William Byrnes' Tax, Wealth, and Risk Intelligence

· Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down – a debate each week between Robert Bloink and myself (William Byrnes) whereby we take opposing viewpoints on tax policy and argue our opinions. Find out if you agree or disagree and, eventually, you will be able to vote on whose side you are on for that week.

· Featured Articles – a weekly article with archives written by Robert Bloink and myself, thought leaders in finding customer needs for new products and how to make new practice tools work with your clients, perhaps in ways you may not have thought about.

· Recent Updates – as you may know, our digital version of Tax Facts is updated weekly and not annually like our print version of Tax Facts. You can now see any significant changes made to a Tax Facts question that week as it will appear in the “Latest Developments” section, so you are aware of changes. These changes can even be delivered to your smartphone should you choose.

We are looking for another big year providing lots of value-added commentary and analysis. I am always interested in your feedback so feel free to email me at williambyrnes@gmail.com.

IRS Provides Additional Rules for Employers’ Ability to Recover Mistaken HSA Contributions
The IRS clarified when an employer can recover health savings account (HSA) contributions made in error. Generally, erroneous HSA contributions must be corrected by reducing future contributions. The IRS Office of the Chief Counsel released an information letter stating an employer can recover mistaken contributions if the employer has clear documentary evidence that demonstrates an administrative or process error that caused the mistaken contribution. Examples of correctable mistakes provided by the IRS include situations where the participants’ names were confused, mathematical errors and duplicate payroll transmittals. For more information on excess HSA contributions, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More.

Wellness Programs Post-EEOC: What Remains Important 
EEOC regulations that were recently vacated and removed focused incentives an employer could offer without rendering the program impermissibly involuntary. Although the incentive based regulations were removed, the remaining regulations provide some clarity on this “voluntariness” issue. The program may not require employees to participate, and the employer is not permitted to deny health coverage or limit group health plan or other benefits if the employee chooses not to participate in the program. The employer cannot take an action that would be considered retaliation or take any adverse employment actions for non-participation. For more information on the rules that currently govern employer-sponsored wellness programs, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More.