According to a recent survey, 4 in 10 American workers live paycheck to paycheck. This means that an unexpected illness or injury that takes an employee off the job for more than a few days can have devastating consequences for those who depend on their wages to survive. Disability insurance – sometimes called disability income […]
In the last several months, many of our clients with Service Contract Act (SCA) contracts have been audited by DOL Investigators from the Wage and Hour Division. These auditors are part of the expanded enforcement that occurred as a result of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. They usually begin with auditing employee and contractor […]
A recent article in the Boston Globe, entitled “Boston’s Brightest Pick their Top Apps”, peaked our curiosity. While we all have read countless articles and downloaded oodles of apps, there might be one more you should consider. It’s called MyHome Scr.APP.book. After reading that Joseph Murphy, the state’s Commissioner of Insurance recommended the app, we […]
As the countdown to April 15 continues, it’s likely that you’re knee-deep in receipts, canceled checks, brokerage statements and other financial records that your tax advisor will need to prepare your individual income tax return. Having organized records — and knowing when to keep or discard them — can ease the pain of tax season. […]
Of the U.S. companies that are victim to a man-made or natural disaster, the Contingency Planning Research Strategic Corporation says 43% never reopen their doors and 29% are out of business within the following two years. A study by Touche Ross found that companies without a disaster recovery plan only have a 10% or less […]
Captive insurance programs are an alternative to standard insurance protection. They are not new; but they are getting a lot more attention now than they had in the past. Captives can provide the highest quality insurance protection for its owners. By banding together to create a true sharing of risk, the shareholders of a captive […]
The DOL has sufficient funding to hire over 200 full time additional Wage & Hour Investigators. The funding was provided over the past several years by the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act (ARRA). Timothy J. Helm, Chief for the Branch of Government Contracts Enforcement for the Wage & Hour Division of the DOL has been […]
In previous years, employers offered voluntary benefits to retain employees, attract strong candidates and boost morale. They weren’t as popular as they are now. Since there has been significant growth in economic pressures, most employers want to use these benefits because the plans have no direct costs for them. However, employers’ costs aren’t the only […]
Winter is right around the corner. Depending on where you live, this could mean extreme amounts of snow and/or ice; and with that comes power outages. While there is little you can do about a winter power outage once it has happened, you can take steps to prepare yourself. Lots of Water When you lose […]
There are several reasons to create an estate plan, such as to reduce estate tax liability, protect assets from creditors, make charitable donations and distribute your wealth according to your wishes. There are many estate planning techniques and strategies to help you achieve your estate planning goals. But an important final estate planning step is […]