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<bill bill-stage="Introduced-in-Senate" dms-id="A1" public-private="public" slc-id="S1-OTT21303-RV3-KM-M0R"><metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
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<dc:title>117 S1272 IS: SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. Senate</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2021-04-21</dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">II</distribution-code><congress>117th CONGRESS</congress><session>1st Session</session><legis-num>S. 1272</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES</current-chamber><action><action-date date="20210421">April 21, 2021</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="S252">Ms. Collins</sponsor> (for herself and <cosponsor name-id="S327">Mr. Warner</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the <committee-name committee-id="SSFI00">Committee on Finance</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title>To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to promote retirement savings on behalf of small business employees by making improvements to SIMPLE retirement accounts and easing the transition from a SIMPLE plan to a 401(k) plan, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body display-enacting-clause="yes-display-enacting-clause"><section section-type="section-one" id="idDBE2ABC52CAE4BE18859F5623567728B"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section section-type="subsequent-section" id="id672489BEA1D64BD5B31A5441258B7C00"><enum>2.</enum><header>Contribution limit for simple IRAs</header><subsection id="id277EA04B4D084C6B8C70B857F9EB9AAE"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subparagraph (E) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/408">section 408(p)(2)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—</text><paragraph id="idE69BD6FF9B59461D8481F157294C8084"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>amount is</quote> and all that follows in clause (i) and inserting “dollar amount is—</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idCD259B36CCD947C686DB7110E95840FD"><subclause id="idD677CFC2325342C0A94F1A374A245035"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">$16,500 in the case of an eligible employer described in clause (iii) which had not more than 25 employees who received at least $5,000 of compensation from the employer for the preceding year,</text></subclause><subclause id="id66164F1376DD4E41B462EF45E820D59A"><enum>(II)</enum><text>$16,500 in the case of an eligible employer described in clause (iii) which is not described in subclause (I) and which elects, at such time and in such manner as prescribed by the Secretary, the application of this subclause for the year, and</text></subclause><subclause id="id91BE5A8529AF4B07B27406457B9B33C5"><enum>(III)</enum><text>$10,000 in any other case.</text></subclause><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="idE4156EA7C62B4300823499D0ED73AB9B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote><header-in-text level="clause" style="OLC">adjustment</header-in-text>.—In the case of</quote> in clause (ii) and inserting “<header-in-text level="clause" style="OLC">adjustment</header-in-text>.—</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2400F1660D834CACB0EDE7A328E6FD73"><subclause id="id8130553B517444E7AB3A7F4859099E94"><enum>(I)</enum><header>Certain large employers</header><text>In the case of</text></subclause><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="id92FA4C6112A147E3A8F5EDCCB71DFE18"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking <quote>clause (i)</quote> in clause (ii) and inserting <quote>clause (i)(III)</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id90F2D83E056643DD95F998B54106BE68"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by adding at the end of clause (ii) the following new subclause:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idABB7F6CD60D44B82A4BAAE71E4D97918"><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9D5B18C96C634C8299A43091D937F7AC"><enum>(II)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Other employers</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the case of a year beginning after December 31, 2022, the Secretary shall adjust annually the $16,500 amount in subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (i) in the manner provided under subclause (I) of this clause, except that the base period taken into account shall be the calendar quarter beginning July 1, 2021.</text></subclause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idCF79F8DCA2C04764B251DDD90A668280"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Catch-Up contributions</header><text>Paragraph (2) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/414">section 414(v)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—</text><paragraph id="id1DAE82D4F78D4BF1BF44EBFE3F4B47E9"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B)—</text><subparagraph id="id57292F361AEF4A46B4D1648C081AE7B9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>the applicable</quote> in clause (ii) and inserting <quote>except as provided in clause (iii), the applicable</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC8BAE9DA6D5B4981BD476376E727DAE9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new clause:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" act-name="" id="idE8864F90D61849AFAD4ECE6FC0F58CE0"><clause id="id588333403AB846A49938F2A5723AF9AE"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>In the case of an applicable employer plan—</text><subclause id="idA75DD2A77E76475DB7D78D65DA2851D5"><enum>(I)</enum><text>which is maintained by an eligible employer described in section 408(p)(2)(E)(i)(I), or</text></subclause><subclause id="idC51846FB55904C298E61F4E291408B60"><enum>(II)</enum><text>to which an election under section 408(p)(2)(E)(i)(II) applies for the year (including a plan described in section 401(k)(11) which is maintained by an eligible employer described in section 408(p)(2)(E)(i)(II) and to which such election applies by reason of subparagraphs (B)(i)(I) and (E) of section 401(k)(11)),</text></subclause><continuation-text continuation-text-level="clause">the applicable dollar amount is $4,750.