ERISA Insights

Monday Briefing

It felt like fall here in Minnesota last week. We’re hoping that’s temporary. (We like to talk about the weather.) Here are a few things to think about with your morning coffee: State and local time off and leave rules. We heard a lot about state...

Not exactly cover of the Rolling Stone

But Holly Fistler and I are very proud to be on the cover of Minnesota Bench & Bar with our article on King v. Burwell.  (Minnesota Bench & Bar) Dr. Hook and “Cover of the Rolling Stone” circa 1972. (YouTube)  Well worth a listen. Let...

Monday Briefing

Sorry to be late on this post. My fingers went most the week without touching a keyboard after last week’s Monday Briefing. (I guess I wouldn’t do so well at Amazon.) Other than Lynn Dudley at the American Benefits Council (see below) it looks like...

Monday Briefing

This Monday update is coming to you from northern Minnesota, walking distance from the Canadian border, compliments of the WiFi at Bearskin Lodge. (Bearskin) Here’s a sampling of what we think is worth looking at during these waning days of summer. Revised ACA reporting instructions. What to...

ACA Reporting — what happens when we guess. (ScreenCast 04)

Summary.  In today’s ScreenCast 04 we  address some of the reporting and compliance problems that arise when employers aren’t quite ready to identify all of their ACA full time employees. Background Some employers are pretty sure they will satisfy the 70% test required under ACA Employer Shared Responsibility rules for 2015....

Monday Morning Reading

Some recent developments worth noting. Stay tuned this week for another ScreenCast or two on ACA Reporting. Here are the first three:  (defining the employer) (ACA Reporting Questions) (ACA Reporting Q&A / EINs) There are a lot of ways to think about ERISA and severance...

ACA Reporting Q&A – EINs (ScreenCast 03)

Question: We have a controlled group with lots of employees. Somehow we are able to use the same EIN on paychecks for every employee regardless of which entity employs them. Can I use this single EIN for all of my ACA reporting? Answer: No. You might...

Staffing Agency 401(k) Plans

If you offer a 401(k) plan through a staffing agency, or are thinking about it, here is some potentially good news for you. (Multiple Employer Plans) –Liz Deckman is chair of the Seattle Chapter of the Western Pension and Benefits Council. She recently attended the...

ACA Reporting Questions (ScreenCast 02)

Broken link fixed. Here’s our most recent ACA Reporting ScreenCast. Here we identify some of the questions that are coming up, mostly from employers who offer enrollment to groups that are broader than what is required by ACA.

Monday Morning Reading

Minnesota weekends in July are best spent near one of our 10,000 lakes. Mine was on Upper Pine near Rutledge, Minnesota (population 229).  Not bad. Some catching up on recent developments: Growing bipartisan interest in getting rid of the 40% excise tax on high cost plans (aka:...

ACA Reporting Deck

Here’s a copy of the deck used in our ACA Reporting Seminar. I’m happy to say that pages 9 and 21 contain my first-ever broadly published artwork. Video playback of the seminar can be found here. And Liz Deckman and Bob Seng’s short video-slideshow explaining...

ACA Reporting Seminar (Video)

Here’s a full length video of our July 13 ACA Reporting Seminar.  Introductions & Background (NOTE: Begins at 00:02:53) Agenda for Webinar (NOTE: Begins at 00:15:33) Workflow and Administration (NOTE: Begins at 00:17:28) 1094-C & Applicable Large Employers (About IRS Form 1094-C) (NOTE: Begins at...

Bob Seng discusses King v. Burwell in the StarTribune

In his recent Op-Ed piece in the StarTribune Bob Seng encourages Congress to get to the hard work of making ACA more friendly to employers.  That includes: Simplifying ACA reporting rules. Make changes to allow for defined contribution-style health care plans. Simplified and revised rules...