The 2018 U.S. Master Pension Guide provides a comprehensive explanatory overview of qualified retirement plans and other retirement arrangements, reflecting up-to-date law changes, and regulations, including the final DOL regulations that are intended to protect plan participants from potentially conflicted investment advice by retirement and investment advisors subject to ERISA's fiduciary requirements. Benefit COLAs, calendars, and tables reflect the year 2017 figures. The 2018 U.S. Master Pension Guide begins with a survey of the different types of plans from which an employer may choose and then describes the procedures for obtaining plan qualification. Rules governing minimum participation, coverage and vesting, nondiscrimination, distributions, reporting and disclosure, funding, and fiduciary standards are covered in separate chapters. Examples and pointers are used to illustrate the rules. The Guide also includes the chapters with special rules applicable to 401(k) and ESOP plans. Previous Edition: U.S. Master Pension Guide, 2017 Edition, ISBN 9781454885443