April Fortner focuses her work on a variety of employee benefits matters. She partners with Polsinelli attorneys to design and implement qualified plans and provides counseling services that align legal strategies with clients’ business objectives.

Prior to practicing law, April worked as a paralegal on various employee plan matters that were subject to and exempt from ERISA, including public sector and corporate retirement plans, 125 plans, and health and welfare plans.

During law school, April was a Fellow for the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law and for the Marshall Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project. April was also a student attorney in Colorado Law’s Appellate Practicum, where she successfully argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that the district court’s order should be vacated.

Education

  • University of Colorado Law School (J.D., 2023)
    • Health Law and Policy Certificate
    • Civil Rights and Racial Justice Law Certificate
  • University of Maryland Global Campus (B.S., magna cum laude, 2015)
    • Legal Studies

Bar Admission

  • Colorado

Recognition

  • International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Certified Employee Benefits Specialist
Publications
All Publications
Trump Accounts – Jump-Starting the Next Generation
Key Takeaways: A new tax-favored savings vehicle for individuals under the age of 18 is now available. Employers wishing to offer this benefit must adopt the appropriate plan documents before making contributions to the accounts on behalf of their employees and/or their dependents. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act enacted Code §530A, which creates a tax-favored savings vehicle known as the “Trump Account.” The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released Notice 2025-68, which provides some guidance with respect to Trump Accounts and announces their intent to issue regulations implementing Code §530A. The new rules apply to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2025, with contributions permitted beginning July 4, 2026. What Is a Trump Account and Who is Eligible? A Trump Account is a savings
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Sixth Circuit Holds TPAs Do Not Get a Free Pass from ERISA’s Fiduciary Duties
In a decision about ERISA’s fiduciary duties and transparency, the Sixth Circuit in Tiara Yachts, Inc. v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan held that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), a third-party administrator (TPA) for the Tiara Yachts, Inc. (Tiara Yachts) self-insured plan, acted as an ERISA fiduciary when it made decisions about pricing and the payment of claims and therefore must abide by ERISA’s fiduciary standards. The decision may also help to pave the way for employers seeking greater access to pricing and payment information from TPAs for their own self-insured group health plans. Background: Tiara Yachts claimed that BCBSM overpaid health claims submitted by out-of-state medical providers and then clawed back the overpayments through a shared savings program (SSP). As
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