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On May 18, 2021, the IRS issued Notice 2021-31, a guidance document on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) subsidy for continuation health coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA). The Notice discusses the background of the subsidy and includes 86 questions and answers (Q&As) about its application. The COBRA Subsidy…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new guidance for people who have been fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. This update loosens the CDC’s mask-wearing recommendations for those fully vaccinated, allowing many outdoor activities without a mask. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose…

On April 9, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a fact sheet containing FAQs addressing changes for taxpayers who received advance payments of the 2020 premium tax credit (PTC) due to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Understanding how recent legislative changes for the PTC affect individuals, families and their 2020 tax return is…

The $1.9 trillion relief bill, known as the American Rescue Plan, has been signed into law by President Joe Biden. Highlights of the bill include extended unemployment benefits, direct checks to individuals and more. While some of the bill was changed during its time with Congress, it’s largely similar to the initial version passed by…

President Donald Trump recently signed into law an emergency stimulus package designed to deliver approximately $900 billion in COVID-19-related aid.The chart below provides an overview of the highlights of the new stimulus package, and how it compares to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law in March 2020. This will…

On Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, President Donald Trump signed into law an emergency stimulus package designed to deliver approximately $900 billion in COVID-19-related aid. This bill was passed by Congress after months of negotiation, and was attached to a $1.4 trillion spending package that will keep the government open for the fiscal year. Notably, this…

The IRS has added or updated more than 80 answers to questions in its series of FAQs on “COVID-19-Related Tax Credits for Required Paid Leave Provided by Small and Midsize Businesses.” The changes affect questions in all 13 of the subtopics covered by the FAQs. Refundable tax credits are available to businesses for employee paid…

AS IT TURNS OUT, PANDEMICS AND NATURAL DISASTERS both give businesses and communities the same amount of warning: none. In the wake of COVID-19’s disruptions, many spa retailers have been swapping notes to help adapt to a new normal, which has especially affected parents with school-age children. Rachael Pritz, vice president of RB Pool and…

Many employee benefits are subject to annual dollar limits that are periodically updated for inflation by the IRS. The following commonly offered employee benefits are subject to these limits: High deductible health plans (HDHPs) and health savings accounts (HSAs); Health flexible spending accounts (FSAs); 401(k) plans; and Transportation fringe benefit plans. The IRS typically announces…

While any workers’ compensation claims can result in costly ramifications for your organization, one category of claim in particular—known as a “mega claim”—has the potential to carry significant consequences. True to its name, a mega claim is characterized as an exceptionally large claim—typically totaling $3 million or more in incurred losses. In the realm of…