NIPA APA case studies
NIPA APA · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The APA Designation is one of the professional designations offered by the National Institute of Pension Administrators (NIPA), a membership association headquartered at 330 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60611. NIPA lists the APA Designation alongside the APR Designation and the AKS Designation on its Designations menu, and it maintains a dedicated APA Designation page within that section of its website. The credential sits in the pension and retirement-plan administration field, so it is aimed at people whose day-to-day work involves administering, designing, or keeping qualified retirement plans compliant with ERISA and the related regulatory framework: third-party administrators, plan administrators, benefits and compliance staff, and consultants who support employer-sponsored plans. The NIPA APA case studies are 5 cases and about 2,795 words.
1Rehire, Break in Service, and Early Retirement Eligibility
Marta Ruiz was hired by Cedar Fabrication on March 1, 2005, and worked continuously until she terminated on June 30, 2014. Cedar's defined benefit plan uses a formula of 1.5% of final average pay for each year of benefit service, a normal retirement age of 65, 5-year cliff vesting, a 1,000-hour year, and the standard break-in-service rule.
491 words, about 2 min2Mid-Year Acquisition and the 410(b) Transition Rule
acquires 100% of Beta LLC on July 1, 2025. Alpha maintains a calendar-year 401(k) plan covering all 120 of its employees: 100 NHCEs and 20 HCEs.
567 words, about 3 min3Late Deposit of Participant Deferrals
Ridgeway Services sponsors a calendar-year 401(k) plan with 180 eligible employees. The plan uses a biweekly payroll.
582 words, about 3 min4Loan Limit, Hardship, and Default at Termination
Priya participates in a 401(k) plan with a vested account balance of 120,000. She has an outstanding loan with a balance of 10,000; the highest outstanding balance during the prior 12 months was 12,000.
596 words, about 3 min5Missed Required Minimum Distribution
Robert was born on August 12, 1952, and retired on December 31, 2024, from a calendar-year profit-sharing plan. His account balance on December 31, 2024, was 850,000.
559 words, about 3 min