October 22, 2024

The IRS released 2025 limits for FSAs, commuter benefits, adoption assistance, and more.

November 6, 2019

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released additional qualified benefit plan contribution limits for 2020, including limits for flexible spending accounts (FSA) and Commuter Benefit accounts.

August 27, 2019

The IRS has issued Notice 2019-45, in which it identifies certain chronic health conditions whose treatments will now be considered “preventive.” As a result, such treatments can be covered by a health insurance plan without first meeting the minimum deductibles generally required of high deductible health plans (HDHPs) for health savings account (HSA) contribution eligibility purposes. 

May 30, 2019

The IRS recently announced new Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution limits for 2020, asd well as High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) deductible amounts and expense limits.

May 24, 2021 - Additional IRS Guidance Concerning Premium Assistance for COBRA Benefits  

On May 18, 2021, the IRS issued Notice 2021-31, which provides FAQs for further guidance on the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) that was signed on March 11, 2021.

May 12, 2021

The IRS has issued Notice 2021-26 to answer questions related to Dependent Care Flexible Savings Accounts (DCFSA), specifically the interaction between the temporary extensions and carryovers allowed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) and the increased maximum contribution amount allowed by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

May 12, 2021

The IRS has issued Revenue Procedure 2021-25, providing inflation-adjusted Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution amounts for calendar year 2022: 

April 9, 2021

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), enacted on March 11, 2021, allows qualified beneficiaries to receive premium assistance if health coverage was lost because of involuntary termination of employment or a reduction in hours. This assistance is available for the coverage period beginning on April 1, 2021, and ending on September 30, 2021. Premium assistance is initially “advanced” by the plan sponsor or insurer and then recovered or reimbursed through a tax credit.

March 30, 2021

The IRS has issued Notice 2021-21, officially delaying the April 15, 2021 federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year to May 17, 2021. This delay is a result of the ongoing COVID-19 Emergency Declaration issued in March 2020. The due date is automatically postponed from April 15, 2021 to May 17, 2021; there is no need to file an extension to receive this relief.

March 30, 2021

The IRS has issued Announcement 2021-7, indicating that amounts paid for personal protective equipment (PPE)—such as masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes—that are primarily used to prevent the spread of COVID-19, are treated as amounts paid for medical care under Internal Revenue Code Section 213(d). As a result, these items are now eligible to be paid or reimbursed under health flexible spending accounts (health FSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), and health savings accounts (HSAs).

August 31, 2020

Earlier this year, the IRS provided increased flexibility allowing for mid-year changes to FSAs and other benefit plans due to the COVID-19 crisis. Previously, mid-year plan changes were only allowed following a qualifying life event such as marriage or the birth of a child. Now a qualifying event may not be necessary, but there is one caveat: FSA mid-year changes are only available if an employer allows them.

June 11, 2020

Employer Payments Due by July 31, 2020

A less-talked-about piece of the SECURE Act was the extension of PCORI fees to continue through plan years ending before October 2029. On June 8, 2020, the IRS announced an increase to the PCORI fee amount to be paid by plan sponsors with a plan year end date between October 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019.

June 5, 2020

In response to questions we have received related to the benefit plans we administer, Chard Snyder has compiled these helpful resources to provide guidance for our partners. Answers include the most recent information shared by the U.S. government and its agencies regarding the impact of COVID-19 on these services.

May 21, 2020

During the last few months, the Department of Labor (DOL), Treasury Department, and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have jointly issued multiple pieces of guidance intended to provide relief to those suffering economic hardships from the coronavirus pandemic.

May 21, 2020

The IRS has issued Revenue Procedure 2020-32, providing inflation-adjusted amounts for health savings accounts (HSAs) for calendar year 2021: 

March 12, 2020

On Wednesday, March 11, the IRS issued Notice 2020-15 allowing HSA-qualified health plans to cover testing and treatment of the coronavirus.

November 25, 2019

The IRS has issued proposed regulations that provide additional guidance to employers intending to offer an Individual Coverage HRA (ICHRA) for 2020 and beyond. The guidance confirms and clarifies the safe harbor provisions that were initially outlined in IRS Notice 2018-88. The proposed regulations are meant to help employers determine whether their ICHRA is affordable, and clarify the ICHRA nondiscrimination testing requirements.

February 28, 2019

Qualified transportation fringe benefits allow employees and employers to use pre-tax dollars towards commuting expenses. The amount of pre-tax dollars allowable varies based on cost-of-living adjustments by the IRS. (The monthly maximum limit for 2019 is $265.) In general, these benefits are completely optional and employers are not required to offer them. However, some cities with high commuter populations (e.g. New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C.) have laws that make it mandatory for employers to offer the benefit.

February 28, 2019

The IRS recently issued Information Letter 2018-0033, which expands the instances in which an employer can recoup HSA contributions it made on behalf of its employees. The letter confirms that where there is clear documentary evidence of an administrative or process error, the employer may request the return of the contributed amounts, with any correction making it as if the error had never occurred.

May 17, 2018

The IRS has recently released answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for employers who want to claim a business credit on wages paid to an employee (who earned up to $72,000 in 2017) on paid family and medical leave, who met certain conditions. The IRS has adopted Section 45S, also referred to as Employer Credit for Paid Family and Medical Leave. To claim the business credit, employers must have a written policy that meets certain requirements, including the following items:

May 17, 2018

The IRS has announced the following new Health Savings Account limits for 2019: