Watch out for tobacco surcharges
Wellness programs are a popular method used to control claims costs, but many don’t realize that these programs are highly regulated. ...
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RESOURCES: VIDEOS AND BLOGS
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Sarah Borders
- Aug 12, 2019
- 2 min
Affordability Safe Harbors: the W-2 method (3 of 3)
The IRS recently updated the affordability percentage to 9.78% for plan years that begin on or after Jan 1, 2020. As a reminder, this...
Sarah Borders
- Aug 5, 2019
- 2 min
Affordability Safe Harbors: Federal Poverty Level (2 of 3)
The IRS recently updated the affordability percentage to 9.78% for plan years that begin on or after Jan 1, 2020. This percentage is...
Sarah Borders
- Jul 29, 2019
- 2 min
Affordability Safe Harbors: Rate of Pay (1 of 3)
Recently the IRS updated the affordability percentage to 9.78% for plan years that start on or after Jan 1, 2020. This percentage is...
Sarah Borders
- Jul 22, 2019
- 2 min
IRS expands preventive care for HDHPs
On July 17th 2019, the IRS released Notice 2019-45 which adds to the list of preventive care benefits that can be covered under high...
Sarah Borders
- Jul 13, 2019
- 2 min
Summary of Material Modifications: What is it, who has to do it, and when is it due?
A summary of material modification (SMM) is required anytime there’s a “material” change to the SPD. The guidance doesn’t describe what...
Sarah Borders
- Jul 8, 2019
- 2 min
Form 5500s due 7/31 for 2018 calendar year plans
Employers must file Form 5500 by the last day of the 7th month following the last day of the plan year. This means plans that began Jan...
Sarah Borders
- Jul 1, 2019
- 4 min
PCOR Fees: Who pays and how much?
The PCOR fee must be reported each year on IRS Form 720 for the second quarter of the calendar year and can be paid electronically or...
Sarah Borders
- Jun 24, 2019
- 1 min
Small employers are not exempt from ERISA
Almost all private-sector employers that have a welfare benefit plan for their employees are subject to ERISA’s requirements, with only...
Sarah Borders
- Jun 16, 2019
- 2 min
Can a Change be Made Upon Legal Separation or End of Domestic Partner Relationship?
Changes in legal marital status allow an employee to make a corresponding, prospective election change mid-plan year. These include...
Sarah Borders
- Jun 9, 2019
- 2 min
Who can enroll when there’s a birth or adoption?
HIPAA says group health plans must give a special enrollment opportunity to newly acquired spouses and dependents, and also to current...
Sarah Borders
- Jun 2, 2019
- 2 min
Qualifying life events and "change in coverage under other employer plan"
The Section 125 rules say that a cafeteria plan can allow participants to make certain election changes midyear due to a change in...
Sarah Borders
- May 25, 2019
- 2 min
Qualifying life events and "change in employment status"
The Section 125 rules provide a list of “change in status” events, which allow certain midyear changes to an employee’s pre-tax election....
Sarah Borders
- May 18, 2019
- 2 min
Section 125 Qualifying Events are Deceptively Tricky
Pre-tax elections made under a cafeteria plan are irrevocable for the period of coverage (typically for the plan year). In other words,...
Sarah Borders
- May 11, 2019
- 2 min
Paying for Domestic Partner benefits
For federal income tax purposes, only legally married spouses and tax dependents may receive employer-sponsored coverage and benefits on...
Sarah Borders
- May 5, 2019
- 2 min
SPDs can be sent electronically only under certain conditions
The DOL safe harbor describes certain circumstances where ERISA plans may disclose documents electronically, including the Summary Plan...
Sarah Borders
- Apr 27, 2019
- 2 min
Don't forget: FMLA applies to the employer health plan
An employer is generally subject to FMLA if they have 50 or more employees during 20 or more workweeks in the current or previous...
Sarah Borders
- Apr 20, 2019
- 2 min
Dependent Care FSAs can be tricky
Employees may generally participate in a dependent care assistance program through salary reductions under a cafeteria plan (called a...
Sarah Borders
- Apr 13, 2019
- 2 min
Retroactive enrollments violate cafeteria plan rules
Contrary to what’s commonly done in practice, Section 125 requires that employers only permit employees’ election changes on a...
Sarah Borders
- Apr 6, 2019
- 1 min
Who is a Fiduciary under ERISA?
Every ERISA plan has to have a “named” fiduciary who is the person responsible for plan administration. However, named fiduciaries are...
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