Understanding Pension Liabilities (Employee Benefit Plans Conference)

Don J. Boetger, FSPA, EA, MAAA

President of Northwest Retirement Services
           

Responsible for design, administration, and consulting of 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) and traditional pension plans for private, public and governmental employers. 

He is an enrolled actuary with the Joint Board of the Enrollment of Actuaries, a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries, a Certified Pension Consultant, and a Fellow of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries. 

Karen L. Benson, CPA, PFS
Partner

Karen is a Partner at McGill, Power, Bell & Associates, LLP.  After 16 years of working for Arthur Andersen & Company, F.S. Fejes Company and in private practice in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Erie markets, Karen merged her practice into the firm in 1994. Although she provides services to clients in various industries, she particularly enjoys the unique challenges of the manufacturing sector. Karen is a key team member of MPB’s Research & Experimentation Tax Credit Service Group that has been very successful in assisting custom manufacturers in obtaining very significant tax credits. With increasing numbers of companies transferring ownership between generations or through mergers and acquisitions, MPB has been in the forefront of assisting parties through this M&A process, working hand-in-hand with legal counsel and brokers. Although quite challenging, Karen thrives on analyzing the tax and financial aspects of the deals and excels in the due diligence process.

Karen is currently Chair of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Federal Tax Committee.  Karen is also a respected leader and national speaker in the employee benefit plans practice area and serves on Employee Benefit Plan Committees of the (PICPA) and PKF North America. This very unique and specialized area of practice not only requires auditing expertise, but an understanding of the complex regulations of both the IRS and the Department of Labor.

Karen is a Financial Advisor in the practice of Collaborative Dispute Resolution helping clients through the difficult journey through a divorce.  She is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and the Collaborative Professionals of NW Pennsylvania.