Benefits Buzz April 2024 | Virginia Benefits Firm

DOL Releases ERISA Enforcement Results for 2023 The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has released the results of its Employee Benefits Security Administration’s (EBSA) enforcement actions during fiscal year (FY) 2023. The DOL has broad authority to investigate or audit an employee benefit plan’s compliance with ERISA. EBSA handles audits of employee benefit plans for … Continued

IRS Announces 2022 Limits for Health FSAs and Transit Benefits | Virginia Employee Benefits

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced annual inflation adjustments for more than 50 tax provisions, including an increase in voluntary employee contributions to employer-sponsored healthcare flexible spending arrangements (HFSAs) to $2,850 for plan years beginning in 2022, up from the 2021 limit of $2,750. For HFSAs that include a carryover provision, up to $570 may … Continued

IRS Announces 2022 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits | VA Employee Benefits Group

On November 4, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2021-61 announcing cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limits for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2022. Many pension plan limits will change next year because the increase in the cost-of-living index met the statutory thresholds that trigger their adjustment. Other items, however, will not … Continued

IRS Announces HSA Limits for 2020 | Virginia Employee Benefits Agency

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 … Continued

PCORI Fee Increase for Health Plans | Virginia 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 … Continued

Redesigned W-4 Form to Launch in 2020 | VA Benefits Partners

When will the new Form W-4 be released? In 2020, according to a press release published by the Treasury Department on September 20, 2018. The department announced that the IRS will implement a redesigned W-4 form for tax year 2020, a timeline that will allow for continued work to refine the new approach for the … Continued

Ask the Experts: FSA Limits | Virginia Benefits Agents

Question: Our company offers flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for health care and dependent daycare. Our plan limits are the maximum amounts allowed by federal law. Will the IRS increase the limits for 2019? We hold open enrollment in November for employees to make their FSA elections for the following year. Answer: The maximum annual limits … Continued

Federal Employment Law Update – August 2018 | Virginia Benefit Advisors

IRS Permits Student Loan Repayment Benefit as Part of Employer’s 401(K) On August 17, 2018, the federal Internal Revenue Service released a private ruling letter (Number 201833012) concluding that an employer may amend its 401(k) plan to provide student loan repayments (SLR) nonelective contributions under the program without violating the “contingent benefit” prohibitions of 26 … Continued

Health Plan PCORI Fees Are Due July 31 | Virginia Employee Benefits

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, … Continued