Insurance

Low cost, no minimum investment and daily trading are reasons for their increased use over the past 10 years.

In the face of several EEOC challenges to wellness programs in the U.S., 2015 could prove to be a trying year for employer-sponsored wellness programs.

Just call 2014 the year of compliance. The first full year many of the Affordable Care Act’s provisions went into effect, EBA’s top 10 most popular stories and legal alerts nearly all surround ACA implementation.

Employers will devote more mind share to retirement programs in the coming year, in part because of increased confidence about compliance with the Affordable Care Act.

When evaluating the merits of a private exchange, one industry insider suggests pursuing an overall financial strategy built around achieving “true savings” rather than simply shifting costs onto employees – a warning that has been sounded for years in the traditional marketplace.

As health care reform continues to unfold, employers are re-examining the role of their benefit programs in their overall human capital strategy and coming around to the idea that attracting, retaining and engaging workers hinges on the total employee experience, not health care benefits alone.

Despite great investment returns recently, the nation’s largest corporate defined benefit pension funds have been defenseless against growing liabilities resulting from dropping discount rates.

Employers considering private health care exchanges should leave themselves plenty of time to make the switch, say two employers who’ve made the move in recent years.

Wellness programs are gaining popularity and the Cadillac tax is still a mystery for many employers, but no major changes to benefits are expected next year, study says.

Despite pressure from clients to provide an immediate solution for rising health care costs – brokers need to proceed slowly and cautiously when discussing solutions such as private exchanges, according to a speaker at Employee Benefit News’ Private Healthcare Exchanges conference.

Lawmakers in Springfield, Ill., decided this week to green light a new statewide private sector retirement program that will consist of individual retirement accounts to be funded by automatic employee payroll deductions.

As the holidays move into full gear, what should be the most wonderful time of the year is often not that way for many employees. During this potentially overwhelming season, it is important that employees have access to help.

The Jan. 1, 2015 ACA compliance deadline for large employers is quickly approaching and your employer clients may have unanswered questions. Here are some of the most common employer concerns still looming and the answers you can provide them.

Open enrollment has been an annual headache for employers, even before the presence of the Affordable Care Act and the numerous plan changes towards more employee consumerism that followed.

Does the rising use of HSAs pose a threat to the 401(k) as the deferral vehicle of choice? The two products can work hand-in-hand to position employees for a better future, if implemented effectively.

Employers racing to keep up with changing regulations and stay ahead in the talent war are increasingly turning to their benefit advisers for help. In EBA’s ongoing series, executives at some of the top brokerages share challenges the industry is facing, as well as tips for firms of all sizes on how to tackle those challenges head-on.

Despite enhanced compliance and tracking requirements in the post-ACA world, benefits administrators are still reluctant to adopt to new, time-saving technology, especially at small businesses.

Anyone who thinks private exchanges are a new fad should speak with Choice Administrators, the organization that runs CaliforniaChoice. It’s been around close to 20 years, since 1996. President and CEO Ron Goldstein talks with EBA about the business model and how grandmothered plans under the Affordable Care Act could make a big impact in the new year.

The IRS has issued new guidance amending the safe harbor explanations for notices that plans must provide to recipients of eligible rollover distributions, offering benefit advisers and their employer clients some clarifying guidance on how to proceed with communications.

End-of-year reviews of retirement plan success strategies should also include a candid examination of the job a plan adviser has been doing. Here are some benchmarks to help with that process.