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Financial Resources & News

IRS Releases 2023 Key Numbers for Health Savings Accounts

The IRS has released the 2023 contribution limits for health savings accounts (HSAs), as well as the 2023 minimum deductible and maximum out-of-pocket amounts for high-deductible health plans (HDHPs). An HSA is a tax-advantaged account that's paired with an HDHP. An HSA offers several valuable tax benefits: You may be able to make pre-tax contributions via payroll deduction through your...

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Retirement Plans for Small Businesses

If you are self-employed or own a small business and you haven't established a retirement savings plan, what are you waiting for? A retirement plan can help you and your employees save for the future. Tax advantages A retirement plan can have significant tax advantages: Your contributions are deductible when madeYour contributions aren't taxed to an employee until distributed from the planMoney...

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Net Unrealized Appreciation: The Untold Story

If you participate in a 401(k), employee stock ownership plan, or other qualified retirement plan that lets you invest in your employer's stock, you need to know about net unrealized appreciation — a simple tax-deferral opportunity with an unfortunately complicated name. When you receive a distribution from your employer's retirement plan, the distribution is generally taxable to you at ordinary...

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Markets in Review

Global financial markets experienced widespread losses during the first quarter of 2022, as well as increased volatility. The rise in market volatility can be attributed to the uncertainties surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the outlook for energy prices, persistent inflation, and anticipation of changes to monetary policy with the Federal Reserve signaling increases to interest...

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Time to Review Plan Design Timing of Deposits 401(k)/403(b) Deferrals and Loan Repayments

One of the questions asked by your TPA during the annual census collection may be whether your participant contributions and loan payments were transmitted within the Department of Labor (DOL) safe harbor time frame. It’s an important question because both the DOL and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are interested in seeing employee contributions deposited timely. When contributions are not...

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New Information on Participant Statements: Lifetime Income Illustrations

If you sponsor a defined contribution retirement plan, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019 now requires additional information be provided to your plan participants on their quarterly account statements. Along with their current account balance, two lifetime income illustrations must now be included once a year. This is intended to help your plan...

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Upcoming Compliance Deadlines

May 2022 15th: Quarterly Benefit Statement - Deadline for participant-directed plans to supply participants with the quarterly benefit/disclosure statement including a statement of plan fees and expenses charged to individual plan accounts during the first quarter of this year. Note that May 15th falls on a weekend in 2022. No guidance clearly allows extending the deadline to the next business...

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What is the Roth 5-Year Rule?

Actually, there are three five-year rules you need to know about. The first five-year rule determines when you can begin receiving tax-free qualified distributions from your Roth IRA.  Withdrawals from your Roth IRA — including both your contributions and any investment earnings — are completely tax- and penalty-free if you satisfy a five-year holding period and one of the following...

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What Business Owners Must Know About CalSavers as the Deadline Approaches

California is among the first states in the nation to design a “state-run” retirement program enacted by the CalSavers Retirement Savings Trust Act. Any business with more than 5 employees that does not have a current employer-sponsored retirement plan MUST enroll in the program by the following dates: September 30, 2020, for businesses with 101+ or more employees*June 30, 2021, for businesses...

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BFSG Named One of Barron’s “Top 100 Institutional Consulting Teams” For 2022

Benefit Financial Services Group (BFSG), a multi-faceted registered investment advisory firm serving both institutional and individual clients, is pleased to announce it has been ranked in Barron’s “Top 100 Institutional Consulting Teams” for 2022. The Barron’s listing can be seen here. “BFSG serves as a fiduciary with every client and provides written acknowledgement of our fiduciary status....

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Tax-Free Investing with In-Plan Roth’s and Roth IRAs

By:  Crystal Kessler, CFP®, Wealth Advisor/Financial Planner There is a lot of confusion when it comes to In-Plan Roth’s (i.e., Roth 401k or Roth 403b) and a Roth IRA. Throughout this article we will refer to just Roth 401ks but know the rules we refer to for Roth 401ks apply to other In-Plan Roth’s like 403bs. It is important to realize that these are two completely different investment...

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The Rule of 55

What is the rule of 55? How does it work? Are there any catches? The rule of 55 allows those looking to retire earlier than normal or those who need the cash flow, a way to take distributions from their retirement plans sooner than is typically allowed. This quick 3-minute video gives the details with BFSG's own, Tina Schackman, CFA®, CFP®. Watch here for more. Disclosure: BFSG does not make any...

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Markets in Review

The year began on a promising note with low levels of inflation, low interest rates, and the anticipation of the vaccine rollout, which was going to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. What a difference a year can make! By the end of 2021, inflation was raging at around 7%, long term interest rates jumped up 0.50% and the emergence of the Omicron variant resulted in caseloads and...

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2022 – An Ideal Time to Review Plan Design

Each year, those in the retirement community collect, analyze and calculate data to ensure plan compliance with the laws that govern qualified retirement plans. The calendar of deadlines repeats each year, challenging plan sponsors and service providers to focus on the current plan compliance along with the myriad of changes that have come into effect in the last few years. In addition, the...

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SECURE Act Provisions for Long-Term Part-Time Employees

Historically, 401(k) plans could exclude individuals who worked less than 1,000 hours in the plan year. However, in its effort to expand access to employer retirement plans, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act introduced the concept of a “long-term, part-time employee” (LTPT). The Act requires that starting in 2024, 401(k) plans permit LTPTs the...

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