Benefits Buzz
The COVID-19 national emergency was set to expire on July 15, 2022; however, a 90-day extension of the national emergency was issued, and the national emergency is now set to expire on October 13, 2022 (absent another extension).
On April 19, 2022, the Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Treasury (DOT) issued some Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) guidance pertaining to the new Transparency in Coverage (TiC) rules that will start to be enforced beginning on July 1, 2022 (and applicable to plan years starting on or after January 1, 2022).
Last week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published Rev. Proc. 2022-24 which includes the 2023 limits for qualified high deductible health plans (HDHPs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Below is a summary of these limits:
Minimum Deductible to Qualify as an HDHP
Lifestyle Spending Accounts (LSAs) have become one of the hottest new employee benefit programs. LSAs are sometimes referred to by other names, such as Personal Spending Accounts or some even refer to them simply as Wellness Programs. There could be a slew of other names, but we refer to them as LSAs.
The penalty for failing to comply with Cafeteria Plan rules identified in Internal Revenue Code Section 125 can be severe. The penalties can include the application of income taxes against participants who otherwise thought they were electing non-taxable benefits, the application of employment taxes against participants and the employer, and penalties for failing to withhold and report taxes appropriately, among other things.
