Guaranty Association Benefits Company

taxes. It is not the time of year small business owners look forward to. It is complicated. It is time-consuming. And for some, it is expensive. But that does not mean taxes must be overwhelming.

Here are 10 tips to small business on how to survive tax time.

You see a lot of articles on best practices for hiring. Everyone has an attractive way to help you and your small business hire employees you need to be successful, but how many of them face the reality of the transition to better hiring strategy? Very little.

The reality is, it's hard to go 100 miles an hour in one direction, then crank the wheel in a new direction and change the way you have done things for a long time. As such, the questions and answers to help you transition your small business in a better recruitment strategy - the right way

Zane Benefits is committed to helping small business owners across the United States in finding new ways to help you run your business more efficiently.

Because we know how shared knowledge and advice between small business owners is, we go out into the community for you bring real stories of local business owners. In a small owner of a business interview this week, I had the pleasure of talking with Mike Burton, owner of Majestic Payroll Services, share challenges, joys, and advice about have a small business.

Of course, you have heard of blogs and how just about everyone and their dog has one, but did you know a blog can actually be a tremendous asset to your small business ? Yes, you heard right. Starting a business blog is a trick that you should not ignore. In this article we will go over the benefits of a blog and how it can change your small business for the better.

Everyone can relate to that time of year when you are evaluated on how you do at work - review performance. And to be frank, neither you nor your employees enjoy. Which makes you wonder, is there a way to conduct performance reviews positively, non-intrusive ? Yes.

This article provides you the average number 1 to review your employees without offending, and how it can lead to negative competition and teamwork.

As a small business the health benefits are an important part of your overall recruitment and retention policy. Yet budgeting health benefits can feel like walking a tightrope. Indeed, with the wrong approach, health insurance can be unstable, expensive and restrictive.

However, the first step to taking control of your health care budget is to understand your options. In this article, we will discuss small insurance business health options, and how to take control of your budget health benefits

Recruitment is more than just pointing and picking employees - it involves strategy. And just like the coach of a team of NBA players to recruit watches year, small businesses should do the same with candidates. It is what it takes to find the best of the best.

Last week I wrote an article on HR.com presented on how small business owners can recuriting 2015 thier best year ever . Highlights of the latest functionality Zane benefits.

Under the Affordable Care Act (aka ACA or Obamacare)? Employers with more than 50 full-time equivalent employees are required to submit information reports on the health care coverage of employees to the IRS, effective January 2016.

this article covers the need to know information about the new Obamacare reporting requirements for health care, including who is required to report health care, what you will need to report on, and the deadlines for reports.

for many small business owners, to find the perfect qualified candidate is only a dream. It would be surprising if a candidate had to walk through the door and magically know everything already, is always on time and consistently goes above and beyond. Alas, this dream is seldom true.

The truth is, as a small business owner, it is your responsibility to go out and find that many qualified candidates in your industry as you can - the question is, how is it done? We've rounded up some of on top tips to help you get a firm grip on the secret effective recruitment.

Health individual insurance market opened in 2013, and despite some hiccups, many will say Obamacare works. But what about the long-term reliability of Obamacare? Will it stand the test of time? Of course, with any new law, there will always be opposition and obstacles to overcome, and many studies have analyzed the Obamacare capacity to endure for years to come. Under our Act (ACA) series Affordable Care, this article examines the various factors that play into the longevity of Obamacare, including hearings of the Supreme Court, the way hospitals are affected by Obamacare, and the effect of the tax credits of the premium

If you do not have it noticed, companies like Uber and Lyft are somehow the "it" thing right now. Why? Because these companies have an amazing understanding of the evolution of the business world. They change the way we think about traditional taxis and pick-up services by connecting drivers through applications with people everyday.

In the past, health reimbursement arrangements (HRA) was a popular vehicle used by small businesses to reimburse employees tax-free for health insurance premiums and medical expenses out of pocket. However, health reform has brought radical changes in the industry of health insurance, including how employers can use CRH. Now the question is, how an HRA work for a small company and what are the tax benefits?

We are human beings, not robots. Therefore it is impossible for us to do the same things again and again at the exact same rate of success. Why? We like change -. We need to change

If you have experienced the obstacle lower than usual productivity in your business, you n ''re not alone. In fact, and not surprisingly, only 25 percent business leaders have an employee engagement strategy to keep their productive chugging employees.