</continuation-text></clause><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idFFC2C9B80AE74E138C0B3996DA3D7F55"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C), by striking <quote>the $5,000 amount in subparagraph (B)(i) and the $2,500 amount in subparagraph (B)(ii)</quote> and inserting <quote>each of the dollar amounts in subparagraph (B)</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id40F5455B599B489B9B640293ADC0CA50"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Employer match</header><text>Clause (ii) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/408">section 408(p)(2)(C)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—</text><paragraph id="id00287D7C452C463A8E92B8EED25804D4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>The term</quote> in subclause (I) and inserting <quote>Except as provided in subclause (IV), the term</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id36E0DFE1D5A4441897D25CF7F261176E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subclause:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id469F368B8428444A8037458F271AD0FA"><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id783E9BED41FC484E88A6088102A99914"><enum>(IV)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Special rule for electing larger employers</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the case of an employer which had more than 25 employees who received at least $5,000 of compensation from the employer for the preceding year, and which makes the election under subparagraph (E)(i)(II) for any year, subclause (I) shall be applied for such year by substituting <quote>4 percent</quote> for <quote>3 percent</quote>.</text></subclause><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph id="idD75B433FC6534F4DB616EDB17CDE99BE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking <quote>3 percent</quote> each place it appears in subclauses (II) and (III) and inserting <quote>the applicable percentage</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idA5B3AB6BCC9140B38E5299017B91CC12"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Increase in nonelective employer contribution for electing larger employers</header><text>Subparagraph (B) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/408">section 408(p)(2)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new clause:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" act-name="" id="idA876A48F9BCA4D4C89181E1B4BF149CC"><clause id="id85B843FAEBA04D66B350CEFC4C0754C0"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Special rule for electing larger employers</header><text>In the case of an employer which had more than 25 employees who received at least $5,000 of compensation from the employer for the preceding year, and which makes the election under subparagraph (E)(i)(II) for any year, clause (i) shall be applied for such year by substituting <quote>3 percent</quote> for <quote>2 percent</quote>.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="id86DE1368617B4B98BC5D04DA7B4E2727"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Transition rule</header><text>Paragraph (2) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/408">section 408(p)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" act-name="" id="id968600D5576A477291BFC62304472721"><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idE271751A4CEF4B67ABBFD9DDA1ACC228"><enum>(F)</enum><header>2-year grace period</header><text>An eligible employer which had not more than 25 employees who received at least $5,000 of compensation from the employer for 1 or more years, and which has more than 25 such employees for any subsequent year, shall be treated for purposes of subparagraph (E)(i) as having 25 such employees for the 2 years following the last year the employer had not more than 25 such employees, and not as having made the election under subparagraph (E)(i)(II) for such 2 years. Rules similar to the second sentence of subparagraph (C)(i)(II) shall apply for purposes of this subparagraph.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="idFF2952A581854A3D89EF150386ECA678"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Amendments apply only if employer has not had another plan within 3 years</header><text>Subparagraph (E) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/408">section 408(p)(2)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended by subsection (a), is amended by adding at the end the following new clause:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6EDCB01A9FF841C8939BE28145E7A327"><clause id="idE6E7504CA5304C68AF0D6843AC2BD267"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Employer has not had another plan within 3 years</header><text>An eligible employer is described in this clause only if, during the 3-taxable-year period immediately preceding the 1st year the employer maintains the qualified salary reduction arrangement under this paragraph, neither the employer nor any member of any controlled group including the employer (or any predecessor of either) established or maintained any plan described in clause (i), (ii), or (iv) of section 219(g)(5)(A) with respect to which contributions were made, or benefits were accrued, for substantially the same employees as are eligible to participate in such qualified salary reduction arrangement.