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Health FSA and DCAP Carryover Rules Approved for 2021

In December 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), a $900 billion COVID stimulus bill. The legislation was aimed at helping Americans cope with pandemic-related challenges. Along with stimulus payments and other financial provisions, the bill also included modified carryover and dependent rules for Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) benefits, spend-down for health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), election changes, and other updates. Traditionally, DCAP benefits have not included a carryover provision. However, with

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Understanding the HSA Withdrawal Penalty and Other Useful Information

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a wonderful tool for saving money on healthcare expenses. When you enroll in a qualified high deductible health plan and sign up for an HSA, you contribute pre-tax money into an account then withdraw those funds for qualified healthcare expenses. When used for qualified expenses, withdrawals are tax-free. However, many HSA owners wonder if the money can be used for non-qualified expenses. If so, is there an HSA withdrawal penalty?

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Dependent Care FSA and Carryover – Is Relief Coming?

Since early 2020, the U.S. has been reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone throughout the country has been impacted in one way or another. From economic uncertainty to school and public safety concerns, adults and children alike have had to learn to deal with a new reality. One impact of COVID-19 that continues to trouble American workers is their employer-sponsored benefits. In particular, with schools, summer camps, and child care facilities closing or altering their

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Employers and TPAs Must Prepare for a COBRA Avalanche – DataPath Article Featured on EBN

Views: Employers and benefits administrators must prepare for a COBRA avalanche November 16, 2020 By Bo Armstrong Originally Posted by Employee Benefit News In the first six months of COVID-19 outbreak, more than 60 million Americans filed for unemployment. A recent report by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) suggests that companies are still cutting a high number of jobs, and in recent weeks, a large wave of new layoffs has been announced. The airline industry is

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How Does Medicare Enrollment Impact HSA Eligibility?

For people enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) and have (or are considering) an HSA, some commonly asked questions include “Does Medicare Enrollment Impact HSA Eligibility?” Here are the answers to this question and others.

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Student Loan Repayment Assistance Article Written by DataPath CMO Featured on BenefitsPro

Student loan repayment assistance: A benefit that employers and TPAs should take seriously Benefits administrators have an opportunity to fill a need that is predicted to soar in the coming years. October 14, 2020 By Bo Armstrong Across the country, companies of all sizes seek to recruit and retain top talent by offering more than salary – employees want substantial benefits packages. One highly desirable benefit that’s gaining more attention is student loan repayment assistance.

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Are We at Risk of a COBRA Avalanche? COVID-19 COBRA Compliance and Other Concerns for Benefits Administrators

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began in the United States, jobs have been lost at an alarming rate. As these job losses are through no fault of the employees, they are considered qualifying events for COBRA purposes. This allows employees to apply for the continuing health insurance coverage through their employers. While Congress has passed a variety of economic stimulus legislation, most notably the CARES Act in March 2020, to help lessen the impact of COVID,

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What is an ICHRA? 5 Questions Employees Have About ICHRAs

Most healthcare consumers know about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). These popular healthcare benefit accounts allow individuals and families to cover out-of-pocket healthcare costs by setting aside money before taxes are taken out. There are rules about account eligibility, contribution limits, and more. Plus, the funds must be spent on IRS-approved healthcare products. If they spend funds on ineligible items and services, account holders could face taxes or penalties. These accounts

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Keys to Increasing HDHP and HSA Adoption: An Infographic

Offering HSAs paired with a High Deductible Health Plan are an important part of many employer-sponsored benefit plans. To improve plan and account adoption, employers, brokers, and third party administrators need to understand employees’ concerns and how an HSA with HDHP can address them.

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