Employee benefits

Commentary: The relationship with a retirement adviser is an important one, but far too many benefits professionals stick it out when they could be getting better help for their plan participants.

A Supreme Court decision in favor of the petitioner in King v. Burwell could trigger the end of the employer mandate, legal experts say, but it’s far from certain how the court will decide.

Commentary: HR professionals must band together to share how we are handling our ACA reporting responsibilities and to pressure our vendor suppliers for better solutions and continued innovation, says Lockton's Matthew Kaiser.

In light of anticipated new fiduciary regulations from the DOL, employers are becoming more aware of potential conflicts of interest and the importance of protecting employees in their 401(k) plans.

Industry analysts praise one-stop shopping tools as a positive reason why many employers are moving to private exchanges. At Xerox’s Buck Consultants, 100% of employees enrolling through the company’s exchange engaged with its technology — and made an average of 11.5 return visits, says Sherri Brockhorst, leader of the RightOpt exchange at Buck.

The Supreme Court today will hear arguments in King v. Burwell, the highly anticipated case challenging the legality of subsidies available for individuals purchasing health insurance on the federal exchange under the Affordable Care Act.

Commentary: As independent health insurance agents, you can help your clients understand how taxes and health insurance intersect, building your credibility as a knowledgeable agent in the process. These guidelines will help you prepare your clients for a smooth tax season.

Commentary: Brokers who can step in and learn the business of voluntary benefits and some of the newer products hitting the market will be well-suited to bring in new clients and keep them protected against financial loss with a combination of relevant and cost-efficient solutions, says AmWINS' Sam Fleet.

Working with a financial adviser doubles the likelihood of outlining a plan and boosts confidence about saving for retirement, LIMRA says.

Commentary: There’s a lot for your clients to consider when carefully managing intermittent leaves. The Standard's Lincoln Dirks goes in-depth on the paperwork that outlines the parameters for an absence — certifications and recertifications.

Managing small retirement accounts for employees who no longer work for you can be time consuming, and labor intensive, but there are some employer benefits to keeping past employees’ 401(k) accounts on your books or having new employees roll their past retirement accounts into yours.

Critical illness insurance is among the fastest growing voluntary benefits, but it’s also among the most difficult to grasp for employees. In developing its new CI insurance line, Trustmark did research to better understand the market.

Much has been written about how millennials learn differently, suggesting companies should change the way they manage and train this digital generation. While it’s true millennials have grown up without ever having used a pay phone or typewriter, read a newspaper or waited for a scheduled TV program, does this mean they learn differently?

Commentary: A number of large plan sponsors have dumped all of their actively managed funds, including for better fiduciary compliance. Is it a good idea?

Supreme Court to hear oral arguments this week in a case challenging the legality of tax credits to purchase health insurance under the ACA.

Increasingly diverse workforces are creating a benefit communications challenge for employers and their advisers.

Commentary: Last month reminded blogger David C. Smith of the last 10 minutes of The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. In the last four weeks, Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services settled their business in a concerted effort to make clear what would be permitted or prohibited when it came to compliance with the law.

Companies that sponsor 401(k) plans need to consider employee demographics when deciding which types of qualified default investment alternative to offer, according to research by Manning & Napier.

Payouts from insurance companies for U.S. long-term care coverage hit $7.85 billion last year, an increase of 5% over the prior year, according to a new report. Here are a few facts, forecasts and trends they think advisers should pay attention to.

Senior executives “get” the link between employee health and performance to a greater degree than middle and front-line managers, and this could be be significant for departments locked in budget battles seeking greater resources for health promotion efforts.