Employee Benefit Compliance: 2025 Closeout and 2026 Setup
1 source
The source provides employers with a comprehensive year-end compliance checklist for managing employee benefit plans, separating tasks into mandatory requirements for the close of 2025 and necessary preparations for 2026. Immediate obligations include ensuring the submission of the gag clause attestation, conducting required nondiscrimination testing, and reminding employees about the rules governing unused flexible spending account (FSA) balances. To prepare for the new year, employers are instructed to update employee communications and address ACA affordability standards for Applicable Large Employers (ALEs). A significant component involves adjusting internal systems to reflect updated employee benefit plan limits for 2026, which detail changes to contributions for retirement plans, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and qualified transportation benefits. Finally, the checklist outlines the necessity of preparing for ACA reporting regarding 2025 coverage, with required forms due to the IRS in early 2026