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="id04403D5A0F9D4D428FF04A8208B9BB07"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Conforming amendments relating to simple <enum-in-header>401(k)</enum-in-header>s</header><paragraph id="id31CEDA553F0D41A68F330B0F7EE0B415"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Subclause (I) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/401">section 401(k)(11)(B)(i)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting <quote>(after the application of any election under section 408(p)(2)(E)(i)(II))</quote> before the comma.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id1D372ACA45DA4CC9A8AD8E1A735B5AD9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Paragraph (11) of section 401(k) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" act-name="" id="id624F009EC693471DA275872DDC9B1471"><subparagraph id="idD991B586B0BE424192C52F74BDC0C5FE"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Employers electing increased contributions</header><text>In the case of an employer which applies an election under section 408(p)(2)(E)(i)(II) for purposes of the contribution requirements of this paragraph under subparagraph (B)(i)(I), rules similar to the rules of subparagraphs (B)(iii), (C)(ii)(IV), and (F) of section 408(p)(2) shall apply for purposes of subparagraphs (B)(i)(II) and (B)(ii) of this paragraph.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id5F61F48961364A6391A482033773B013"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Plan forms To be shared with Secretary</header><text>Subsection (p) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/408">section 408</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" act-name="" id="idAFA495234A2B498288D98599A2BC2B68"><paragraph id="id4F3C32E3E582444C9F31B65DAE698216"><enum>(11)</enum><header>Plan arrangement and notices to be shared with Secretary</header><text>The trustee or issuer (in the case of an individual retirement annuity) of a simple retirement account shall provide to the Secretary, at the time the qualified salary reduction arrangement is established (or not later than December 31, 2022, in the case of arrangements in effect on the date of the enactment of this paragraph), a copy of the written arrangement described in paragraph (2)(A).</text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="id41CBF7B5F2FA438A8763658A9D339000"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2021.</text></subsection><subsection id="id407535bab8384555870a5d5933b33e00"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Reports by Secretary</header><paragraph id="idCC76FC5132D84B01B23E89B12CD9212A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary of the Treasury shall, not later than December 31, 2022, and annually thereafter, report to the Committees on Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committees on Ways and Means and Education and Labor of the House of Representatives on the data described in paragraph (2), together with any recommendations the Secretary deems appropriate.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id975A1A7DF08E48D592C7E0B25B5656AC"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Data described</header><text>For purposes of the report required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Treasury shall collect data and information on—</text><subparagraph id="id6f9ed62c95fa404991aecea582a073cd"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the number of plans described in section 408(p) or 401(k)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that are maintained or established during a year;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id3e4a99b36d1c4fc18a5a4b511d7f2e79"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the number of participants eligible to participate in such plans for such year;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id4023b2f81b42483db0989372f81333bb"><enum>(C)</enum><text>median contribution amounts for the participants described in subparagraph (B);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idf92209096c6a47a09edcde6c8947274a"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the types of investments that are most common under such plans; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7b82fe9bb61e4ec1b01af80892faf18c"><enum>(E)</enum><text>the fee levels charged in connection with the maintenance of accounts under such plans.</text></subparagraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph">Such data and information shall be collected separately for each type of plan. For purposes of collecting such data, the Secretary of the Treasury may use such data as is otherwise available to the Secretary for publication and may use such approaches as are appropriate under the circumstances, including the use of voluntary surveys and collaboration on studies.</continuation-text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id4DB8F1027ADC4FA0A5959BD100D429B7"><enum>3.</enum><header>Employers allowed to replace simple retirement accounts with safe harbor 401<enum-in-header>(k)</enum-in-header> plans during a year</header><subsection id="id2ADE1F65A7624E3D9BF65A178C6E7624"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/408">Section 408(p)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended by section 2, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idD3AEB288AEB94E7099863E36921AFE78"><paragraph id="idB34AA100ECD84E3A93B3538CEAA28ECB"><enum>(12)</enum><header>Replacement of
