Life & Health Insurance Advisor – May 2022
Is No-Exam Life Insurance Right for You?
Getting life insurance can be complicated and time-consuming. But not always. Read on for details.
Why Stay-At-Home Parents Need Life Insurance
Stay-at-home parents probably do the job of six or more people, taking care of everything from being a nanny and nurse to a chauffeur and chef. Read on for details.
Many Americans Will Soon Get Medical Debt Removed from Their Credit Reports
Starting in July 2022, many Americans may see their medical debt removed from their credit reports, according to a statement from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Read on for details.
Medicare Now Covers Up to Eight At-Home Covid Tests
Starting in April, anyone with Medicare Part B, including people enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, gained access to free COVID-19 at-home tests. Coverage will apply until the end of the public health emergency.Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – April 2022
Compliance Issues for The Rest of 2022
Even though we are well into 2022, there are compliance issue changes on the horizon involving overtime, booster shots and paid leave. Here’s what the changes could mean to your company this year. Read on for details.
Life Insurance for the Life of Your Business
Life insurance is usually purchased to protect a family’s finances when the breadwinner dies. But business owners may also wish to purchase life insurance to protect partners, the business and employees. Read on for details.
Employers’ Guide to Understanding ERISA
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) provides insurance companies and private employers with guidelines on how to administer retirement and health plans to employees. ERISA was enacted in 1974 and applies to plan years starting on or after Jan. 1, 1975. Read on for details.
401(k)s Do’s and Don’ts
When employees decide to leave their jobs, they have a lot on their minds. So, they don’t always give a lot of thought to what to do with their 401(k) plans. It’s an important decision that can have a big impact on their retirement savings. Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – March 2023
How to Fight the Employee Exodus
Officially, the COVID-19 pandemic may have started two years ago, but its side effects are still wreaking havoc in the workplace. Read on for details.
What Can Employers Do About High Drug Costs?
Which of your employer-sponsored health plan costs cause you the most headaches?
Read on for details.
Not Following the Employer Mandate Can Mean Stiff Penalties
Penalties apply not only if coverage isn’t offered – but if the wrong coverage is offered.
Read on for details.
Why It Makes Sense to Offer a Digital Security Benefit to Employees
Digital security is a popular new benefit that not only protects employees but helps employers, too.
Read on for details.
Life & Health Insurance Advisor – February 2022
Never Outlive Your Savings
with Longevity Annuities
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the average 65-year-old will live at least another 20 years, which is six years more than what life expectancy was in 1950. While this is great news, it does present a financial challenge – how to ensure that your retirement savings will last a lifetime.
Read on for details.
Lose Weight to Save On Insurance
If you are already finding it hard to keep your New Year’s promise to lose weight this year, maybe this will inspire you. Read on for details.
Not Getting Vaxxed?
Here’s What To Do if You Lose Your Job
As we enter year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts are still encouraging people to get the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots because they lessen the possibility of needing hospitalization if they get infected with the virus. Read on for details.
Options If You Don’t Have Dental Insurance
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. national public health agency, estimates that more than a third of all Americans haven’t visited a dentist in the last year.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – January 2022
Pre–Tax Flexible Benefits — The Pros and Cons of Cafeteria Plans
A cafeteria plan, also known as a Section 125 plan, is a way for employers to provide multiple benefits while lowering taxes for themselves and their employees. Read on for details.
How to Avoid the Legal Pitfalls of Telecommuting
Are you an employer who started letting employees work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Read on for details.
What to Expect for Retirement Savings Plans in 2022
With a new year often comes new rules. Here’s what the federal government has planned for retirement savings plans in 2022. Read on for details.
No Single Benefit Interests Every Age Group
Look around a typical workplace and you’re likely to see four generations of employees — Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, Millennials and Generation Zers.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – December 2021
How the Pandemic Is Making Employer-Sponsored Life Insurance More Attractive
COVID-19 has driven up mortality rates, so it’s no surprise that life insurance companies are taking note. Read on for details.
How to Make Annuities Work with 401(k)s
The SECURE Act has made embedding annuities in 401(k)s more appealing to employees and safer for employers.
Read on for details.
Voluntary Benefits That Could Move the Needle for Employees in 2022
An increasing number of employees view health and other benefits among their top three reasons for job satisfaction, according to studies by Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.
Read on for details.
