Transforming Worst Practices in Your Security Awareness Training
The first line of defense for data breaches in most organizations is to upgrade or add new antivirus (AV) software, anti-malware systems, IDS, firewalls, spam filters, security analytics and more....
View ArticleWhat’s the Difference Between Consumer and Business-Grade Firewalls?
Why isn’t it a good idea to go out to your local big box store and get a consumer-grade firewall for your business? Can’t you save a few bucks this way, rather than getting a business-grade firewall?...
View ArticleLegislative Updates You Need to Know About for This Year’s Open Enrollment...
As you head into 2021 it is a good time to take stock of any legislative changes that impact your benefit plans. Below is a recap of the changes we are aware of so far for 2021. Annual Limit Changes...
View ArticleTreasury, IRS Release Guidance on Employee Social Security Tax Deferral
The Treasury Department and the IRS have issued guidance on the recent order by President Trump to defer the withholding, deposit, and payment of certain employee payroll tax obligations on wages paid...
View ArticleHow to Quiz Your Advisor on Fiduciary Responsibilities
Having a financial planner who is a fiduciary is an important component of a healthy investment strategy because it ensures that your advisor must exercise duties that are in the best interest of their...
View ArticleCommunication Tips for a Successful Open Enrollment Season
The biggest struggle for most HR teams is communicating benefit changes out to their employees. In all the years that I’ve been working in employee benefits, one of the oldest painful truths is that...
View ArticleBest Practices During Open Enrollment to Ensure Smooth Sailing
There are so many things to keep up with leading up to and during your open enrollment process this fall. We have developed a guide to help you along the way that covers everything from the basics...
View ArticleHelping Your Employees During Open Enrollment Season
As we have already talked about, unfortunately it’s not unusual for less than 50% of recipients to even open communications related to benefits. And why is that? I think it is fair to say that the...
View ArticleTargeting Your Communication During Open Enrollment
Last year at BerganKDV, our benefits guide was 44 pages long. That’s not a knock against the guide, it was all very good information. But not all the information applies to every employee. And there’s...
View ArticleEvaluating Your Open Enrollment Campaign
How will you know if your open enrollment campaign was a success? To answer this question, you will need to start by looking in the rear-view mirror for a bit. As a HR team, sit down and talk about the...
View ArticleUnderstanding the Variables for an Educator’s Retirement Plan
Educators have more than the usual number of variables to consider when thinking about retirement. There is usually a defined-benefit pension plan with multiple pay out options, you probably have...
View ArticleUnderstanding Your Risks in Police Evidence Rooms
Recently when I was looking at the International Association of Property & Evidence website, I ran across the Law Enforcement Evidence and Property Management Guide published by the California...
View ArticleBest Practices for Evidence Room Policies and Procedures
Several years ago, the state of Minnesota conducted a best practices review for property evidence room policies and procedures manuals. The information included in this review includes five steps...
View ArticleWhat’s the Difference Between a Fee-Only and Fee-Based Financial Planner?
Finding out how your prospective financial advisor is compensated may be the most important question you can ask. Advisors can be paid through a fee, like an annual planning fee or percentage of assets...
View ArticleTax Saving Opportunities in the Eye of the Derecho – Involuntary Conversions...
On August 10th 2020, a ‘derecho’, an inland hurricane, ripped through Iowa causing severe damage to structures, landscapes, and crops. A federal disaster declaration was made by President Trump and...
View ArticleWhat is an Annuity?
Annuities have been an option for retirees and accumulators for a long-time. A very long time. The first annuity can be traced back to the 1500’s when Charles V of the Hapsburg regime created contracts...
View ArticleLessen Your Vulnerability to Fraud with the Right Mix of Reporting Mechanisms
Organizations that do not actively seek out fraud are likely to experience schemes that continue for much longer and at a higher cost. According to the 2018 Report to the Nations prepared by the...
View ArticleFinancial Planning // Part 1: The Accumulation Strategy
Michael Porter wrote a brilliant piece on corporate and organizational strategy in 1996, titled What Is Strategy? Porter illustrates “three key principles underlie strategic positioning 1) Strategy is...
View ArticlePart 2: The Distribution Strategy
The psychological shift one must go through upon the beginning of their retirement can be tricky. An individual has maintained a certain routine throughout a large portion of their adult life, has been...
View ArticlePaycheck Protection Program Legislation Update
The last three months have been relatively quiet in regards to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the passage of the PPP Flexibility Act and the subsequently issued Interim Final Rules and...
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