Word on Benefits

25 Reasons to Earn Your CEBS® in 2025—From Your Peers

Christine Vazquez, CEBS

02 Jan 202502 Jan 2025

The new year shimmers with possibilities and that renews our hope for the future. There’s nothing quite like setting a resolution to bolster our motivation and optimism all year long. How would you like to feel in 2025 and beyond? If you […]

Clear Vision, Brighter Future: The Importance of Vision Benefits

Tim Hennessy

30 Dec 202430 Dec 2024

Years ago, while navigating Chicago’s tense downtown rush-hour traffic, I noticed that a blurry spot in the vision in my left eye had worsened into a smear-like stain. What had been a minor inconvenience now made reading road signs dangerously difficult. It’s […]

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Hardship Distributions: Five Questions for Plan Sponsors

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

27 Dec 202427 Dec 2024

It’s become easier for plan participants to take distributions from their defined contribution (DC) retirement plan account balances, but plan sponsors still have a fiduciary duty to ensure that the need for these distributions is real. In the November/December issue of Benefits […]

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Six Biggest Benefits Trends of 2024 (and Predictions for 2025)

Anne Patterson

23 Dec 202423 Dec 2024

The end of 2024 also means an exciting, new end-of-year podcast from the Talking Benefits team! We recapped the top six benefits biggies from the past year and gave our predictions for what’s ahead, especially considering the new administration under President-elect Trump. […]

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Employee Benefits Legislative U.S.

Congress Passes Two Laws Allowing ACA Employer Reporting Relief

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

20 Dec 202420 Dec 2024

On December 10 and 11, Congress passed two bills, the Paperwork Reduction Act (HR 3797) and the Employer Reporting Improvement Act (HR 3801), intended to simplify employer’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting requirements. The bills are awaiting the president’s signature to become […]

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Top Five Risks for Fiduciaries in 2024

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

19 Dec 202419 Dec 2024

The landscape of risks for employee benefit plan fiduciaries includes some fresh wrinkles on longstanding issues and some brand-new developments, such as last summer’s Supreme Court ruling overturning the Chevron doctrine. Attorney Todd Solomon, a partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP […]

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Student Loan Repayment Benefits on the Rise

Cara McMullin

18 Dec 202418 Dec 2024

New Survey Reveals Education Benefit Offerings and Utilization Student loan repayment assistance programs are a growing employee benefit offering in the U.S. according to a new report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Education Benefits: 2024 Survey Report. The International […]

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17 Tips for 401(k) Loan Program Design

Jenny Gartman, CEBS

12 Dec 202412 Dec 2024

Many 401(k) plans allow participants to take out loans from their individual 401(k) account. According to Employee Benefits Survey: 2024 Results, 81% of corporate employer plans offered a 401(k) loan provision. While loan options provide flexibility for those hesitant to contribute to […]

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Promoting Health Equity: Six Best Practices for Employers

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS

10 Dec 202410 Dec 2024

Offering health insurance benefits to employees is a key step toward ensuring that they have access to health care. However, employers likely need to take additional steps to guarantee health equity, particularly for marginalized populations, one expert says. In her article “Promoting […]

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Menopause: Supporting Female Employees as They Age

Rebecca Plier

05 Dec 202405 Dec 2024

More than one million women in the U.S. experience menopause each year, yet there are few workplace supports being put in place for this population. As more research is being conducted and the topic becomes less taboo, attitudes and expectations about menopause […]