Benefits

April 9, 2014 

According to a new study by the American Health Policy Institute (AHPI), it could cost some businesses almost $6,000 extra per employee. The report, “The Cost of the Affordable Care Act to Large Employers.” draws on internal cost data shared with AHPI by over 100 large employers (10,000 or more employees each) doing business in…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

April 6, 2014 

The IRS has been struggling in its efforts to close an estimated $385 billion “tax gap” between the amount that taxpayers owe and the amount they’ve actually paid. Now, to add another crushing weight, it has to ramp up Obamacare activities despite recent budget cutbacks.

Ken Berry, JD

April 4, 2014 

Despite reports of a formal extension circulating in the media, March 31 was the last day that individuals could sign up for health insurance coverage for 2014 under the Obamacare mandate without risking a hefty financial penalty. Or was it?

Ken Berry, JD

April 4, 2014 

With home ownership, job opportunity and retirement security in decline, an Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll shows that most Americans agree with what the experts have said. Seven in 10 think that tomorrow’s adults – today’s kids – will have less financial security than adults today.

April 2, 2014 

A bill designed to switch new state employees who participate in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System from a defined benefit plan to a 401(k)-style defined contribution plan was approved Tuesday by the state Senate Pensions Committee.

March 28, 2014 

The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers who turned 70½ during 2013 that in most cases they must start receiving required minimum distributions (RMDs) from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and workplace retirement plans by Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

March 28, 2014 

Despite recent claims that the deadline for signing up for Obamacare would not be postponed beyond the initial March 31 deadline – the day before April Fool’s Day – the White House has finally caved into the pressure. According to a report in the Washington Post on March 25, the Obama administration is extending the…

Ken Berry, JD

March 26, 2014 

The government seems to have worked out most of the kinks in www.healthcare.gov, the online site used to sign up for Obamacare. But it has yet to address another glitch that surfaced almost two years ago: Language in the law that prevents married taxpayers who file separate tax returns from qualifying for special tax subsidies.

Ken Berry, JD

March 24, 2014 

When it first became clear that tax preparers – including CPAs – would have to be the front line in implementation of the Affordable Care Act, I voiced a lot of concerns. I doubted it would be possible for accounting professionals to serve as both trusted advisors and health insurance sales people.

Dave McClure

March 20, 2014 

Live-in nannies, maids and aides that help the elderly and disabled with meals, housework, bathing and dressing are not currently guaranteed the minimum wage. As a practical matter, the local market for the aides who visit for part of the day does pay at least minimum wage, but those who are staying 24 hours are…

March 17, 2014 

New legislation passed by the House tying the “doc fix” to Obamacare is expected to meet its demise on the Senate floor. Thus, a once-promising solution to a long-term problem is likely to turn into another victim of bipartisan politics.

Ken Berry, JD

March 13, 2014 

Every American citizen should have access to affordable, quality health care. Most of us would agree on the principle; it is the implementation that has everyone befuddled. It’s not just that the implementation of the ACA has been marked by cronyism, bad decisions, failures, fraud, political floundering, lies and stealth taxes. It is that the…