A client currently maintains a 401(k) plan. Because of the changes in the Roth IRA rules for next year, many of the partners and other HCEs would like to take a distribution and roll over to a Roth IRA. I advised that distribution can only occur if the plan is terminated, and then they cannot establish a new plan for 12 months. The partners/HCEs would be okay with that, but they don't want the NHCEs to go without a plan.
What if we spin-off the NHCEs to a new plan that excludes HCEs, and then terminate the original plan and distribute benefits to the HCEs. Does this work under the successor plan rules? The new plan is a successor plan with respect to the NHCEs, but is it a successor plan with respect to the HCEs who aren't eligible.