How to Legally Use Premium Discounts to Encourage Vaccinations
Three federal agencies have issued guidance indicating that employers may legally offer a reduced health benefit premium to employees who are vaccinated for COVID-19.
Read on for details.
Life & Health Insurance Advisor – November 2021
How to Avoid Challenges to Your Disability Claim
If you file a disability claim with your insurance company and get the feeling you’re being followed, you might be right!
Read on for details.
Planning for Care When You Need It Most
If you are still young, long-term care may not be on your radar. However, long-term care insurance can be a worthwhile investment, especially if your family has a history of needing long-term care. Read on for details.
Errors to Avoid If You Inherit an IRA
A recent private letter ruling by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) highlights the possible mistakes a beneficiary can make after they inherit an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).Read on for details.
Life Insurance for the One Who Makes a House a Home
Even though homemakers may not earn a paycheck, their financial impact on the family is immeasurable.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – October 2021
How to Determine When Protections Apply to ADA and COVID “Long Haulers”
COVID-19 survivors who suffer long-term health challenges might qualify for protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Read on for details.
Make Sure Voluntary Insurance Plans Are Really Voluntary
A voluntary plan that turns out not to be voluntary can also be a complicated maze of paperwork for an employer.
Read on for details.
Is It Possible to Save Too Much for Retirement?
While some employees aren’t saving enough for retirement, some save too much in their plans and pay the price in penalties. Read on for details.
Using Health Insurance Discounts to Fight Vaccination Hesitancy
The lure of lower health insurance premiums is enticing some employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – September 2021
6 Ways to Help Deal with Labor Shortages
As the economy recovers from the pandemic there are more jobs than workers. Read on for details.
Should Your Business Be Looking into Vision Insurance?
Vision disorders cost U.S. businesses an estimated $8 billion annual in lost productivity. Read on for details.
12 Federal Laws Most Employee Health Plans Must Comply With
The following is a list of federal laws that employers must follow, in addition to the Affordable Care Act, in most cases regardless of their size. Read on for details.
Paid Leave Expands During Pandemic, But Employees Fear Repercussions
During the pandemic many employees expressed the need for paid time off (PTO) — and employers responded, according to the Hartford’s latest Future of Benefits Study 2021.
Read on for details.
Life & Health Insurance Advisor – August 2021
The High Cost of Not Having a Financial Planner
What difference can a financial planner make to improve your retirement plan?
Read on for details.
How to Determine How Much You’ll Need in Retirement
How much do you need to retire comfortably? Read on for details.
Medicaid Work Requirements Slowly Being Phased Out
As the Biden Administration rescinds the Trump requirement that adults who receive Medicaid must work, several states with must-work provisions have seen their waivers withdrawn.cRead on for details.
The Financial Challenges of Being on Disability
COVID-19 symptoms sometimes last months, so it’s not surprising many workers have relied on disability benefits and other programs for financial assistance.
Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – July 2021
SECURE Act 401(k) Plan Changes
Impact Employer Responsibilities
Employers who sponsor 401(k) plans must ensure they are in compliance. Read on for details.
How to Stay in Compliance with the
Latest Immigration Laws
Even if you are fairly certain you hire only U.S. citizens, several new laws were added in 2021 that you will need to follow. Read on for details.
New COVID-19 Obligations Added
to Group Health Plans
Even as the country is regaining a sense of normalcy following the pandemic, the federal government has strengthened group health plans obligations for COVID-19 coverage. Read on for details.
Unemployment Tax Rate Increases Expected
The Biden Administration’s decision to extend unemployment benefits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic may significantly increase employers’ unemployment benefit tax costs for years to come.Read on for details.
Employee Benefits Report – June 2021
Additional 2021 Tax Year Benefits Now Available for Employees with Dependents
The $1.9-trillion stimulus package known as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) includes major changes to the longstanding federal-income-tax child and dependent care credit.
Read on for details.
What if an Employee Refuses to Get Vaccinated?
You can fire employees who refuse to get vaccinated. Read on for details.
Alternatives to the Traditional 401(k)
One of the most popular group retirement plans is a 401(k). There are other options — such as PEPs, 403(b) and ESOPs — that might be a better fit for your company. Read on for details.
Have Proof Will Travel
Business travel came to a grinding halt for many employees after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns started in the spring of 2020.
Read on for details.