Zane Benefits salutes the spine and job creators in our economy during National small Business week (May 4 to 8, 2015) . In our continuing mission to reinvent benefits for small businesses, we want to ensure they remain strong and competitive by providing affordable benefits. Our featured blog describes how employers can maximize employee productivity to enhance their small business

Productivity and the success of your small business go hand in hand -. This is not something new, however. But your productive employees get what they deserve for you? No, we are not talking about a Bahamas cruise or a trip to Disneyland (although this does not happen). We talk about the rewards from day to day that your most productive employees receive from you -. The little things that really matter

In this article we will go over six ways you can reward your employees more productive and why these awards make your small business a lot better

Most dental offices know the importance of online reviews patients, but in a world increasingly online, employees not only patients, arrive on the web to communicate what they like and do not want your practice. This means new candidates are online playing it is like to work for your practice, and whether you know it or not, there is an impact on your recruitment strategies.

Until recently, small businesses who want to provide benefits for the health of employees have been limited to the implementation of a policy group health insurance . The small business owners know that this is often not a viable option. Cost, terms of employee participation, and the supplier network restriction are just some of the obstacles associated with group health insurance.

Stand-alone Health reimbursement accounts (CRH) have been a popular tool used by small businesses to reimburse employees for individual health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The Affordable Care Act, however, limited the use of autonomous HRAs. With autonomous HRAs off the table for most employers, what are the alternatives?

As more and more small employers adopting strategies reimbursement of health insurance (aka redemption premium arrangements ), a common issue for employers and advisers is on the line - that the laws, regulations and tax codes allow employers to pay health insurance without the employees tax?

The answer is that there are seven key rules that allow, and form, the insurance reimbursement disease today.

With 2016 Obamacare open enrollment period just around the corner, all eyes are on which the plans will be offered in health insurance markets, and the costs are rising or falling. So far, 11 states have announced their rates proposed 2016 premium increases are surprisingly modest.

The annual cost of health care for a typical American family of four covered by a mean health insurance plan sponsored by the employer , is $ 24,671 per year - up 6, 3 percent from 2014. The amount will almost certainly exceed $ 25,000 in 2016. This is after 2015 Milliman medical Index (MMI).

As a small business, there are different ways to contribute to employee health insurance. For example, the company can offer a group health insurance coverage reimbursement of individual health insurance , or a health insurance allowance.

The new health benefit options available, I often get questions vs. taxable health insurance tax free. To answer this common question, let's look at situations where the health insurance contributions are vs. taxable tax free.

Your small business does not offer traditional health insurance coverage, but you want to help with employee insurance costs. As such, your company gives employees a tax increase or bonus to use toward health care.

But here's a thought. Your small business could save money, and contribute more to the health of employees, by establishing a tax advantage repayment plan.

As employers evaluate premium repayment terms , it is common to have questions about the structure of the repayment plan and where he enrolled in the affordable care Act (ACA) reforms.

Is reimbursement insurance premium considered health? Is he satisfied the employer mandate? Is it a group health plan? Does it account as an essential minimum coverage?

In this article, we, Äôll answer these questions to help you get a handle on the reimbursement rules premium.

A common question we get from small employers and their advisers is, "insurance reimbursement tax-free disease is still allowed?" the answer is yes, although there is a good and a bad way to s' . take

Under the Act affordable care (? also known as the ACA or Obamacare ), group health plans must cover certain preventive services without cost sharing any participant.

This provision is required under PHS in 2713 and is often called care or preventive services preventive requirement. This article describes preventive care rules ACA.

If you are one of 0 percent of employers face health plan premium increases this year, one in four employers see rate increases in the double digits, the health insurance renewals may feel painful.

In this new video Zane Benefits, we discuss how small businesses use, self-service software Zane benefits of cloud to provide better services with less hassle and lower costs . Watch and share the video now!

small business owners want what is bes t for their employees. They seek to provide healthy wages, safe and pleasant workplaces, strong benefits, and other benefits that can attract and retain members of the dedicated team. Sometimes, however, it can be difficult to balance the need to provide social benefits and the need to control the costs of the company. Traditionally, the benefits to the health of employees provided one of the biggest challenges. Simply stated, many small businesses can not afford group health insurance plans. Fortunately, many small businesses have learned that they can use individual health insurance for health benefits. Although the concept of premium refund is not complicated, business owners must follow certain procedures to ensure that their reimbursement benefits packages are lawful. For not currently offering health benefits, the following steps should be applied

For small and growing businesses, it is a common dilemma ?: offer lavish benefits and give up profits, or penny pinching and risk losing your best employees.

