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Starting in 2007, the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA) requires that the IRS release the upcoming year’s new HSA limits prior to June 1st. Thus, we now have the 2027 HSA limits as follows.

Congress and the US Department of Labor (DOL) apparently have a humorous side (who knew?). In a throwback to the 1990s, defined contribution plan sponsors must now provide at least one paper statement to participants each year, unless participants opt-in to receive them via electronic receipt.

The final version of the OBBBA contains a few items of note to the employee benefits community. Here are some of the details.

As we explained previously, funding for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) was supposed to end with filings and fees for plan years that began before October 1, 2019. In the words of the great philosopher Emily Litella, “Never mind.”

Apparently, when Christmas and Chanukah fall on the same day, Congress and the President believe a gift to employers is in order.

Two bills were signed into law on December 23, 2024. These two Acts change the requirements for distributing IRS Form 1095s to all employees, and much more.

The IRS has now released all of the 2025 benefit limits. These include both the cafeteria and health plan limits as well as all of the qualified retirement plan limits. Earlier this year, they also released the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and Health Savings Account (HSA) limits.

In an era where attracting and retaining employees is paramount to an organization’s success, a Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) is a valuable addition to employee benefits. LSAs can significantly boost employee engagement by providing flexibility and control over their benefits.

Employers that offer prescription drug benefits are required to provide an annual notice to all Medicare-eligible plan participants and qualified beneficiaries before October 15th of each year, the start of the Medicare open enrollment period. Most send it to all participants.

Rather than seek out retirement plan consulting, many employers offer a take-it-or-leave-it retirement plan design from their payroll or other provider. They assume that all 401(k) plans are the same, not paying attention to the details. After all, don't we just have to say we have a plan?

Spousal Incentive HRAs aren't new. But they're getting new exposure as a means of helping employers control health care costs, increasing employee recruiting and retention, and aiding employees when they have choices between two group health plans to elect a spouse's coverage over the employer's.

In a CNBC article, Kushner & Company President Gary Kushner is quoted on the issue of coverage of newer weight-loss prescription drugs in small to mid-sized employers' group health plans.

Given all the recent news about student loans and the impact on both individual lives and the economy as a whole, we thought it was time to review what an employer can do to assist those either currently in post-secondary or technical schools as well as those who have graduated and now have loans.