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The Crystal Ball – Predicting Medical Costs

By Michael Rozum, Advisor at acumen Wouldn’t it be nice to have a crystal ball to predict the future of your medical needs for the upcoming year? And to be able to gaze into it just before your open enrollment begins each year? For both individuals and families, having the…

New W-4 Form for 2020

https://acumenadvisors.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/IRS-Issues-new-W-4-for-2020.mp4 The IRS has released an updated version of its W-4 form (“Employee’s Withholding Certificate” form) which employers use to determine each employee’s federal tax withholdings. The new form includes instructions on how to complete it. This form is used with new hires and for any employee wishing to change…

2020 Plan Limits

Many benefit plan limits have changed for the upcoming calendar year. Click here to view the contribution limits for 2020 for your 401k plans, Health Savings Accounts (HSA), High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP), and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). Clients of Acumen Advisors are encouraged to contact their Advisor or Account…

Webinar: Mitigating Health Care Costs

In the November 2019 installment of the acumen Webinar Series, we tackled the ever prominent subject of rising health care costs. While there are a number of contributing factors and no single reason for rising health care costs, there are ways to mitigate these increases: Different Variables of Health Care…

5 Things Every Benefit Administrator Should Know

Each company’s benefit administrator (or the person who serves as benefit admin and also wears several other hats!) must keep track of several important items when it comes to benefit enrollment. In the September installment of the acumen Webinar Series, 5 Things Every Benefit Admin Should Know, we explored some…

New HRA Rules in 2020

To keep you up to speed going into the new year, acumen’s August Webinar Series, New HRA Rules in 2020: What You Can Expect, featured special guest Casandra Mueller, from BASE. Casandra explained the newly finalized HRA rules and employer options for 2020. Topics included: Existing HRA Options: Integrated Health…

Webinar: Iowa-Specific Employment Laws

Acumen’s July webinar covered Iowa-Specific Employment Laws. We discussed several important topics, including: • Unused Benefits at Termination • Protected Leave Categories • Drug/Alcohol Testing • Wage Deductions • Uniform, Tools, and Equipment • Record Keeping Requirements If you missed the live session or would like to revisit it, use…

Webinar: DOL Audit Alert

Our May episode of acumen’s Monthly Webinar Series, DOL Audit Alert: What You Need To Know, was a great success! We shared important steps that employers can take to prepare and protect their company in the event of a DOL audit. During this 30 minute webinar, we explored: Audit Triggers…

Webinar: FMLA Facts & Fiction

What is FMLA? Which employers are required to offer FMLA? Get up to speed on the Family & Medical Leave Act when you view this recording of our April webinar: FMLA Facts & Fiction. During this 30 minute webinar, we unraveled some of the misconceptions about the Family & Medical…

Health Benefits Terminology… Explained!

Deductible… coinsurance… out-of-pocket. What do these terms mean? More importantly, how do these terms impact what you’ll pay for health care? In order to understand how your insurance company covers your claims and determine what you will owe to your healthcare provider, it can be helpful to first understand these terms.…