ASPPA pushes to streamline same-sex plan changes

The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries, responding to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, has submitted recommendations to the U.S. Department of Labor on how best to handle changes in same-sex partner benefits.

In a letter to the DOL, Ronald J. Triche, ASPPA’s assistant general counsel and director of government affairs, offered six suggested policy statements designed to lessen the burden on plan administrators as they seek to integrate the U.S. Supreme Court’s Windsor decision into their plans. Final guidelines will be set by the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration.