Basic Fringe Benefits

Overview

This course is an overview of basic fringe benefits and examines their mechanics, compensation methods, valuation, withholding, and accounting. Achievement awards, term life insurance, medical reimbursement, meals & lodging, educational assistance, dependent care, employer-provided automobiles, interest-free loans, etc. are identified. Employer and employee economic and tax considerations are recognized. Fringe benefit requirements and limits are specified and ERISA compliance requirements are determined.

Highlights

• Benefit mechanics
• Employee achievement awards
• Group term life insurance
• Self-insured medical reimbursement plans
• Medical insurance
• Meals and lodging
• Cafeteria plans
• Employer-provided automobile
• Adoption assistance program
• Interest-free and below-market loans

Objectives

• Recognize basic fringe benefit planning by determining "income" under 61, and identify the differences between former non-statutory and current statutory fringe benefits created by recent cases, rulings, and tax law changes.
• Specify the mechanics of typical fringe benefits, determine the fair market value of a fringe benefit under the general valuation rule or the special valuation rules, and identify the general accounting rule and the special two-month pour-over accounting rule.
• Identify an "employee achievement award" under 274, and recognize the rules for group term life insurance under 79 stating how to implement proper coverage.
• Determine the mechanics of self-insured medical reimbursement plans under 105, and specify the requirements of medical insurance under 106 identifying differences.
• Identify the rules for excluding the value of meals and lodging under 119, and "cafeteria plans" and how they operate.
• Recognize the requirements and limits of employee educational assistance programs and dependent care assistance specifying how to obtain each type of assistance.