QSEHRA for Small Employers: Reimburse Employee Health Premiums Tax-Free Without a Group Plan
A QSEHRA lets employers under 50 FTEs reimburse individual health premiums tax-free — up to $6,450 self-only in 2026, with the IRS 90-day notice filed.
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Employee Benefits
Discover employee benefit options to attract talent and reduce turnover in small businesses
Switching 401(k) Providers? The Blackout Notice You Owe Participants
Switching 401(k) recordkeepers freezes accounts — ERISA requires a blackout notice 30 to 60 days ahead, or the DOL can assess $173 per participant per day.
What Happens to Your 401(k) Plan When You Sell or Close Your Small Business
To close a 401(k) when selling or shutting down: board resolution, full vesting, distribute within 12 months, file a final Form 5500.
The 9/80 Work Schedule: How to Give Every Other Friday Off Without Owing Overtime
A 9/80 schedule stacks 44 hours into one workweek unless you start the workweek mid-Friday — the FLSA never averages two weeks, so four overtime hours accrue.
That $50 Holiday Gift Card Is Taxable Wages: Why Employee Gift Cards Belong on Form W-2
IRS rules: gift cards to employees are cash equivalents, never de minimis — report face value as supplemental wages on Form W-2 with 22% withholding.
Form 5500 Filing for Small Business Retirement Plans: Who Must File, the 100-Participant Audit Tripwire, and Penalty Relief for Late Filers
Form 5500 is due July 31 for calendar-year plans; IRS late penalties run $250 a day up to $150,000, but DFVCP caps small-plan relief at $1,500.
Hiring Your Spouse for a Section 105 HRA: Deducting Family Medical Bills
A one-employee Section 105 HRA lets a sole proprietor deduct the family's medical spend — premiums included — against income and self-employment tax.
Got a 1099-SA for Your HSA? What the Distribution Codes Mean, How Form 8889 Reports Withdrawals, and When the 20% Penalty Hits
Your 1099-SA Box 1 total isn't a tax bill: Form 8889 nets it against qualified medical expenses, and nonmedical withdrawals under age 65 draw the extra 20%.
Open Enrollment 2026: The Small Employer's Checklist for Notices, Limits, and Deadlines
ACA affordability hits a record 9.96% for 2026 plan years and the Medicare Part D notice is due before October 15 — the small employer's full checklist.
Pumping at Work Is a Federal Right Now: The PUMP Act Checklist Every Small Employer Needs
The federal PUMP Act covers nearly all US employees — reasonable pump breaks for a year plus a private, non-bathroom space, or liquidated damages.
Closing Between Christmas and New Year's? The Payroll Rules That Decide What You Owe
Under federal FLSA rules, exempt employees are owed full salary for any holiday-shutdown week they work at all; require PTO use instead of docking pay.
Employee Achievement Awards: Tax-Free Service and Safety Recognition Within the $400 and $1,600 Limits
Tangible service or safety awards are tax-free under IRS rules up to $400, or $1,600 under a written plan; cash and gift cards count as taxable wages.