, and required government testing and reporting.

ERISA Bond Coverage

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is a federal law that sets minimum standards for most voluntarily established pension and health plans. The ERISA laws require that trustees be bonded for 10% of the plan assets, up to a maximum of a $500,000 ERISA Bond. If you offer your employees a retirement plan, you are legally required to have ERISA insurance that covers a percent of the plan's assets. Even plans under 100 participants must comply, or face the cost and inconvenience of an independent annual audit.

ERISA bonds cover against losses due to a criminal act. ERISA bonds are not only inexpensive, but they are readily available and easy to purchase. To help simplify the ERISA fidelity bonding process, we are providing a link to an online bond calculator and application. If you would like to update your ERISA bond coverage or just compare prices, please click on the following link: Online ERISA Bonding Service

Legal Research and Document Services

In planning for, installing, or maintaining a qualified retirement plan or employee benefit program, unforeseen issues arise that need analysis and resolution. While Acuff & Associates is not engaged in the practice of law, we can provide a framework for analysis and discussion regarding the issues. The framework may be used to assist your corporate counsel in focusing on the proper solution for your plan. We will not render a "legal opinion," but will use our expertise and research facilities to help you understand issues as they arise and outline alternatives to resolve these issues. Areas in which we can assist on the legal aspects of your plan are:

• Prototype or Volume Submitter Plan
• Summary Plan Description
• IRS/DOL Audit Assistance
• IRS/DOL Negotiations
• Determination Letter Filings
• QDROs (Qualified Domestic Relations Orders)
• Legal Research
• Plan Terminations
• Voluntary Self Corrections

Issues frequently arise in the context of coverage and discrimination in benefits. The tax laws and regulations require precise calculations in terms of the employee pool that is included in or excluded from coverage and the level of benefits provided under the plan. We will analyze the corporate structure, anticipated pool of employees, and anticipated level of benefits to assist you in ensuring that your plan meets the current compliance standards.

Another issue that frequently arises relates to corporate mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs. These are complex issues regarding ownership and coverage of existing plans. How the employer and employee are defined in relation to the plan is critical. For example, an employer may consist of a number of corporations or partnerships due to ownership attribution rules. These rules need to be reviewed as early as possible in an acquisition or merger situation. Hidden issues may exist with the type of plan or level of benefits in a plan sponsored by a participating member of the controlled group. The plan, its coverage, and benefits will be tested in relation to all employees of the new employer.

Other issues that may arise involve the interpretation of technical plan terms, particularly actuarial formulas or standards, or the interpretation of the plan terms in light of changes in the law or regulations. Administration of the plan may require that you have written policies or procedures in place to solve administrative problems and support administrative practices. We can assist you in designing your plan and training your staff with regard to such policies or procedures.

Plan Termination

Plans can terminate for a variety of reasons. Regardless of the reason, it is critical that the wind down be handled properly both internally and with the government agencies. Acuff & Associates, Inc. can assist you in terminating your retirement plan to ensure it complies with all requirements.

Government Reporting and Forms Preparation

Acuff & Associates will prepare and submit required forms for reporting distributions for retirement, disability, termination of employment, or in-service withdrawal. We will prepare annual returns for IRS and Department of Labor as well as Summary Annual Reports to distribute to participants each year. We will also make sure your plan is compliant with reporting requirements enacted under the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

Plan Administration

Whether it is a defined contribution or defined benefit plan, Acuff & Associates, Inc. are experts in administering your plan. Based on your plan design and needs, we can take care of all or some aspects of administration such as: actuarial valuations, data gathering and reconciliation, testing, personalized participant statements, loans, distributions, and reporting.

Supplemental Retirement Plans

Due to strict IRS discrimination rules, key members of your management team may be precluded from fully participating in your company’s retirement plan or maximizing their benefits under the plan. However, it is still possible to implement a special type of plan that provides extra benefits for these individuals. These plans are known as non-qualified plans.

Acuff & Associates can assist you in designing and maintaining a plan for these individuals. Our consultants will assist you with plan design, tax and compliance issues as follows: