401(k) FAQs

You can participate in the 401(k) plan if you work under any contract that permits salary deferrals to the 401(k) Plan and/or requires employer contributions. The actual type of contributions that are or can be made to the plan depends on the contract you work under, as shown in the chart below;

The minimum and maximum contributions can change annually.  The most up-to-date information on the limits can be found on page 29 of the 401(k)SPD.

If you are age 50 or older by the end a calendar year, you may contribute an additional amount above the weekly and annual deferral maximums for that year. For 2023, the maximum allowed catch-up contribution is $7,500, if you are eligible. This means that if you are at least age 50, you could defer up to $30,000 of your salary to contribute to your 401(k) in 2023. Like the maximum annual deferral described above, the catch-up contribution amount also changes annually. Visit www.irs.gov for the most current information.

You may rollover funds from any qualified retirement account:

• Plans qualified under Section 401(a) or 403(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), excluding after-tax employee contributions
• Annuity contracts described in ERISA section 403(b)
• Eligible plans under ERISA section 457(b) maintained by a state, a political subdivision of a state¹
• Individual Retirement Accounts under ERISA 408(a) or (b)².

Distributions you received as a surviving spouse of a participant in another qualified retirement plan may be eligible for a rollover. Distributions you received as an alternate payee under a qualified domestic relations order “QDRO” under another qualified retirement plan may also be eligible.

The Plan does not accept rollovers of any after-tax contributions made to another retirement plan. Additionally, the Trustees of the 401(k) Plan reserve the right to approve or deny rollovers in their sole and absolute discretion.

1  Or by any agency, or instrumentality of a state or political subdivision of a state

2 Roth IRAs are not eligible for rollover into your Equity-League Benefit Funds 401(k) Plan.

You may want to compare the how much your investments could earn under each plan before deciding to proceed with a rollover. Please understand that Equity-League Benefit Funds staff are neither qualified nor legally permitted to provide investment advice, so consider reviewing your options with a financial planner.

To initiate a rollover from another eligible retirement plan, visit our 401(k) Forms page to download a 401(k) Rollover Statement. Complete and submit this form as directed by the form’s instructions.

Deferred salary contributions may only be made from taxable income. If you are being paid expenses, you may only make deferrals from taxable overscale per diem.

Your 401(K) benefits will be taxed as income when you receive distributions.  However, distributions made to you prior to age 59½ may be subject to a 10% federal excise tax – a tax penalty – in addition to ordinary income taxes.

No. You must be employed under an eligible contract, and all salary deferrals must be taken out before taxes

John Hancock maintains all of the Equity-League Benefit Funds 401(k) Plan accounts, you can always view your account(s) by fund(s) and access financial planning resources at their website:http://myplan.johnhancock.com/login

You may view all currently available investment options within the John Hancock Retirement Service portal at http://myplan.johnhancock.com. You may also change your investment allocations at the John Hancock portal.  Alternatively you can call John Hancock at 833-388-6466.

When you log on to the website or call John Hancock for the first time, they will ask you to provide your Social Security number in order for them to create your unique Personal Identification Number (PIN)/Password. You’ll use your PIN/Password to access your account in the future.

• To establish your PIN/Password online, go to http://myplan.johnhancock.com and click “Register now. Get started with your Plan.” Be sure to create your User Profile and, if you’d like, provide an email address. • To establish your PIN/Password by phone, call John Hancock at 833-388-6466 and follow the prompts (you can always press “0” to reach a customer service representative).

Call John Hancock if you prefer

You can call John Hancock at 833-388-6466 and follow the prompts for any other questions that you may have (you can always press “0” to reach a customer service representative).

You’re on the go, and so are we.

Keep up with your Equity-League 401(k) plan account with the MyLifeNowSM mobile app for iOS or Android. With your account at your fingertips, you can feel more confident in the progress you’re making toward your long-term financial goals. Get MyLifeNow mobile—it’s free, and easy to download and use – by visiting your device’s app store. You will be able to use the same user name and PIN/password you set up for online access when you access your account on this app.

Call a customer service rep if you have questions or want to conduct a transaction over the phone.

A John Hancock representative will be available through their toll free number, 833-388-6466, to any answer your questions. You may also contact the Retirement Services Department within the Fund Office at (212) 869-9380 (New York City) or toll free outside of NYC (800) 344-5220.

Call John Hancock at 833-388-6466. After John Hancock verifies your identity, you will be issued a new PIN

You are 100% vested immediately after becoming a participant.

You are eligible to withdraw or roll over your account balance in several different situations, as described on our Withdrawing money from your 401(k) page.

You have many options for how you may take your 401(k) funds. To learn more, visit our Forms of benefit payment page.

If you die, funds in your account will be paid as a survivor benefit to your designated beneficiary, per the rules of the Plan as described on page 38 of the Funds’ Summary Plan Description.

Currently, the 401(k) Plan does not permit participant loans.

Actors employed through corporations are eligible for employer contributions. However, they are not to make employee contributions via salary deferrals.

The Plan has to pay administrative expenses, such as salaries, rent, and postage. The Plan also has to pay a fee to its service provider, John Hancock. The Trustees make every effort to keep the costs of the Plan as low as possible to make employee contributions via salary deferrals.

Yes, you will receive quarterly statements from John Hancock. All of your contributions, whether from your employer or from you as an employee via salary deferral, will be consolidated into a single account statement.

SUMMARY ANNUAL REPORT

FOR EQUITY LEAGUE 401(K) PLAN

This is a summary of the annual report for Equity League 401(k), EIN 13-4155733, Plan No. 001, for period January 01, 2021 through December 31, 2021. The annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Basic Financial Statement

Benefits under the plan are provided by insurance and a trust fund. Plan expenses were $22,017,762. These expenses included $1,066,404 in administrative expenses, and $20,951,358 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. A total of 22,328 persons were participants in or beneficiaries of the plan at the end of the plan year, although not all of these persons had yet earned the right to receive benefits.

The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $483,293,750 as of December 31, 2021, compared to $430,137,353 as of January 01, 2021. During the plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $53,156,397. This increase includes unrealized appreciation and depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the plan's assets at the end of the year and the value of the assets at the beginning of the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year. The plan had total income of $75,174,159, including employer contributions of $3,333,878, employee contributions of $4,921,701, earnings from investments of $65,137,818, and other income of $1,780,762.

Your Rights To Additional Information

You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on request. The items listed below are included in that report:

• an accountant’s report;
• financial information;
• information on payments to service providers;
• assets held for investment;
• fiduciary information, including non-exempt transactions between the plan and parties-in-interest (that is, persons who have certain relationships with the plan);
• insurance information, including sales commissions paid by insurance carriers;

To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of Board of Trustees of the Equity League 401(k) Plan at 165 West 46th Street Suite 812, New York, NY 10036-2501, or by telephone at (212) 869-9380. The charge to cover copying costs will be $0.00 for the full annual report, or $0.00 per page for any part thereof.

You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge.

You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office of the plan (Board of Trustees of the Equity League 401(k) Plan, 165 West 46th Street 8th Floor, New York, NY 10036-2501) and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.