Resources & Expertise

Insights from the Experts

2020 US Benefits Trend Report

The year’s report features perspectives, analysis and actionable insights from NFP subject matter experts on healthcare, benefits compliance, pharmacy trends, digital transformation, legislation and regulation, voluntary benefits, and well-being and engagement. While we found that many of the same challenges remain, the impact of the global pandemic will require new approaches and solutions to address needs and goals.

Your Annual BOLI Review: What You Should Know

Your BOLI review process should be more than just meeting the regulators’ expectations. Fortunately, our executive benefits team provides a thorough risk management approach for ensuring your BOLI is meeting the original goals and objectives of the bank.

BOLI – The “Zero Coupon Perpetual Bond”

How is BOLI like a bond? Explore the many ways BOLI functions, its impactful features and how this knowledge can benefit your organization.

Is the Administrative Savings Argument Smoke and Mirrors?

This article, from the Insights from the Experts series, explores the single-payer health care debate, the administrative costs of Medicare versus the private insurance market, and potential impacts on the quality of health care in the US. Although administrative cost is only one part of the ongoing conversation around a single-payer health care system, the broad impact of administrative practices makes them important to consider.

The Win-Win-Win: Well-Being for Employees, Employers, and Businesses

Companies that want a strong, resilient workforce that is healthy, happy, and fulfilled are making well-being a permanent and comprehensive part of their corporate and management culture. This includes integrating financial wellness, personalization, corporate social responsibility, and mental well-being and mental health into an overall onboarding, people development, engagement, and retention strategy.

Planning for Your Estate and Business Succession

A guide to understanding estate and business succession planning — from basic tools to sophisticated planning techniques. Planning ahead today can provide greater control, privacy, and security of your legacy tomorrow.

Pull the Weeds, Not the Plants

As health care reform debates swirl on, it’s important to highlight the parts of the current system consumers are happy with. The employer sponsored insurance system works. What should we keep, and where can we innovate?

2019 Benefits Insights: NFP’s Outlook and Analysis on Employee Benefits Trends In the US

To maximize the impact of your employee benefits program in a rising cost environment, knowledge is critical. Our 2019 trend report provides data and perspective designed to inform and enhance the decisions employers make, and facilitate better outcomes for the clients we serve.

Single-Payer Health Care: What Does it Mean for You?

It’s important to learn from current single-payer systems to gain a better understanding of how single-payer health care could impact how Americans obtain health care services.

Where There’s Smoke, There’s FIRE

The “Financial Independence, Retire Early” movement is gaining momentum. Elite workers want to live their lives without the burdens of our work-focused society weighing them down. What’s your company doing to stand out in the war for talent?

Preparing Now for 2019: End of Year Review

The end of year is an ideal time to check up on the basics of financial health and long-term planning.

Preparing Now for 2019: Gifting Strategies

For many of us, charitable contributions and gifts are a key part of the fiscal year. Unfortunately, the simple joy of giving can become more complex when taxes are factored in. Luckily, with a little planning, it’s not difficult to create a sound gifting strategy.

Preparing Now for 2019: Insurance Planning Questions to Consider

When it comes to insurance planning and taxes, getting the lay of the land can feel impossible. Tax time can be so overwhelming that it’s not always clear which questions you should ask, or where to start planning. This guide lays out fundamental questions for tax planning with respect to insurance.

Preparing Now for 2019: Planning for the Modern Family

While most of us want to focus on celebrating and having fun during family gatherings, our modern culture tends to afford only a limited amount of time throughout the year when all those who matter most to us are under one roof — and it’s a good time to check in about finances.

Preparing Now for 2019: Retirement Planning

Whether retirement feels a long way off, or just around the bend, here are some points to consider. Tax time is a particularly helpful time to reassess where your retirement planning stands, because certain choices affect which deductions you’ll need to take and what will be taxed as income.

Preparing Now for 2019: Tax Strategies & Estate Planning

Given all the tax change, it’s more important than ever to plan for income taxes. CPAs will be busy heading into year-end, so we advise that you set up a time to speak with your CPA as soon as possible.

Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway And JP Morgan Health Venture: What Does It Mean For The Employee Benefits Industry?

Controlling health care costs, improving employee satisfaction and supporting healthy outcomes — these goals matter in the employee benefits space, and they matter to NFP. The new venture by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan, under the leadership of CEO Atul Gawande, wants to help the market meet these goals. How is the new ABJ going to work and how might it affect the employee benefits space?

The Modern ATS (Applicant Tracking System) ... What's Changed?

Mark Rieder, SVP, HR Technology & Benefits Administration Services

Wading through the growing diversity of ATS platforms and other HR technology systems can be overwhelming, but taking the time and doing the work to find the tools and resources that are right for your organization may help you really up your #talentmanagement game.