				simple retirement accounts with safe harbor plans during plan year</header><subparagraph id="id334877FEDFCD4138BF6360EE85D5F826"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
 general</header><text>Subject to the requirements of this paragraph, an employer may elect (in such form and manner as the Secretary may prescribe) at any time during a year to terminate the qualified salary reduction arrangement under paragraph (2), but only if the employer establishes and maintains (as of the day after the termination date) a safe harbor plan to replace the terminated arrangement.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id2B82AD534D7B41E6993E048830E4C557"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Combined limits
 on contributions</header><text>The terminated arrangement and safe harbor plan shall both be treated as violating the requirements of paragraph (2)(A)(ii) or section 401(a)(30) (whichever is applicable) if the aggregate elective contributions of the employee under the terminated arrangement during its last plan year and under the safe harbor plan during its transition year exceed the sum of—</text><clause id="id73309FB0F9344C569DBCF02F8A91C9B8"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the applicable dollar amount for such arrangement (determined on a full-year basis) under this subsection (after the application of section 414(v)) with respect to the employee for such last plan year multiplied by a fraction equal to the number of days in such plan year divided by 365, and</text></clause><clause id="id7DACE91F67E3443F9D7F78F77B5EF2D6"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the applicable dollar amount (as so determined) under section 402(g)(1) for such safe harbor plan on such elective contributions during the transition year multiplied by a fraction equal to the number of days in such transition year divided by 365.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idE248C7D82F524445974A07620FD15217"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Transition
 year</header><text>For purposes of this paragraph, the transition year is the period beginning after the termination date and ending on the last day of the calendar year during which the termination occurs.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id75573108970747D9916AB3C67B9ED140"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Safe harbor
 plan</header><text>For purposes of this paragraph, the term <term>safe harbor plan</term> means a qualified cash or deferred arrangement which meets the requirements of paragraph (11), (12), or (13) of section 401(k).</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="id19AC324CA86347628CB37B16BAB5D195"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Waiver of 2-Year withdrawal limitation in case of plans converting to <enum-in-header>401(k)</enum-in-header> or <enum-in-header>403(b)</enum-in-header></header><paragraph commented="no" id="idA304674F21D44D5DA6E4B518F4C06647"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Paragraph (6) of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/72">section 72(t)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="id1E9659BAEF634110AAD0E455D67685A0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">accounts</header-in-text>.—In the case of</quote> and inserting “<header-in-text level="section" style="OLC">accounts</header-in-text>.—</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id91BD631A733041BDBF040042E2BC0795"><subparagraph commented="no" id="idB63F4DF6ACC64F1C8A142720820D4E7A"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>In the case of</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="id3CC75EA8FBDB40CEAC7062554064212D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id52C985ADBA8E4E2EB6BFE143FA5F48AA"><subparagraph commented="no" id="id681FD31ED89B4489BFD38EF906EF4D4A"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Waiver in case of plan conversion to <enum-in-header>401(k)</enum-in-header> or <enum-in-header>403(b)</enum-in-header></header><text>In the case of an employee of an employer which terminates the qualified salary reduction arrangement of the employer under section 408(p) and establishes a qualified cash or deferred arrangement described in section 401(k) or purchases annuity contracts described in section 403(b), subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any amount which is paid in a rollover contribution described in section 408(d)(3) into a qualified trust under section 401(k) (but only if such contribution is subsequently subject to the rules of section 401(k)(2)(B)) or an annuity contract described in section 403(b) (but only if such contribution is subsequently subject to the rules of section 403(b)(11)) for the benefit of the employee.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idAC3B26D83A75418F9EC5A4C65D1E3DE9"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>Subparagraph (G) of section 408(d)(3) of such Code is amended by striking <quote>72(t)(6)</quote> and inserting <quote>72(t)(6)(A)</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id0A8A17A821794E3280AF023046AB6038"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply to plan years beginning after December 31, 2021.</text></subsection></section></legis-body></bill>