Health insurance is increasingly vital in today's world, where growing number of Americans say they do not seek medical care when they need because of high costs. While you as an employer may want to offer a group insurance plan that protects employees, the reality is that it is not always economically feasible to do so.

The coming months are special for many reasons. With the arrival of winter has some of the most celebrated holiday of the year and a chance to start fresh in a new year. Because it is also the annual open enrollment period, over the coming months hold a different kind of importance for many people, which can affect their health, their family and finances. open enrollment may not seem as fun as the other times in the winter, but it can be equally important.

Last week, we wrote an article featured on DentistryIQ describing what open enrollment is and why it is important to dentists and all small business owners.

Provide health insurance for employees can be expensive, but as you know, it is also an important part of talent retention and keeping the best of the best for your business. There is no one-size-fits-all option, which is why companies of all sizes must weigh the pros and cons of offering a group health policy with respect to reimbursements schemes private.

When you evaluate your current solution for health insurance, it is extremely helpful to have a working knowledge of the different types of benefits strategies. The two most common classes of health benefits funded by employers are group health insurance policies and reimbursement of private plans, so we will describe the main differences here.

Anyone who owns or manages a small company has first-hand knowledge the importance of the moment. Significant changes can not be made in haste, but you can not afford to be paralyzed by indecision. A balance between the two is where small businesses are making great progress.

Many people we talk to seem confused about the health tax credits and subsidies. This article provides a general high-level view to identify how each tax credits and grants differ from the tax credit for small enterprises (SHOP).

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For companies to thrive in the today's economy, finding and keeping the best employees is important. This is especially true for small businesses and non-profit organizations competing with larger companies and larger budgets for the best talent.

When evaluating a new or existing health insurance program, your company contribution strategy is an important consideration. In simple terms, how much will be used up in coverage, and percent of health insurance is paid by employers?

With the health insurance provided by the company, the employer must pay a minimum percentage and employees pay the remaining amount, usually through payroll deduction. So what percent do employers pay?

Choosing a health plan can be a daunting task. Yet, as more and more People change of employer health insurance purchased individually-purchased health insurance, it becomes even more important to become an informed consumer. So, just how to choose a health plan? Here are 5 quick tips to help you

of individual health insurance solutions funded by the employer are being adopted by companies throughout the country, as an alternative to traditional health benefits of the employer. This consumer-friendly solution is explored by employers of all sizes, in all regions and in all industries. A new study of Zane Benefits, however, identifies relevant trends in the adoption and use today. This article highlights the main trends of the new study

Note - .. To download the full study, "The employer-financed individual Report on the annual health insurance 2016" click here

With over economy more global and the workforce, it is increasingly common to have employees working from several countries. Working for an international company has its advantages - the opportunity to travel, live abroad and experience new cultures. The management of a multinational company, however, has its complexities. Take, for example, benefits.

The evaluation of health services companies employees often start with some basic questions company can afford health benefits? What type of service should offer the company? How can we provide the best benefits for employees' health?

understand national trends can be a useful first step to understanding how to build them better benefits small businesses. This article presents two main approaches to health benefits and what they mean for a small business budget

with the affordable care Act (aka Obamacare) is in full swing and the Cadillac tax on the horizon, employers make significant changes to their benefits to manage costs, increase participation and engagement, implementation cost-sharing strategies, and improve health. And, despite these changes benefit the majority of employers (56 per cent) plan in 2016 health spending increases. This is according to the benefits of the new Wells Fargo Insurance Employee Survey 2015 Trends.

Medical Reimbursement Plans (MERPs ), such as health reimbursement arrangements and health reimbursement plans, are defined as self-insured group health plans. As such, MERPs are required to follow the group health plan rules of non-discrimination.

This article describes the rules of non-discrimination and how they related to MERPs.

The Affordable Care Act gives small businesses the possibility of offering group health insurance through the Small Business health options program (store) Marketplace. Some small businesses market participant are eligible to receive a tax credit. The tax credit for health care for small businesses, which can be obtained only by the SHOP market is only available for two consecutive tax years. Although the use of SHOP market was attractive for some small businesses, it is possible that the cover purchases by the market will fall after the expiry of two years of tax credit.

Most US businesses include days holiday under a benefit plan package; but, since 00, the number of vacation days that workers use has steadily declined. From 1970 until the end of the century, workers used a 20 days of vacation per year. These days, it's more like 16. While having dedicated employees willing to work much is the dream of every business, leaving all that vacation time on the table is actually detrimental to productivity.

