Heads up, Finance pros: HR might be coming to you soon for input and approval on new OBBBA benefits changes. Much of the media coverage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has focused on overtime pay and tax…
Benefits
As employers finalize their 2026 budgets, rising healthcare costs are forcing tougher decisions in financial planning and employee benefits. Medical and prescription drug expenses are projected to increase by 8.4% next year, with pharmaceutical costs climbing even higher, according to…
Instant payouts are replacing traditional paychecks for millions of workers, according to a new PYMENTS Intelligence Report titled “Instant Payouts: The New Paycheck for a Real-Time Economy.” Consumers increasingly rely on transactional payments for income and earnings, with adoption rising…
On Aug. 7, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order expanding 401(k) plans’ ability to include alternative investments – such as private equity, real estate, and cryptocurrencies – broadening options beyond traditional stocks and bonds. Jaime Magyera, Head of Retirement…
The IRS has explained how to handle taxes if a retirement plan participant doesn’t cash a distribution check and another check is issued. When a company’s retirement plan administrator issues a distribution check to a participant, federal income tax must…
The Department of Labor (DOL) is once again taking a neutral stance on offering a certain investment option to retirement plan participants: crypto. During the Biden administration, the DOL issued Compliance Assistance Release 2022-01, warning 401(k) plan fiduciaries against cryptocurrencies.…
While the IRS can assess penalties under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it can’t issue the certifications required beforehand, a court has ruled. Those certifications must come from the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to a federal…
In April, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed legislation making it illegal for Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to own or operate pharmacies, effective Jan. 1, 2026. HB1150 is the first state law to impose this level of restriction, reflecting the…
The IRS has announced updated health savings account (HSA) contribution limits and high-deductible health plan (HDHP) parameters for 2026, reflecting standard inflation adjustments. 2026 HSA Contribution Limits For 2026, employees will be able to contribute slightly more to their HSAs.…
Employees may not understand lifestyle spending accounts (LSAs) as well as you think. That can lead to questions or just confusion. This relatively new, customizable fringe benefit allows companies to give employees a set amount of spending money, with at…
What should you do if you mistakenly pay out too much for one of your employer-provided benefits, such as your retirement plan? Plan sponsors have had some uncertainty about that ever since 2022. That's when Congress passed the Secure 2.0…
Some of your year-end health plan responsibilities have lifted, thanks to eleventh-hour legislation from Congress. Plan sponsors that meet certain conditions -- such as providing notification -- no longer need to send employees the Affordable Care Act (ACA) forms that…
