Kristy J. Wrigley-Durer

As part of her retirement plan consulting practice, Kristy has drafted and advised 401(k), profit-sharing, 403(b), pension, and money purchase pension and employee stock ownership (ESOP) plans, and has represented clients before the IRS, DOL, and PBGC, including through voluntary corrections programs. She routinely advises clients regarding their health and welfare plans, including group health plans, disability and life insurance benefits, cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements, severance, and all other fringe benefits with respect to ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code, HIPAA, COBRA, and the ACA.

Kristy also offers depth of experience in the unique world of benefits for tax-exempt organizations, including 403(b), 457(b), and 457(f) plans and their interaction with Code Section 409A. She regularly advises religious employers (such as schools, health care systems, and church organizations) regarding their non-ERISA church plans, including governance, structure, state law, and litigation implications. In her prior in-house role, Kristy led the internal employee benefits legal team of a complex health care system to ensure the legal and tax compliance of nearly 200 benefit plans covering more than 150,000 employees. In that role, she advised the boards and committees of the system and its subsidiaries, both taxable and nontaxable, and for-profit and not-for-profit versions, on all matters relating to employee benefit plans and executive compensation.