Flexible Benefits Newsletter - September, 2000

Flex Re-Enrollment Getting Underway

Term Rates Plunging

NEW WEBSITE UP & RUNNING

Flex Re-Enrollment Getting Underway

Students enrolled for fall classes began their academic pursuits last week, and companies with Flexible Benefits Plans will be reminding employees to pursue their tax savings by re-enrolling in the company Flex plan.
Since many of you administer your FSA’s on a calendar year basis, it isn’t too early to get your enrollment underway over the next several weeks.
Routinely we send your employees enrollment and confidential survey forms to fill out and return. In addition, anyone participating in the Dependent Care or Adoption Assistance Program will receive new registration forms.
Specific guidelines will vary by company but in most cases those participating in health or dental insurance only, will not need to re-enroll.
For general information about enrolling in Flexible Benefits Plans, we invite you to direct your staff to our website: www.flexbene.com. There they will find easy to read explanations of what a flex plan is and how it works. They will also find interactive calculators to determine how their deductions affect their taxes and take-home pay. In addition, there are lists of (generally) eligible expenses as well as sample forms. If you don’t see what you are looking for, just give us a call or send us an e-mail. 

Term Rates Plunging

Increasing longevity and intense competition have had a big impact on term life insurance rates. Costs have dropped dramatically.
If you haven’t had the company key-person life insurance or buy-sell life insurance reviewed recently, then give Carey Loomis from our staff a call at 385-6010. Carey will run a quick analysis for you.
If you haven’t checked rates in the last few months, we think you will be pleasantly surprised. 

NEW WEBSITE UP & RUNNING

An extensive renovation project for flexbene.com has been completed, and so far the reaction from the business community has been very positive.
Though flexbene.com has been on the web since March of last year, the massive upgrade has transformed the site from a benefits information page for employers to a friendly benefits information page for employees, and an administration tool for their companies.
Anyone can search flexbene.com to access general information on an abundant cross section of benefits related topics. If you have a tailored page and passcode, your employees are able to review material specific to them.
General information is extensive and easy to navigate. Much of the site is interactive, allowing visitors to calculate such things as tax savings on flexible benefit allotments, and perform a family financial needs analysis in case of death or disability. Visitors may also request specific information or pricing from M.A. Services/Pullano & Company through questionnaires or direct email and telephone correspondence.
Easy-to-find information is also available on Social Security and Medicare, including uncomplicated tables for determining individual retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. There is even a direct link to the Department of Social Security, where anyone may access their own file.
When you chose to tailor a page for your employees, you can offer them Summary Plan Descriptions and most other benefits information online.
Should you also wish to offer Non-Traditional or Convenience Benefits to your employees online, we offer everything from tomorrow’s dinner to pet insurance—and the cost is deducted automatically from their after-tax spending account.
Forms are available online in interactive or PDF printable format.
We invite you to visit our site and send us your comments. We look forward to hearing from you.