IRS Provides Flexible Spending Information That Plan Advisers Can Share With Clients

With 2025 FSA contribution limits set at $3,300, the IRS reminded taxpayers to leverage flexible spending arrangements.

Plan advisers and plan sponsors should take note: The IRS published a reminder with information about health care flexible spending arrangements to help encourage taxpayers making open enrollment elections to take advantage of FSAs by allocating tax-free dollars for medical expenses not covered by health insurance.

Employees participating in an FSA can contribute up to $3,300 in 2025 through payroll deductions, the IRS noted. Contributions are tax-free, exempt from federal income tax, Social Security tax and Medicare tax, allowing for substantial savings on out-of-pocket medical costs.

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For households with multiple plans, there is an added benefit: If both partners have access to FSAs through their respective employers, each may contribute up to $3,300, collectively putting aside up to $6,600. Some employers may also opt to contribute to their employees’ FSAs, further boosting potential savings.

FSAs can carry over some unused funds. For 2025, the maximum carryover amount from 2024 is $660, up from $640 participants could carry over in 2024.

Eligible expenses cover a broad range of medical costs, including deductibles, co-pays and services like dental and vision care. Many over-the-counter items such as allergy medications, sunscreen and even eyeglasses are also FSA-eligible. Employees are encouraged to review their expected health expenses for the upcoming year to determine their FSA contribution amount.

FSAs are offered at the discretion of employers, and not all companies provide the benefit. Self-employed individuals are not eligible for FSAs. For those interested in participating, the IRS provided further information on its website at this link.

Worker Health Care Preferences

Separately, survey findings released by Voya Financial showed a strong preference among American workers to stick with prior health plan choices during open enrollment, with 91% saying they tend to select the same health plan each year. Conducted in preparation for the 2024 enrollment season, Voya found that many workers make these decisions quickly, with 49% of employees spend less than 20 minutes reviewing benefits information.

Voya also shed light on employees’ hesitance to select high-deductible health plans, often associated with health savings accounts, partly due to the plan’s name. Labeling bias affects decisions significantly: When plans were labeled “high-deductible,” only 26% opted for HDHPs, while the number rose to 48% when the label was removed.

The survey also revealed that only 3% of respondents said they fully understand HSA benefits, underscoring a need for greater education to maximize health care savings. This is an opportunity for employers to guide employees to make informed benefits choices, according to Nate Black, a vice president of health solutions product at Voya Financial.

The findings are from two Voya Financial Consumer Insights & Research Surveys. One was conducted from September 27 through October 7, among 345 American adults aged at least 18, who work either full-time or part-time. The other was conducted from September 25 through 27, among 2,201 Americans aged at least 18, featuring 513 benefits-eligible working Americans.

Retirement Industry People Moves – 11/8/24

Jacques Chappius named president, CEO of PGIM; The Standard promotes Hall to retirement plans actuary role; Schroders taps a new Americas CEO from within; and more.

Jacques Chappuis Appointed President, CEO of PGIM

Jacques Chappuis

Prudential Financial Inc. announced that the firm has appointed Jacques Chappuis, current co-head of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, as president and CEO of Prudential’s asset management business, PGIM Inc.

Chappuis’ appointment is effective May 1, 2025, and he will succeed David Hunt, who has been president and CEO of the $1.4 trillion asset manager since 2011. Hunt will retire in May and stay on as chairman until July 31 to ensure a smooth transition.

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Chappuis will report to Andy Sullivan, Prudential Financial’s executive vice president and head of international business and global investment management.

“Jacques is well known for his deep commitment to clients, his leadership in acquisitions, and breadth of expertise across public and private market solutions,” Sullivan said in a statement. “We know that he is the right person to lead PGIM’s next chapter of growth.”

Chappuis has held the title of co-head of MSIM for almost a year. He was the global head of distribution and co-head of solutions and multi-strategy at MSIM between 2016 and 2023 and was also previously the head of investment solutions at the Carlyle Group.

The Standard Names Hall Second VP and Retirement Plans Actuary

Winston Hall

Standard Insurance Company, or The Standard, has promoted Winston Hall second vice president and retirement plans actuary.

Hall, who joined the firm in 2022, was promoted to the role from a position as second vice president and actuary in Actuarial Transformation Strategy and Enablement. In his new role, he will lead The Standard’s recordkeeping, retirement plans institutional and federal home loan bank actuarial teams as well as the recordkeeping pricing team.

“With Winston’s extensive industry experience in leadership across functions and teams, he is positioned for success as both a technical expert and a strategic thought leader within our retirement plans division,” Julie Briggs, vice president of emerging markets and strategic innovation and asset management group actuary, said in a statement. “We are also excited about the increased opportunities to optimize our Actuarial Transformation capabilities throughout AMG under Winston’s guidance.”

Tom Darnowski Promoted to Americas CEO at Schroders

Tom Darnowski

Schroders plc announced the promotion of Tom Darnowski to CEO of the Americas. Formerly the global head of product strategy, his promotion is effective on January 1, 2025. Darnowski will succeed Phil Middleton, who will be promoted to serve as the firm’s head of the U.K.

Both Darnowski and Middleton will report to Karine Szenberg, Schroders’ global head of client group.

Darnowski has worked at Schroders for nearly 12 years. Prior to his role as global head of product strategy, he was head of North American product. Previously, he was managing director of mutual funds at insurer The Hartford.

“I am excited for the opportunity to shape our future growth in the Americas during a time of evolution across the industry and the firm,” Darnowski said in a statement. 

Wagner Law Group Adds Cybersecurity Attorney

Joshua Cook

Cybersecurity attorney Joshua Cook will join The Wagner Law Group as Of Counsel based in Boston.

Cook is an expert in cybersecurity law issues who had been running his own practice after working in-house at John Hancock, a Manulife Financial company.

Cook specializes in assessing privacy, cybersecurity programs, business continuity plans and vendor profiles “in order to assist clients in developing a big-picture view of the existing threat environment and key risks,” according to an announcement from Wagner Law. He also negotiates cybersecurity-related contracts and assists in resolving contract disputes.

“Josh has a proven history of helping clients identify and address cybersecurity law issues and we are delighted that he is joining us and introducing a new and crucial practice area to our firm,” according to the announcement.

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