Keep Your Key Executives Covered from Three Key Shortfalls

Keith Hoffman, VP, Disability and Corporate Benefits

Much of your company's success depends on the talents of your key executives. But keeping the people who keep the business going is easier said than done. Higher pay is only one of the answers. Combining group long-term disability (LTD) with individual disability income insurance (DI) can be a vital part of the solution.

Protect Yourself, Your Employees and Your Business with Disability Insurance Solutions

Keith Hoffman, VP, Disability and Corporate Benefits

If you suddenly became sick or disabled and couldn't work, how would you pay your company's utilities, lease or employees' salaries? Would you be on the hook to pay for these things out of your own pocket? Protect your life's work – and your work life – with the right disability insurance.

12 HR Technology Capabilities That Are Changing The Industry

Talent management processes are about effectively recruiting, developing, evaluating, rewarding, retaining and otherwise maximizing the engagement and contribution of all employees. The role HR technology plays in achieving this has never been more prominent than it is today. Check out the 12 capabilities making a difference in today’s HR technology space.

Dealing with Devastating Storms: What to Do Before, During and After a Hurricane

Preparedness, resilience and responsiveness are the keys to weathering the storm. That's why we've put together some tips on how to tackle the tough stuff when a whole sea of troubles is literally knocking down your door.

Which Type of HR Technology Is Right for Your Organization?

Mark Rieder, SVP, HR Technology & Benefits Administration Services

Saas, ERP, HCM? What do these terms mean — and how can that knowledge help you make a decision about what kind of technology to implement to meet your Human Resources needs?

Three Questions You Need to Consider Before Initiating an HR Technology Search

Mark Rieder, SVP, HR Technology & Benefits Administration Services

Avoid derailments and false starts when you're considering new HR technology solutions by practicing organizational readiness. Here are three different categories of HR technology solutions, so you know your options when it comes to making decisions about which system to implement next.

Private Equity Capital: What Affects Buyers and Sellers in Today’s International Markets?

Carl Nelson, EVP of Mergers and Acquisitions, and Adam Favale, SVP of Mergers & Acquisitions

A low-interest rate environment has generated an influx of capital from private equity firms, foreign investors and sovereign wealth funds streaming into the United States.

The Business Case for HR Technology — Does It Hold Up for Smaller Enterprises?

Mark Rieder, SVP, HR Technology & Benefits Administration Services

Let's clear the air and break down how HR technology can help a smaller organization and whether the investment might be business-justified.

Five Signs that a New HR Tech Platform is Probably Needed

Mark Rieder, SVP, HR Technology & Benefits Administration Services

NFP's HR Technology Team tackles what's arguably the number one HR Technology-related question on the minds of HR executives: Is it time to consider a new HR system?

Whitepapers

It’s a Trap! How to Avoid Common Mistakes

Knowledge is power when you're avoiding pitfalls in commercial insurance, corporate benefits and wealth management. We'll show you the most common mistakes so that you can avoid costly difficulties down the line — keeping you and your company on solid ground.

It's Now or Never: What to Do When Health Care Has Left the Building

The workforce is always changing — and if you want to keep up, you've got to change with it. Discover unique, future-forward ideas and strategies on how to attract and retain top talent as that talent pool shrinks, new generational cohorts take over the space and medical insurance plans become too similar to sway prospective employees your way.

Is Your Broker a Good Match? 10 Questions to Ask

If you buy insurance, benefits or retirement products for yourself or your company, you probably work with an advisor or broker. But are you getting the value you deserve out of that relationship? Check out the top-ten list of what you should expect, curated from some of the most respected advisors across the United States.

Taking a Second Look at HSAs

When it comes to health savings accounts (HSAs), knowledge is power.

BOLI – An Investment or Life Insurance?

Bank-owned life insurance (BOLI) is a long-duration accrual asset with no stated maturity date, yet it has a present and future maturity value.

Leveraging Annual Exclusion Gifts With Life Insurance

What you leave behind is important — you want your charitable contributions to have the most impact possible. Here's a way to maximize your charitable gift to your family and to the organizations that matter to you.

When Interest Rates Rise — What To Expect From Your BOLI Asset

Since 2008, the Federal Reserve has maintained a low interest rate climate to encourage economic growth.

Good Choices for Your Future — How Knowledge Can Play an Important Part in Health

“Your health is your wealth!” — How many times have you heard that? Knowledge certainly affects one’s ability to make good choices.

Qualified Versus Nonqualified Plans

For most employees, qualified retirement plans are a critical component of their retirement savings strategy.

SERPS — One Size Does Not Fit All

Employers have long struggled with the ability to attract, retain and reward key talent.