Employee benefits

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

When the recently proposed fiduciary rules are finalized there will likely continue to be significant differences between how Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and brokers interact with their retirement plan clients from a fiduciary standpoint.

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.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but all 350 MHBT employees will join MMA under a new company name.

Many assume that a wealthy upbringing is essential for an early retirement, but recent studies show those who plan to retire early were no more likely to describe their family growing up as wealthy/affluent, or financially comfortable, than people who planned to stay in the workforce longer.

Defined contribution plan sponsors remain in regulatory limbo regarding their obligations to maintain detailed documentation surrounding employee 401(k) hardship withdrawals.

In Tibble v. Edison, the Supreme Court did not expound on what a retirement plan fiduciary's duty to monitor entails, which is a bone of contention for ERISA attorneys and 401(k) plan sponsors.

Commentary: Numbers can tell you if your internal communications are effectively engaging employees, and resulting in a stronger culture and higher benefit participation rates.

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.

Benefits decision-makers continue to struggle with the notion of financially justifying their wellness dollars, as wellness ROI is still exceptionally elusive.

Too many employee benefit plan audits are deficient, finds a new report from the U.S. Department of Labor, putting up to $653 billion and 22.5 million plan participants and beneficiaries at risk.

Although 401(k) plan participation is increasing, employees are not actively managing their accounts.

Of the top 50 large-group brokerages in the U.S., the 18 companies listed are firms with less than $10 million in large-group revenue that are experiencing positive year over year growth. EBA, in partnership with business intelligence data analytics firm miEdge, reveals in ascending order these fastest-growing firms. The listing is based on Form 5500 Schedule A reporting data on revenues coming from commissions and fees/bonuses as of March 31, 2015.

Although the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently released some new proposed regulations on wellness programs, employers are still grappling with how to incorporate new health technologies into their programs.

The business benefits of private exchanges are starting to be realized by insurers and brokers alike, with an increased focus on voluntary products, savings for insurers and a reliance on brokers.

In the past two years, the corporate pension buy-out market has surged with more than $49 billion in transactions, and that trend should continue unabated as large employers try to shift pension debt off their books.

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.

Commentary: Recent guidance issued jointly by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and the Treasury clarifies how the Affordable Care Act's requirement to provide cost-free coverage for preventive care applies to several types of products and services.

The federal government has erased any residual doubt about how out-of-pocket limits set by the Affordable Care Act will govern family members covered under a group plan.

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.