What’s in the Covid relief bill: Tax extenders
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 includes a number of provisions beneficial to individuals and business owners, particularly in light of ongoing economic turmoil in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to the extension of the Paycheck Protection Program, direct payments and other tax provisions, the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act […]
Seniors: Can you deduct Medicare premiums?
If you’re age 65 and older, and you have basic Medicare insurance, you may need to pay additional premiums to get the level of coverage you want. The premiums can be costly, especially if you’re married and both you and your spouse are paying them. But there may be a silver lining: You may qualify […]
Midyear adjustments to health plans permitted due to COVID-19
Employers can now allow employees the opportunity to make midyear adjustment to their health insurance plans and flexible spending plans for the 2020 plan year, according to a notice issued by the IRS in response to the coronavirus crisis. The IRS issued its guidance on May 12, which relaxes the rules relating to election changes […]
3 traditional midyear tax planning strategies that hold up post-TCJA
With its many changes to individual tax rates, brackets and breaks, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) means taxpayers need to revisit their tax planning strategies. Certain strategies that were once tried-and-true will no longer save or defer tax. But there are some that will hold up for many taxpayers. And they’ll be more […]
ACA: While questions swirl, it remains the ‘law of the land’
It appeared as though earlier this year that the Affordable Care Act would be repealed, relieving employers of many regulatory obligations. However, when Congress failed in March to act on the American Health Care Act, it left the Affordable Care Act – or Obamacare – in place, along with its regulatory provisions. As stated by […]
Protect against medical identity theft
Identity theft does not only happen when thieves steal your credit card number. Health insurance information is another way that criminals can steal your identity and file fraudulent claims with your insurance company, get prescription drugs, run up bills and ruin your credit. Medical identity theft also exposes your most private and sensitive information to […]
New law opens door to HRAs for small businesses
A new law, The 21st Century Cures Act, signed in December by President Obama has eased some restrictions and provided some flexibility for small employers who want to offer their employees financial assistance through a standalone health reimbursement plan beginning in 2017. A standalone HRA – Health Reimbursement Arrangement – is one that is not […]
How to respond to a Marketplace notification
What should you do if you receive an Affordable Care Act Marketplace notification informing you that some of your employees had applied for coverage on the healthcare exchange and are eligible for a subsidy? Consider the situation where two of the employees were offered coverage during annual enrollment while the third was not eligible due to working […]