Your children are old enough to drive, vote and legally consume alcoholic beverages. They may have declared their adulthood you there a few years ago: "Mom / Dad, I'm an adult now" But if your children are still considered dependents, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) you! keep a health insurance policy that provides coverage for dependent children if you choose, until these young adults reach age 26.

"dependent child "status is defined differently for tax purposes, ending 24 years (the IRS provides information on qualifying as a dependent child or dependent relative, including the gross income test.) your 26 or under child can still qualify for the coverage of your policy because of the ACA is a separate issue to consider.

So what's a parent to do?

In the last few years well-being, health and programs have slowly made their way in the employer provided health care. However, they can be difficult to include in the health benefits of small businesses because of their cost. An investigation by Welltok, Inc. and the National Business Group on Health examines the effect of wellness programs on employees, and overall user satisfaction. Although the results are usually favorable, it seems that there is room for improvement.

When I had a small food establishment, I often go to work, take a look at the kitchen, and immediately think of a thousand and one things I had to do. I was immediately overwhelmed. You know the feeling, right? We all do. Rather than bite a little at a time, we try to conquer the world at once. Let me tell you a little secret - it is absolutely against-productive. I learned very quickly as a small business owner.

So rather than let you continue in your present ways of wasting time, I'll give you seven best time management tips you'll ever read like a small business owner . I promise you, you will want to keep these close - .. Even storing

The following is an excerpt from our free resources The 20 Greatest Recruitment and retention Tips . If you want to download the full resource here.

You are a small business growing, and all employees account. Not only do they plan, each employee directly affects your performance, your brand and your bottom line. As such, who you hire and keep is really important edge. No pressure, right?

If you think the health insurance coverage for you or your employees is out of reach, these numbers may surprise you. With discounts applied, the average cost of a health plan through HealthCare.gov was only $ 105 / month, with 87% eligible for a tax credit on premiums.

This is according to a new report from the administration of the health insurance market.

This rapid report highlights the most recent market.

As an owner or manager human resources, you do not always have the time to monitor and analyze the decisions about recruitment, hiring, interviews and retention. However, understanding ROI is necessary for long-term growth. The good news is, you do not have the love of numbers to be able to apply these strategies to your business.

In this article, we will discuss the importance of monitoring data HR and five summarize key data points all human resources of small businesses should follow.

It's been about a year that key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (aka the ACA or Obamacare ) entered into force. Now more than ever, companies and their employees are affected by the health reforms.

There is an easy thing to do - work a full 8-hour day and then go home again to work 4 or 5 hours. But is it good for your small business to do this every day? No, we're here to talk about why work late at night is actually harm your small business and how to break this bad habit

Note :. This article is an excerpt from our eBook alarming Small Business 5 Habits You must stop today.

Everyone loves a good life hack. And sometimes some of the simplest life hacks can literally change your life. Like when you realized that you can use nail polish to fix scratches on your car (yes, I know, genius).

With much life hacks for things we do every day, there is to be some people pretty amazing for your small business , too, right? Of course there is! To help you manage your small business more effectively, we have put in place some of the best hacks of life to help you and your employees to be more productive.

Last week I have written an article on how to pitch your business idea to start-up funding. And rather than let you hanging, not knowing who to pitch your idea, this week, we'll talk about where to actually get the funds you need to start. This invaluable knowledge you will get one step closer to achieving your dream and become an exciting small business owner.

Obamacare represents one of the biggest changes to American health insurance for individuals, employers, workers and health care providers. For many health insurance agents, however, the trip felt like an uphill battle. Commissions decreased structures, employers cancel group policies, and health insurance markets are not carved out a clear role for agents.

So what is the fate of health insurance agents in the new Obamacare landscape? Here are four ways health insurance agents can - and are - survive post-Obamacare.

Let's face it. We all started a new job where we spend the first day, week or even month-to-read dry procedural manuals, personnel shading, the establishment of our job, well ... twiddling thumbs wondering when we can start working.

do not let this happen with your new staff.

In your small business retention strategy create an onboarding program that engages employees quickly. By doing so, you reduce the cost of turnover.

Open registration for individual health insurance coverage 2015 is over ... or is it?

If you have a mandate fee individual Obamacare on your taxes for not having health coverage in 2014, and you don ' have not yet health coverage for 2015, you may still be able to get coverage for 2015. This is according to a recent announcement by the Department of health and Human services (HHS).

This is what you need to know about the new special enrollment period extended until 30 April 2015.