Melissa A. Winn

Millennials, Gen Xers and single parents have different savings goals in mind that will require benefit advisers and employers hoping to increase retirement plan participation to target the needs of these differing employee populations.

Employers are increasingly adopting best practices to ensure compliant retirement plan administration — and one of those practices is using an adviser.

Benefit advisers working with small to mid-size employers to boost benefit participation can focus on cost-saving measures and enrollment and education activities that larger companies are more inclined or able to invest in.

As the part-time workforce in America expands, a growing number of employers are considering voluntary benefit packages as a recruitment and retention tool not only for full-time staff, but their variable hour employees, as well.

Withdrawal liability is a seldom understood threat that could cost some of your employer clients tens of millions of dollars. Benefit advisers hoping to soften the blow can direct employers to do three things.

United Benefit Advisors has named insurance veteran Les McPhearson its new chief executive officer. In a Q&A with EBA he talks about trends in the benefits industry and the future role of the trusted adviser.

The IRS released draft forms for employers to use to report health coverage offerings to employees, unveiling a glimpse of the administrative onus in store for benefit advisers and their employer clients working to comply with the health law.

Employees are increasingly dissatisfied with their benefits, and therefore dissatisfied with their employers, but new research shows better benefits education can help.

Benefit advisers and their employer clients are in a unique position to help the newest members of the workforce overcome investment fears and prepare for retirement.

The DOL says employers reacting to the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby ruling by canceling contraceptive coverage will be required to notify their employees of the change, an important administrative note for benefit advisers working with employers electing to do so.

With health care costs continuing to rise, it’s no surprise to benefit advisers that their employer clients continue to seek benefit solutions that shift some of the cost burden to their employees — and new data reveals that trend shows no signs of stopping.

Few small business employees say they are satisfied with their company’s benefit offerings — revealing a need for benefit advisers to work with employers to create more comprehensive benefit packages with employee needs in mind.

Millions of Americans sought help from navigators and assisters during the ACA's first open-enrollment period, but many were more satisfied with help from a benefit adviser.

Benefit advisers are already fielding more employer questions about HSAs, as the accounts are gaining in popularity with small to mid-size employers.

An increase in the offering of consumer-driven health care products has not translated into increased understanding on the part of consumers — exposing a need for more assistance from benefit professionals and educational tools.

Millions more Americans have gained coverage as a result of the health reform law, increasing the workload for benefit advisers, but not necessarily the compensation they receive.

The six most popular insurance plans on the New York state health insurance exchange are seeking double-digit increases in their premium rates for next year, with an average request of a 14.6% rate hike.

The DOL’s ERISA Advisory Council plans to identify current industry practices and trends regarding the types of employee benefit plan services being outsourced and the market for delivery of those services as part of its 2014 issue agenda.

With the major elements of the Affordable Care Act taking effect this year, mini-med plans have met their demise, but skinny plans are gaining traction in their place.

While many brokers consider leaving the industry in response to the changing health care environment, most agree that reform has created a huge opportunity for advisers willing to adapt.