Managing 401(k), 403(b) and Other Retirement Plans for 2011 and Beyond

Employee Benefit Consulting Group Leader

Joe joined Plante & Moran in 1997 and has more than 25 years of employee benefits and human resource consulting experience with a wide variety of employers including profit, not-for-profit and governmental entities as well as middle market and Fortune 500 companies. His focus on numerous issues surrounding employee benefits includes the implementation of Financial Accounting Standards and Concept Statements as well as the legislated compliance programs for employee benefit plans.

His practice specialization is in design, consulting, and tax compliance issues associated with health and welfare plans as well as qualified and nonqualified employee benefit plans. 

Joe is:
▷ Responsible for a team of attorneys, CPAs, and actuarially trained professionals that specialized and practice exclusively in employee benefits consulting.
▷ Practice includes consulting with over 4,000 employee benefit plan design and /or compliance engagements annually.
▷ Deep in expertise and practical experience in IRS and DOL employee benefits compliance programs, including, but not limited to: Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System, Administrative Policy Regarding Self Correction, 

Voluntary Compliance Program, Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program and 
Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance Program.
▷ The firm-wide technical leader in employee benefit plan tax, accounting, and reporting issues.
▷ Responsible for interpreting new benefit legislation and developments in the profession and provides the firm and its clients with advice and guidance on such developments.

Education
▷ The Ohio State University, bachelors of arts, actuarial mathematics, magna cum laude

Professional Affiliations and Activities
▷ Conference of Consulting Actuaries
▷ American Society of Pension Actuaries 

Louis T. Mazawey has over 35 years of experience with the firm working on matters related to the tax aspects of employee benefits. He has served as counsel to major insurance companies and a variety of plan sponsors, including corporate employers, multiemployer plans, trade associations, and public retirement systems. Mr. Mazawey has worked with virtually all forms of benefit plans and compensation arrangements, including qualified plans, 403(b) and 457 plans, IRAs, employee stock ownership plans, executive compensation, retiree medical benefits, plan terminations, mergers and spinoffs, the tax treatment of plan participants, the unrelated business income tax, and the use of life insurance and annuities in employee benefit programs.

Mr. Mazawey is a frequent speaker and writer on issues in the employee benefits area. He co-chairs the annual ALI-ABA Program, Retirement, Deferred Compensation and Welfare Plans of Tax-Exempt and Governmental Employers presented each September in Washington, D.C. He serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Deferred Compensation and the Journal of Pension Planning and Compliance. He is also an active member of the Employee Benefits Committee of the Tax Section of the American Bar Association where he has chaired various Subcommittees and Task Forces.

Mr. Menson, a partner in the Atlanta office of McGuireWoods LLP, handles executive compensation and employee benefits related matters for publicly and privately held corporations, trusts, banks, insurance companies and various other entities.

He is the former chair of the Joint Committee on Employee Benefits of the American Bar Association. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Profit Sharing / 401k Council of America and a Member of its Legal and Legislative Committee.

He received a Juris Doctor from Northwestern Law School, a Master of Law in Taxation from George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Ripon College.