Jun
4
2019IRS Announces HSA Limits for 2020 | Houston Benefit Advisory Firm
On May 28, 2019, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Revenue Procedure 2019-25 announcing the annual inflation-adjusted limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) for calendar year 2020. An HSA is a tax-exempt savings account that employees can use to pay for qualified health expenses. To be eligible for an HSA, an employee: Must be covered by a qualified high deductible health plan (HDHP); Must not…
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Nov
7
2018PCORI Fee Increase for Health Plans | Houston Benefits Consultants
On November 5, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2018-85 to announce that the health plan Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee for plan years ending between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019 will be $2.45 per plan participant. This is an increase from the prior year’s fee of $2.39 due to an inflation adjustment. Background The Affordable Care Act created the…
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Jun
7
2018ACA Play or Pay: Affordability Percentage for 2019 | Houston Benefits Consultants
On May 21, 2018, the IRS announced that the affordability percentage under the Affordable Care Act’s play or pay rules will increase to 9.86% for 2019 plan years. This is an increase from 9.56% for 2018 plan years. By way of background, the ACA’s employer shared responsibility provision – often called the employer mandate or “play or pay” – requires large employers to offer health…
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May
29
2018Health Plan PCORI Fees Are Due July 31 | Houston Benefit Advisors
Do you offer coverage to your employees through a self-insured group health plan? Do you sponsor a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)? If so, do you know whether your plan or HRA is subject to the annual Patient-Centered Research Outcomes Institute (PCORI) fee? This article answers frequently-asked questions about the PCORI fee, which plans are affected, and what you need to do as the employer sponsor….
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Mar
21
2018Quick Look: Medical Savings Accounts | Houston Benefit Advisors
Medical savings accounts help you save on healthcare expenses and give you control of spending
Mar
13
2018All About Medical Savings Accounts | TX Benefit Advisors
Taking control of health care expenses is on the top of most people’s to-do list for 2018. The average premium increase for 2018 is 18% for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. So, how do you save money on health care when the costs seems to keep increasing faster than wage increases? One way is through health savings accounts. Health savings accounts are used in conjunction…
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Mar
8
2018IRS Releases New Form W-4 and Updates Withholding Calculator | TX Benefit Advisors
Our February 7, 2018 blog post reported on the late February release of the Form W-4 and guidance on the income withholding rules that changed under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. On February 28, 2018, the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the new 2018 Form W-4 and an updated withholding calculator. Why a Withholding Calculator? The IRS encourages the use of the withholding…
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Feb
7
20182018 W-4 Forms Won’t Be Released Until Late February | Texas Benefit Advisors
If you’ve been getting questions from your employees about completing new 2018 W-4 forms to take advantage of the tax reform rules, we’ve finally received some answers. You can continue to rely on the current W-4 forms for now until the new 2018 form is released in late February. The January 29th Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Notice 2018-14 provides additional guidance on the income withholding…
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Jan
16
2018Nothing Is Certain, But Death and LESS Taxes… | Texas Benefit Consultants
On January 11, 2018, the Internal Revenue Service released its income tax withholding tables for 2018 reflecting changes made by the December 2017 tax reform legislation. The updated withholding information provides the new rates for employers to use during 2018. Employers are encouraged to use these tables as soon as possible but must use them by no later than February 15, 2018. Employers should continue to…
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Jan
3
2018IRS Extends Deadline for Employers to Furnish Forms 1095-C and 1095-B | Houston Benefit Advisors
On December 22, 2017, the IRS released Notice 2018-06 to extend the due date for employers to furnish 2017 Form 1095-C or 1095-B under the Affordable Care Act’s employer reporting requirement. Employers will have an extra 30 days to prepare and distribute the 2017 form to individuals. The due dates for filing forms with the IRS are not extended. Background Applicable large employers (ALEs), who…
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