The Sentinel Show

S6E7: Retirement Plan Horror Stories

Just in time for Halloween, Melissa Terito and Kasey Melancon share some spine-tingling tales from the world of retirement plans! 👻 In this episode, the hosts dive into two real-life “horror stories” that will make any plan sponsor’s skin crawl—from misplaced safe harbor contributions and unfiled 5500s to Department of Labor audits and $120,000 in missing deferrals. Melissa and Kasey break down what went wrong,how they fixed it, and the lessons learned to help others avoid similar nightmares. Whether you’re a plan sponsor, advisor, or just love a goodcompliance thriller, this episode will leave you grateful for a smooth audit and a well-run plan. Tune in for: * Red flags in open MEPs and plan administration * What happens when contributions go to the wrong source * Real-world insights into VCP and DOL audit resolutions * Why "fixing" is sometimes scarier than the original mistake Happy Halloween — and may your plan never haunt you! 🎃 Have any questions about this episode’s topic? Let us know! Visit our website for more information: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentinel Pension (sp-tpa.com)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sp-tpa.com/] Call us at 225-300-8478 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sentinel-pension-&-payroll/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/choosesentinel] Music by Adam Vitovsky

S6E6: Roth Catch-Up Rules - What Plan Sponsors Need to Know for 2026

In this episode of The Sentinel Show, hosts Melissa Terito and Kasey Melancon unpack one of the most significant upcoming changes from the SECURE 2.0 Act — the mandatory Roth catch-up requirement that applies to certain higher-income participants beginning January 1, 2026. They break down who’s affected, what plan sponsors and payroll providers need to do to stay compliant, and how HR teams can prepare now. From understanding the $145,000 (indexed) FICA wage threshold to coordinating Roth feature updates and avoiding payroll missteps, Melissa and Kasey make a complex rule easy to follow. They also discuss the IRS’s final regulations, the two-year transition period ending December 31, 2025, and what "good-faith compliance” means for plan operations in the first year. Whether you manage retirement plans, oversee payroll, or just want to stay ahead of evolving regulations, this episode offers practical insights to help you navigate Roth catch-ups with confidence and clarity. Have any questions about this episode’s topic? Let us know! Visit our website for more information: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentinel Pension (sp-tpa.com)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sp-tpa.com/] Call us at 225-300-8478 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sentinel-pension-&-payroll/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/choosesentinel] Music by Adam Vitovsky

S6E5: Finding a Way - Late-Year Retirement Plan Solutions

It’s officially 401(k) “selling season,” and Melissa Teritoand Kasey Melancon are diving into the strategies business owners can still use—even if key deadlines have already passed. They unpack what happens when employers miss the October 1st cutoff for establishing a safe harbor 401(k),explore how prior-year testing can provide flexibility for small business owners, and explain why plan design often looks different for smaller companies with only a handful of employees. The conversation also touches on profit-sharing opportunities, effective dates, and the practical differences between S corporations and other entity types. Melissa and Kasey break down the pros and cons of pushing a plan through before year-end versus waiting until the newyear, and they highlight solutions—like cash balance plans and profit-sharing-only plans—that can still deliver meaningful tax and retirement benefits. If you’re a business owner who’s procrastinated on yourretirement plan setup, this episode is full of insights to help you understand your options and avoid missing out. Have any questions about this episode’s topic? Let us know!Visit our website for more information: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentinel Pension (sp-tpa.com)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sp-tpa.com/] Call us at 225-300-8478 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sentinel-pension-&-payroll/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/choosesentinel] Music by Adam Vitovsky

S6E4: Plan Investments and Cryptocurrency

Welcome back to The Sentinel Show! Today, Melissa and Kasey boldly go where this podcast hasn’t gone before: talking about investments. Specifically, we go over how cryptocurrency investments within 401(k) plans work and the risks involved when considering whether to invest in cryptocurrency, whether inside or outside of the plan itself. We aren’t investment advisors, but we are TPAs, so listen along to find out our thoughts and recommendationsfor investments within and outside of retirement plans!   Have any questions about this episode’s topic? Let us know! Visit our website for more information: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentinel Pension (sp-tpa.com)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sp-tpa.com/] Call us at 225-300-8478 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sentinel-pension-&-payroll/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/choosesentinel] Music by Adam Vitovsky

S6E3: SEPs and Cash Balance Plans

Welcome back to The Sentinel Show! Today, Melissa and Kasey tackle an unusual but important topic: pairing SEPs (Simplified Employee Pensions) with Cash Balance Plans. This question led to a deep dive into how these two types ofretirement plans can (and sometimes can’t) work together. Can you retroactively add a cash balance plan to a SEP? What’s the IRS rule about Form 5305? Why does the 31% combined plan limit matter? And ultimately—why might a 401(k) with a cash balance plan offer more flexibility and higher long-term savings potential than a SEP with one? Melissa and Kasey walk through the rules, limits, andreal-life scenarios to highlight the pros, cons, and tax advantages that come with these different plan combinations. Have any questions about this episode’s topic? Let us know! Visit our website for more information: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentinel Pension (sp-tpa.com)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sp-tpa.com/] Call us at 225-300-8478 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/sentinel-pension-&-payroll/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/choosesentinel] Music by Adam Vitovsky