Wage Up! 3 lesser-known eye care expenses covered by your HSA

For those with eye care concerns - even if they're less serious - using funds from your account can save you some much needed cash. Some of these less-common expenses may even be eligible without a prescription.

Safety Focused for June 2019

Emergency Preparedness During National Safety Month
It’s always important to take a proactive approach to safety in the workplace, but sometimes an emergency can arise at a moment’s notice. Taking some time to plan before an incident takes place can help you take action quickly and ensure the safety of yourself and your co-workers. And, because the National Safety Council organizes National Safety Month every June, it’s a great time to review emergency preparedness in various workplace settings.

Wall Street dads find parental leave easier to get than to take

When JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay a landmark $5 million to settle a discrimination claim from a new dad, it looked like a turning point for Wall Street parents. Men who work for the biggest U.S. bank can take up to 16 weeks of parental leave, the bank emphasized, and said it would do better at making sure they know it.

HHS Identifies HIPAA Liability for Business Associates

OVERVIEW

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a new fact sheet that identifies specific HIPAA violations that business associates can be directly liable for. Key areas of liability include a business associate’s failure to:

Future Healthy: 5 easy ways to get a jumpstart on retiring in your 30s

If you're a young professional, there's a good chance retirement is still decades away. But the sooner you start focusing on your savings, the easier it will be to leave the workforce when you're ready to -- not when your finances allow it. To get started, here are five simple things we've seen work to hit the ground running.

That's Eligible?! A clearer view of sunglasses and FSAs

Yes, we're talking about sunglasses on a site about FSAs. Just so there's no confusion, let's be clear from the outset -- regular, garden-variety, discount-store sunglasses are not FSA-eligible. Even those $500 Aviators you got at the mall, with the 40-page instruction manual? Also not FSA-eligible. That is, unless those frames are fit with prescription lenses.

House passes $19B disaster relief bill with 4-month NFIP extension

After months of political battles, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $19 billion disaster relief bill (H.R. 2157) late Monday night, providing aid to areas hit by hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, wildfires and other natural disasters in recent months.

Mental health first aid in the workplace is about a culture of wellness

For benefits professionals and human resource officers, employees' mental health is often a top concern.

But how can you convert your workforce into a self-serving support system?

Why aren't diet and health foods FSA-eligible?

A few months back, we talked about maintaining healthy seasonal activity. But that article has continued to bring about deeper questions about food, diet and overall health
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We know that eating well and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of many conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and even strokes. Since eating well is such an essential component of overall health, some people with FSAs believe that health or diet foods are (or should be) eligible for reimbursement. But a good chunk of diet and health food items are not FSA-eligible expenses.

My brand new car was totaled. Now what?

You spent weeks looking at reports and ratings online and visiting various dealerships before deciding on what make and model of new car you want. You’ve had your old car for almost 20 years, and it had well over 200,000 miles on it, so it was time for a change. You finally decided on a bright red, sporty Lexus RC F coupe. The kids are out of the house, but it does have back seats for passengers in a pinch. You love it. You look for places to go so you can zip around in your hot little red car.

HSA Use for Family and Friends

The question people with HSAs often ask is whether or not they can use their account to pay for the expenses of family and friends.

The answer is "yes" when it comes to specific family members, and a big "no" when it comes to friends. (Well, just to keep things interesting, there is one exception to that rule.)
But first, let's take a quick look at the ways in which the IRS lets you use your HSA to pay for the healthcare costs of those closest to you.