Jeffrey H. Tour

Biography

Jeff Tour has the unique ability to combine attention to detail with big picture thinking to help clients navigate the complex world of employee benefits. He guides businesses, ranging from small businesses to public companies and multinational corporations, as well as not for profit entities to help achieve their goals with the design, implementation, and administration of tax-qualified retirement plans, health plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation plans. Because he understands the intricacy of employee benefits and the enormous impact that his work has on businesses and their employees, Jeff is the attorney to have by your side when ensuring compliance, contemplating plan changes, planning for succession, or transitioning ownership. Jeff partners with senior company executives, in-house attorneys, human resource professionals, and benefit plan service providers, navigating sensitive situations with all stakeholders to find what is right for his clients, their bottom line, and the welfare of their employees.

Representative Experience

  • Redesign and implementation of organization-wide employee benefits structure of an international not for profit youth organization
  • Experienced with employee benefits issues in tax-qualified plans, ESOPs, welfare benefit plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, section 409A requirements, and ERISA Title I issues
  • Advises client on officer and executive employment agreements
  • Counsels clients on equity-based compensation arrangements, including non qualified options, incentive stock options, restricted stock, phantom stock, and stock appreciation rights
  • Counsels clients on employee benefits issues arising in mergers and acquisitions, such as identifying plans, evaluating potential assumed liabilities, compliance with statutory requirements, and allocating post-merger liabilities, including benefit plan assumptions, spin-offs, and terminations
  • Counsels clients in connection with pension de-risking
  • Counsels clients on all matters related to multiemployer pension plans, including the avoidance and minimization of withdrawal liability under Title IV of ERISA
  • Counsels tax-exempt and for-profit entities regarding employee benefit policies, implementing and updating employee benefit plans and obtaining favorable government rulings, determination letters, and opinion letters
  • Deals with welfare plan issues regarding the Affordable Care Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) portability and privacy rules, cafeteria plans, Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) extended medical benefits, retiree medical issues, Voluntary Employee Benefit Association (VEBA) rules, and unrelated business taxable income rules
  • Develops nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements, advises clients on prohibited transaction and fiduciary breach allegations, and advises clients on reversion issues and ERISA preemption issues

Licensed In

  • Ohio

Education

  • J.D. George Washington University Law School
  • B.A. Syracuse University

Memberships

  • Employee Benefits Committee, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Publications

  • “Early Retirement Window Benefits Under Final Section 401(a)(4) Regulations,” Maxwell Macmillan Pension and Profit Sharing Pension Bulletin
  • “Complex Temporary Regulations Cover Plan Compensation,” The Journal of Taxation
  • “Plan Termination Update: Impact of Pension Protection Act of 1987,” Tax Management Compensation Planning Journal
  • “Overview of Proposed Regulations on Single-Employer Plan Terminations under SEPPAA,” Tax Management Compensation Planning Journal

Related Services

Related News & Resources

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On February 2, 2022, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC attorneys Bill Wahoff, Jeff Tour, and Ashley Fa...
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Listen to Bill Wahoff and Jeffrey Tour as they present The COVID Crystal Ball: Predicting the F...
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As of January 15, 2022, fully-insured and self-insured group health plans are required to reimb...

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