Advisor strategies

Commentary: Employers should be vigilant when developing strategies which can run afoul of new rules. The penalties are severe.

By now, some of your clients have come to you with a problem: How do I address this tax filing for IRS 6055/56? For some reason, their payroll vendor is unable to deliver or wants an arm and a leg to do the filing. You hold out hope that somehow this will blow over and get resolved. But as we get into the summer months, a greater number of your clients lacking in options will…

Commentary: Most millennials are not attracted to the idea of working in insurance. With that in mind, you must draw college students in and capture their attention in ways that more alluring industries don’t typically need to, says millennial adviser Eric Silverman.

The proposals for Healthcare.gov plans are subject to a review process before the final rates are published by Nov. 1.

Commentary: The changes you may need to make to compete effectively in a future benefits world may be dependent on some prediction as to where you think the market is going.

There’s not only a digital transformation of industry going on, but also an information explosion — one that can have “huge positive impacts or devastating impacts,” says technology consultant Scott Klososky.

Despite nearly 9-in-10 enrollees through California’s state-run public exchange receiving a subsidy to help pay for their insurance, almost half say it is difficult to afford the monthly premium.

Fiduciary responsibility requires the careful selection of default retirement investments. Benefit advisers can add value with knowledgeable advice on qualified default investment alternatives, including through the use of selection tools.

A bee will travel miles to pollenate an attractive flower, but it will only tell its hive about the experience if the nectar was wonderful. The same lesson applies to customer experience — and it’s one benefit advisers must keep in mind in this age of growing consumerism, said Martha Rogers, founding partner at management consulting firm Peppers & Rogers Group. …

If the DOL's proposal to impose new fiduciary responsibilities on advisers in the retirement space becomes rule, many financial professionals fearing legal liability could abandon that market altogether, and cut off services to low- and middle-income investors, according to FINRA chief Richard Ketchum.

HR technology company Namely has launched an internal benefits brokerage as part of its goal to be an end to end HR solution for growing startups. But the company wants to work with other brokers, not in competition with them.

Employers looking for good news on patient safety got a mixed bag of recent news – especially the discouraging report that nearly half of American hospitals fall short in nursing standards.

Upgrades to benefits management solution help brokers upload files faster, streamline carrier management and defend against errors and omissions claims.

A new partnership will soon give independent insurance agencies access to a program designed to help brokers change their service model and increase profitability.

Commentary: When executed efficiently, this strategy can bring a variety of benefits, says AmWINS’s Sam Fleet.

Brokers not only need to determine which clients might be subjected to the tax, but should also engage with various levels of government if they wish to have an impact on its future.

Transparency and flexibility are among the attributes brokers look for when implementing a wellness program, EBA survey shows.

There’s plenty of complexity when it comes to determining premiums, and brokers can help clients understand exactly what’s in their policy.

Commentary: Start with fellow employee benefit firms that you already know, whether friendly competitors or businesses that have synergies with your own practice, says columnist Jack Kwicien.

Commentary: Smart brokers provide awesome service, killer expertise and modern technology solutions that can compete with any online platform.