Under an ICHRA, your employer decides on a monthly allowance to provide tax-free funds to reimburse you for individual health insurance premiums and eligible medical expenses. Because of federal regulations, an ICHRA serves as your designated benefit plan—it replaces, rather than supplements, traditional group coverage. Debunking Common ICHRA Myths If you’ve heard conflicting information about [...]
Plan and Prepare Early (8–12 Weeks Before) Use the Right Tools: Implement a 24/7 benefits portal so employees can review options at their convenience. Learn from the Past: Analyze last year’s questions, pain points, and participation trends. Build Clear Resources: Create a concise, easy-to-navigate benefits guide with side-by-side plan comparisons. Develop Education Materials: Prepare FAQs, [...]
High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) paired with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) remain a cornerstone of modern benefits strategy. When executed correctly, they offer a powerful "triple tax advantage" for employees and lower premiums for employers. However, the federal rules governing these accounts are strict. As we move into the 2026 plan year—and navigate new permanent [...]
Work and family are two of the most important parts of an employee’s life. But starting or growing a family doesn’t always happen easily. According to the World Health Organization, about one in six people experience fertility challenges, making the path to parenthood stressful, complex and often expensive. Not surprisingly, these challenges can spill over [...]
Navigating the healthcare system can often feel like trying to read a map in a language you don’t speak. Between the "alphabet soup" of acronyms—HMO, PPO, HSA—and the shifting rules of 2026 coverage, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed before you even step foot in a doctor's office. However, health insurance literacy isn't just about understanding [...]
Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a mental illness isn’t always easy. There’s no easy test that can let someone know if there is mental illness or if actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors of a person or the result of a physical [...]
Most employers follow standard payroll schedules—monthly, weekly, semi-monthly, or biweekly—with biweekly cycles being the most common. Nearly half of organizations pay employees every other week. In 2026, however, employers using a biweekly schedule may encounter an unusual twist. Because New Year’s Day in 2027 falls on a federal holiday, companies that typically issue Friday paychecks [...]
In the world of employee benefits, we often spend our time talking about what happens when things go wrong—surgeries, emergency room visits, and specialist consultations. Today, the most successful organizations are shifting the conversation toward what happens when things go right. Teaching your employees about preventive care is more than just a wellness initiative; it [...]
Navigating the healthcare system is rarely a straight line. Between deciphering insurance jargon and choosing the right doctor, the decisions you make have a direct impact on your physical health and your bank account. As healthcare costs continue to rise—ranking as a top economic concern for two-thirds of Americans—personal health literacy has become an essential [...]
“HR is for big companies. We’re only 12 people.” It’s a common refrain and an expensive one. Compliance obligations don’t wait until you hit 50, 100, or 500 employees. Many apply from employee #1, and others kick in far earlier than most small businesses expect. The result? Well-meaning teams make ad-hoc decisions, managers wing it, [...]
