Finance and Equity
September 10, 2024
Pay-or-Play Affordability Percentage Will Increase for 2025
On Sept. 6, 2024, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2024-35 to index the contribution percentage in 2025 for determining the affordability of an employer’s plan under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For plan years beginning in 2025, employer-sponsored coverage will be considered affordable under the ACA’s “pay-or-play” rules if the employee’s required contribution for self-only...
July 30, 2024
Report: Employers Plan to Raise Wages 3.9% in 2025
The latest Salary Budget Planning Report released by Willis Towers Watson (WTW) shows that salary budget increases are expected to rise by 3.9% in 2025. The overall median pay raise for 2024 dropped to 4.1%, compared with 4.5% in 2023. Although these expected wage increases have diminished since 2023, this figure remains high compared to...
July 16, 2024
Inflation Cooled Further in June
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the consumer price index (CPI) rose 3% year over year in June, declining from 3.3% in May. This is the first time since May 2020 that the monthly rate has shown a decrease. The “core” CPI, which strips out the unpredictable food and energy components, increased 0.1%...
June 12, 2024
The Value of D&O Insurance for Private Companies
With today’s growing emphasis on corporate transparency and accountability, an organization’s directors and officers may face a range of liability exposures. For instance, stakeholders and third parties may hold a company’s board members responsible for damages resulting from their alleged mistakes or poor decisions, prompting legal action. Regardless of an organization’s size or mission, the...
June 14, 2023
May Inflation Drops to 4% Year-over-Year Increase, Signaling Inflation May Be Cooling
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the consumer price index (CPI) rose 4% year over year in May, a significant decline from 4.9% in April. This is the lowest annual pace since 2021 and slightly below economists’ expectations of a 4.1% increase, according to Refinitiv, global provider of financial market data and...
January 30, 2023
Start 2023 Off Right with Strategic Planning and Goal Setting
Strategic planning and goal setting are incredibly important for businesses of all sizes, as well as for business owners themselves. This process should connect your goals with “why” that goal is important to the activities that people do within the company. A good business coach will guide you through the goal setting process, facilitate the...
December 20, 2022
Economic Factors Will Dictate Risk Trends for 2023
While there are varying measurements of what qualifies as a recession, the consensus is that rising interest rates and high inflation will continue to put the financial squeeze on Americans in the new year. In these economic conditions, it’s likely insurance companies will see an uptick in claims related to inflation and the heightened cost...
December 14, 2022
It’s a Wrap: Key Issues Insurers Faced in 2022
Insurers faced some tough challenges in 2022, including a few that threatened their very existence. Astronomical jury verdicts, AI deep fakes, seemingly unending numbers of claims seeking compensation for coronavirus business shutdowns — more than a few industry lawyers spent sleepless nights beating back litigation that targeted the very core of the industry’s stability. Here’s...
December 8, 2022
Businesses Advised to Review D&O, Other Policies for ESG Risks
Businesses should review their directors and officers liability insurance and other policies to better understand how they would protect them from a widening array of claims arising from environmental, social and governance risks, a panel of experts said Wednesday. Heightened SEC enforcement actions against investment advisers, on whistleblower tips, and on company disclosures, show the...
July 15, 2022
2022 Midyear Market Outlook: Cyber Insurance
The past year has seen a rapidly hardening cyber insurance market as cyberattacks have surged in both cost and frequency. This increase in attacks has, in turn, resulted in a rise in cyber insurance claims and subsequent underwriting losses. Amid these market conditions, most policyholders experienced higher cyber insurance rates at their 2022 renewals, with...