What is an Ice Dam? Ice dams are ridges of ice that form at the edge of a roof and prevent melting snow from draining off your roof. Water that backs up behind the dam can leak into your home and cause damage. Walls, insulation and ceilings are at the greatest risk for damage from […]
On Jan. 20, 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order addressing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as his first act as president. The order states that it is intended “to minimize the unwarranted economic and regulatory burdens” of the ACA until the law can be repealed and eventually replaced. The executive order broadly directs […]
Due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), most stand-alone health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs)—an HRA that is not offered in conjunction with a group health plan—have been prohibited since 2014. However, on Dec. 13, 2016, the 21st Century Cures Act (Act) was signed into law, which allows small employers that do not maintain group health plans […]
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes a dollar limit on employees’ salary reduction contributions to health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) offered under cafeteria plans. This dollar limit is indexed for cost-of-living adjustments and may be increased each year. On Oct. 25, 2016, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Revenue Procedure 2016-55 (Rev. Proc. 16-55). Rev. […]
Fall is National Car Care Awareness! Hooray? Ok, it’s not the most exciting thing on your calendar. I don’t think there’s a Hallmark card for the occasion. Nonetheless, it could be one of the most important times of the year for your car or truck. A well cared for car or truck is a happy […]
Why join a Captive Insurance Company? The insurance marketplace commonly goes through its “hard and soft” cycles where premium fluctuations have little relation to individual loss experience. By pooling your resources and creating your own captive reinsurance company, these swings can be avoided, making your costs more predictable. Also, by pooling your resources, you can […]
If you are an FMLA-covered employer, you should always consider whether an employee who requires time off of work due to a work-related injury or illness is eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (and/or possibly leave under a state law). Certain workers’ compensation (WC) leaves may also be covered under […]
1. It’s probably the cheapest way to borrow – The interest incurred is tax-deductible and the rate should be low as the loan is secured by your home. 2. It creates leverage – A mortgage can be compared to opening a margin account at a brokerage because it can increase your assets with borrowed money. The […]
The news headlines are filled with stories about high profile cyber breaches. Recent examples include Yahoo, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). These high profile cases can affect very large number of customers (Yahoo) or sensitive information (DNC emails, WADA test results). Most businesses do not have the public profile […]
Employers with group health plans that provide prescription drug coverage must notify Medicare Part D eligible individuals by October 14th of each year about whether the drug coverage is at least as good as the Medicare Part D coverage (in other words, whether their prescription drug coverage is “credible”). Please click here to learn more. […]