October 2016 Newsletter

Is workplace culture the hot new benefit?

Interview with Andrew McNeil, Principal

Employee Benefit Adviser — October 2016

Employers that don’t heed the call about the growing importance of a caring workplace culture will lose the talent war, says Andrew McNeil, a principal at Arrow Benefits Group (ABG) who is a millennial…78% of millennials prefer to work for a company that offers less from a monetary and benefits standpoint but has a reputation for having a great company culture.

Read Entire Article Here

DOL Form 5500 Changes Are Coming

You probably haven’t given the Form 5500 much thought lately, and for good reason: you haven’t needed to until now. The Department of Labor has long required organizations to file a registration form detailing information on their retirement plans or, if the organization has more than 100 employees, information on their “Welfare Benefit Plans” (for example, medical coverage).

Now, the DOL has proposed to ask for more-much more-from organizations. If the proposal passes, we can expect the following changes:

• All organizations with a Welfare Benefit Plan will be required to file a Form 5500
• Indirect compensation paid to service providers will be required to be reported (if the figure is over $1,000)
• There will be additional questions to enhance and enforce compliance
• A larger and more rigorous “schedule” will be created to capture more information
• A general modernization and update will become mandatory for organizations, which will translate into software and training costs.

While these changes aren’t in place yet, they are being very seriously discussed. We expect some, if not all, of these changes to be implemented so stand-by and call us with any questions and to discuss your options and needs regarding 5500. We are here to help you with this challenge.

Partnership program gives lifeline to small CA brokerages

interview with Keith McNeil & Jordan Shields

Employee Benefit Adviser — September 2016

In essence, it provides sufficient capital to expand business, a comprehensive system for handling renewals and realistic succession plan that benefits not only owners, but also their employees and clients. The umbrella program also has expanded ABG’s reach and client base across California and allows the firm more clout when talking to carriers. Read entire article here…