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Question: Are amounts an employer reimburses employees for mileage taxable? Answer: They may be; the type of reimbursement plan will dictate whether reimbursement for business travel is or is not taxable. Both accountable plans and non-accountable plans allow an employer to reimburse employees for their business expenses. With an accountable plan, the reimbursement is not […]
Archive for the ‘Taxes’ Category
Affordable Care Act Update | California Employee Benefits Consultants
Recently, the President signed a bill repealing the Affordable Care Act’s Individual Mandate (the tax penalty imposed on individuals who are not enrolled in health insurance). While some are praising this action, there are others who are concerned with its aftermath. So how does this affect you and why should you pay attention to this […]
IRS Issues Updated Employers Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits | California Benefit Advisors
Recently the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued its 2018 Publication 15-B, which informs employers about employment tax treatment of fringe benefits. Updates include: the suspension of qualified bicycle commuting reimbursements from an employee’s income for any tax year after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026; the suspension of the exclusion for qualified moving […]
Federal Employment Law Update – February 2018 | California Benefit Advisors
IRS Releases Publication 15 and W-4 Withholding Guidance for 2018 On January 31, 2018, the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Publication 15 — Introductory Material, which includes the following: 2018 federal income tax withholding tables. Exempt Form W-4. New information on: Withholding allowance. Withholding on supplemental wages. Backup withholding. Moving expense reimbursement. Social Security […]
Handling of Retaliation Complaints under Section 1558 of the Affordable Care Act | CA Employee Benefits
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released a final rule on the procedures for the handling of whistleblower complaints under Section 1558 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The regulations protect employees (which includes former employees and applicants for employment) who may have been subject to retaliation for seeking assistance under certain […]
Making Sense of 1095 Minimum Essential Coverage Reporting | California Benefit Advisors
In a few weeks, a second season of shared responsibility reporting will begin. For some of you, last year’s inaugural year of reporting may have felt eerily similar to Lewis Carroll’s famous book. You know the one. It included a little girl falling down a dark hole, a rabbit frantically checking his watch and a […]
IRS Delay in 6055 and 6056 Reporting for 2017 | California Employee Benefits
Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), individuals are required to have health insurance while applicable large employers (ALEs) are required to offer health benefits to their full-time employees. In order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify that (1) individuals have the required minimum essential coverage, (2) individuals who request premium […]
Are Opt-Outs on the Way Out? | California Employee Benefits
Opt-out payments or cash in lieu of benefits have been a staple in the employee benefits industry for many years. Employers offer individuals who are eligible to enroll in their group health plan a sum of money, typically paid monthly, to those who waive enrollment in the group health plan. Employers who offer group health […]
What to Expect in 2016 – Clarifying Some of the Confusion of the ACA | California Employee Benefits
One thing rings true when it comes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA): “expect the unexpected.” I know this sounds cliché, but it was my best attempt to describe the experience HR professionals encounter as they attempt to comply with this somewhat murky piece of legislation. Last year on December 28, we were alerted a […]
Nondiscrimination Rules for Cafeteria Plans | California Benefit Advisors
A cafeteria plan is an employer-provided written plan that offers employees the opportunity to choose between at least one permitted taxable benefit and at least one qualified employee benefit. There is no federal law that requires employers to establish cafeteria plans; however, some states require employers to have cafeteria plans for employees to pay for […]
