Tips to Understand 2026 Open Enrollment Process (and Increase Employee Participation)

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026

For many employers, open enrollment is one of the most challenging periods of the year. Benefits decisions are complex, timelines are tight, and employees often feel overwhelmed by unfamiliar terminology, plan options, and cost implications. Employers, meanwhile, must juggle compliance requirements, vendor deadlines, and employee questions—often while managing day-to-day operations.

The good news is that open enrollment doesn’t have to be stressful or inefficient. With thoughtful planning, clear communication, and the right tools, employers

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Employee Benefit Plan Audits: What Employers Need To Know (and How To Prepare)

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
employee-benefit-plan-audits

Employee benefit programs can look very different from one company to the next, but the business goal is usually the same: attract great people, keep them engaged, and support their long-term wellbeing. It’s no surprise that 41% of business leaders planned to focus on improving benefits as part of their 2025 priorities. From our experts at Taylor Benefits Insurance agency and from an HR perspective, benefits remain a cornerstone of talent strategy—88% of employers rate health-related

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8 Proven Ways Companies Can Reduce Employer Healthcare Costs

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
how-to-reduce-empkoyer-healthcare-costs

Employees expect health

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Small Business Health Insurance: Costs, Plans & Statistics (2026)

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
Small Business Health Insurance: Costs, Plans & Statistics (2026)

Small business health insurance plays a critical role in employee recruitment, retention, and financial security, yet it remains one of the most challenging benefits for employers with 1–50 employees to provide. Entering 2026, rising premium costs, workforce expectations, and regulatory complexity continue to shape how small businesses approach health coverage.

While large employers almost universally offer health insurance, small businesses face a more fragmented landscape in which cost

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9 Employee Benefits Trends for 2026: Where Workplace Benefits Are Headed

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
top-employee-benefits-trends-2026

As year-end approaches,

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2026 Regulatory Issues: Top Compliance Issues Businesses Should Know

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026

As businesses close out 2025, many leaders are hoping for a more predictable year ahead. The reality, however, is that 2026 introduces one of the most complex regulatory environments employers have faced in years. From sweeping tax changes and the lingering impact of a federal government shutdown to expanding state retirement mandates, paid leave laws, and fast-moving artificial intelligence regulation, compliance obligations are becoming broader—and more fragmented.

At the same time, limited federal legislative action has

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What Employers Need to Know About New York Secure Choice Savings Program

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
New-York-Secure-Choice-Savings-program

New York employers that do not currently offer a workplace retirement plan will soon face new compliance responsibilities. The New York Secure Choice Savings Program introduces mandatory retirement savings access for certain businesses, requiring eligible employers to facilitate payroll deductions into employee-owned retirement accounts.

While the program is designed to improve retirement readiness across the state, it also creates new administrative considerations for employers—particularly small and mid-sized organizations that have not previously sponsored retirement benefits.

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Difference Between State-Administered Retirement Programs and Employer-Sponsored 401(k) Plans

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
state-vs-employer-sponsored-401k-plans

Retirement readiness has become a growing concern for policymakers, employers, and workers alike. As of late 2023, 18 states have enacted legislation creating state-administered retirement programs, with nine fully implemented. These initiatives are designed to address a major gap in retirement access: millions of American workers—particularly those employed by small businesses—still lack access to an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan.

For employers, especially those without an existing retirement benefit, this raises an important strategic question: Is it

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Managing Affordable Care Act Reporting Requirements Due in 2026

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
managing-affordable-care-act

Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting has never been a “last-minute” task—but heading into the 2026 reporting year, the stakes are even higher. Updated affordability thresholds, increasingly hybrid workforces, and tighter electronic filing rules mean employers must be more deliberate than ever in how they track, test, and report health coverage data.

For Applicable Large Employers (ALEs)—generally businesses with 50 or more full-time equivalent (FTE) employees—ACA compliance is not just about meeting deadlines. It’s about aligning payroll,

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The Interplay of Benefits and ESG Reporting

By Todd Taylor  |  Last updated: May 7, 2026
link-between-employee-benefits-and-ESG

How Your Health Plan Impacts Your Company’s Social

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