Benefits 101: Personal Leave | VA Employee Benefits Advisors

A better work/life balance is at the top of the list for many employees.  However, with the absence of nationwide paid leave regulations for American workers, employers typically determine the extent of paid time off for their employees.  In an increased effort to remain competitive and improve employee attraction and retention, a new survey found … Continued

Benefits 101: Embedded vs. Non-Embedded Deductibles | VA Employee Benefits Group

Everyone needs health insurance but many people don’t fully understand it.  One important concept to understand is your deductible.  A deductible is the amount of money that must be paid for covered services before the health insurance company begins paying for expenses. For an individual plan, the deductible is straightforward.  But family plans are a … Continued

Benefits Buzz March 2024 | Virginia Employee Benefits Partners

IRS Releases ACA Pay-or-Play Penalties for 2025 The IRS recently released updated penalty amounts for 2025 related to the employer shared responsibility (pay-or-play) rules under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For calendar year 2025, the adjusted $2,000 penalty amount is $2,900, and the adjusted $3,000 penalty amount is $4,350. This is a decrease from the … Continued

Benefits 101: What Is Critical Illness Insurance? | Virginia Benefits Group

Critical illness insurance is known by many names: heart attack insurance, catastrophic illness insurance and sick insurance are just a few. No matter what it’s called, it’s designed to guard against the financial costs of a serious disease or condition. As the average life expectancy in the United States continues to increase, insurance brokers are … Continued

Top Benefit Trends for 2024 | Virginia Employee Benefits Consultants

The challenges that influenced the benefits landscape in 2023 persist—perhaps even more so. Rising costs, due to inflation and increasing health care prices, will continue to present challenges this new year.  But employers who understand the benefits landscape for 2024 can mold their approach for the upcoming year. A new year means revisiting your existing … Continued

Benefits Buzz February 2024 | Virginia Benefits Firm

ACA Reporting Deadlines Are Approaching Employers subject to Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 or 6056 should prepare to comply with upcoming reporting deadlines. For the 2023 calendar year, covered employers must: Furnish statements to individuals by March 1, 2024 (an alternative method of furnishing statements to covered individuals is … Continued

Health Insurance Basics: Part 1 | VA Employee Benefits Partners

What is Health Insurance and Why is it Important? Health insurance is a legal entitlement to payment or reimbursement for your health care costs, generally under a contract with a health insurance company. Health insurance provides important financial protection in case you have an accident or sickness. For example, health insurance may help to pay … Continued

8 HR Trends for 2024 | Virginia Benefits Team

With the arrival of 2024, Human Resources professionals are contemplating the future. Everyone is looking into that crystal ball to try and understand what the most pressing issues in talent management will be. HR Exchange Network is no different, so we turned to the experts on Featured to ask what they think will be the biggest trend of … Continued

Year-Round Benefits Education | VA Employee Benefits Advisors

For most organizations, employee benefits communication kicks into high gear during open enrollment season. During this time, there is a surge in emails, educational webinars, fliers throughout the office, and a barrage of forms demanding signatures. Post open enrollment, however, employees often receive minimal information about their benefits. While sporadic email updates or new laminated … Continued