Personal Customer Service - We answer our phones!

Advanced Consulting Group, Inc. is committed first and foremost to providing the highest quality of customer service to meet the needs and demands of our clients. Our dedicated staff is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm CST, to answer your questions and offer assistance in a timely, honest and professional manner. You will speak to a live member of our team in Arkansas, not an automated system.

User-Friendly Online Billing Reconciliation

Through our convenient online billing system, employers are able to quickly and easily reconcile their monthly deductions, modify employee contributions and print contribution reports to mail with their checks to their vendors. Plan Sponsors have access to all of the administrative tools and records that ACGI retains. Additional benefits of our online billing system include:

• User-Friendly Interface
• View previous payroll contribution history
• View participant account history
• View participant contribution changes
• View plan approved vendors
• View plan specific information
• Comprehensive reports
• Upload sensitive data
• Easy how-to manuals

Provide and Maintain Plan Documents

A plan document is a written instrument describing the plan's terms and conditions related to the operation and administration of the plan. Employers should maintain copies of their plan document, including all amendments and loan policy (if separate) from inception. Advanced Consulting Group, Inc. can provide and maintain a plan document for your plan, based on your specific needs.

Transaction Approvals

Regulations require involvement by the employer or the employer's representative in the approval and monitoring of plan distributions, loans, rollovers, transfers, etc. Advanced Consulting Group, Inc. will review and approve all transactions according to IRS rules. For forms and to learn more about how to request a transaction, please click here.

Contribution Limits Monitoring

The IRS base limit in 2019 is $19,000 for the 403(b) plan and $19,000 for the 457(b) plan. Employees age 50 or older at the end of the calendar year are permitted to contribute an additional $6,000 for a total of $25,000 for the year for each plan. In 2020, these limits will increase to $19,500 for the 403(b) plan and $19,500 for the 457(b) plan. The age 50 or older catch-up contribution will increase to $6,500 for a total of $26,000 for each plan. An additional service based catch-up MAY be available for both the 403(b) and 457(b) plans - please contact ACGI's customer service for assistance determining your eligibility for the service based catch-up for either plan.

We monitor the contribution information provided to us by each employer. If a participant's contribution amount is close to going over the IRS limit, we will notify the employer so the participant's deduction can be changed before this happens. In the rare instance a participant does go over the limit, we will notify the vendor to refund the overage amount to the participant.

403(b) Universal Availability Notifications

A 403(b) Plan must satisfy the Universal Availability requirement with respect to elective deferrals. Universal Availability means that if an employer permits one employee to defer salary into a 403(b) Plan, the employer must extend this offer to all employees, other than those whom the law allows to be excluded.

Universal Availability also requires the plan to give meaningful notice to employees of:

• Their right to make elective deferrals
• When to make an election
• When and how often during the year they can change that election

To help meet these requirements, employers who sponsor a 403(b) Plan generally distribute a notice to all eligible employees at least annually. Employers should send this notification to employees in the same manner as other important correspondence. ACGI will assist by providing a sample notice to employers to help satisfy the Universal Availability requirements.

The 457(b) Plan does not currently have this requirement. Please contact ACGI for additional information.

Records Keeping

We keep a record of all new salary reduction agreement (SRA) forms, SRA change forms, requested transactions and contribution information that is submitted to us. This way, if there is an audit or your documents are misplaced, we can help supply the missing information.

Vendor Review

We can help you select the best vendors for your plan or review your current vendors and suggest options based on your specific needs.

Plan Participant Login

Our website is available 24/7 for Plan Participants to access their personal information. This includes:

• View current contribution information
• View previous payroll contribution history
• Submit an SRA change (existing accounts only)
• Initiate a transaction for approval (distribution, loan, hardship, transfer, exchange, etc.)
• View plan approved vendors
• View plan specific information
• Comprehensive reports
• Easy how-to manuals

Employer and Employee Education

We provide several different resources for both employer and employee education regarding the 403(b) and 457(b) plans. This includes an E-Booklet, an education area in the website, 403(b) universal availability notice, helpful websites and calculators, and coming soon video blogs regarding relevant topics. Also, upon request, onsite training at your location.

Audit Guidance and Assistance

If your plan is audited, we will work alongside you and provide you records to help respond to IRS requests for information.