On January 11, 2021, IslerDare PC published their “Employee Benefits Update”, addressing important aspects of the Consolidated Appropriations Act.
Strategic Executive Comp Decisions, Not Kneejerk Reactions
Your first strategic step in making executive comp decisions in 2021 starts with Fulcrum Partners.
Potential Tax Policy Changes with a New Administration
As we all wait for the dust to finally settle around the 2020 Presidential election, you’ll be interested in this look at potential tax policy changes
Retaining Key Talent with a Split-Dollar Life Insurance Agreement
In 2016, a split-dollar life insurance agreement between the University of Michigan and its head football coach, Jim Harbaugh, received extensive publicity. (Read Tax Reform Elevates Split-Dollar Arrangements As Incentive Plan). Harbaugh’s agreement, as reported by Dan Murphy, ESPN, (2016) and a Freedom of Information Act request, shapes up like this, “In addition to paying a $5 million salary for …
Social Security COLA 2021 Forecast and Facts
If there is a Social Security COLA 2021, it is likely to be modest, at best. At some point, between now and the election, the Social Security Administration will publish its annual announcement regarding any Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for next year. Fox Business quoted The Senior Citizens League as saying the Social Security cost of living adjustment for …
Top CEO Concerns Post-COVID-19: Talent and Corporate Responsibility
Today we are publishing the first of a two-part look at the 2020 KPMG CEO Outlook. This study was conducted in two steps: the initial interview of more than a thousand CEOs of top organizations, conducted pre-COVID-19, with a follow-up involving over 300 respondents late this summer. Among the most noteworthy of the survey’s finding is the fact that in …
Clarification of Benefit Plan Proxy Voting Obligations
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has proposed a rule on employee benefit plan proxy voting and the exercise of other specific shareholder rights. The new DOL proposed rule is intended to clarify the duties of Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)-covered plan fiduciaries regarding proxy voting. Per the DOL’s proposed rule: “This document also states that Interpretive …
Incentive Compensation Plan Changes: How Companies Are Handling the Impact of COVID-19 on Performance Targets and Metrics
Would you be interested to see how organizations are adapting their incentive compensation performance metrics in the face of a global pandemic? The attorneys at Winston & Strawn have compiled an extensive chart showing changes organizations are making, including the rationale behind their decisions.
Compensation Clawback Final Rules on SEC Agenda
Attorney Mike Melbinger, author of the Executive Compensation Blog, says he is officially putting away his crystal ball when it comes to predicting (or second guessing) the timing of actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Nevertheless, he does point out that select issues are on the SEC’s radar, including specific executive compensation issues, such as the recovery of erroneously awarded compensation.
Incentivizing Executives in a Post-Pandemic Economy: Example
Attorney Mike Melbinger, Partner in Winston & Strawn’s Chicago office, brings perspective to this ICS/ISS illustration model of how a sample company might choose to adjust annual goals for incentivizing executives. As Mike points out this topic, “will affect nearly every company in corporate America”.