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Alpha e-News Update
August 2010 |
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The Alpha Group Agency
4200 Rockside Road, Suite 300
Independence, Ohio 44131
216-520-3300 |
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| From the Wellness Department
Say 'Yes!' to Breakfast
 Many people skip breakfast for various reasons-wanting to lose weight, pressed for time, lack of appetite in the morning-whatever the reason, it's time to say 'yes!' to breakfast.
Studies show that those who skip breakfast tend to consume more calories later in the day. And many people don't have an appetite in the morning because they consumed a large meal or snack later in the day. A healthy breakfast is so important to fuel the body first thing in the morning, making it ready to face the challenges of the day.
You may think you don't have time for breakfast but here are some quick ways to fuel your body in the morning-
- Smear all natural peanut butter on a whole wheat pita, place sliced apples on top
- Put cereal, flax seed or wheat germ and fresh or frozen berries in a cup of fat free vanilla yogurt
- Scramble eggs loaded with veggies the night before, put in a covered container and reheat in the morning.
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Human Resources
Top Ten Tips for New Form 5500 Filing Requirements  Effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2009, benefit plan administrators must file all Forms 5500 electronically using the U.S. Department of Labor's electronic filing program, EFAST2. With limited exceptions for corrective filings, paper filings are no longer accepted. EFAST (the version of the U.S. Department of Labor's electronic filing program that was implemented prior to EFAST2) will overlap with EFAST2 and continue to accept electronic filings through June 30, 2010.
The following are the top 10 things benefits plan administrators should know about filing Form 5500 using EFAST2:
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| HIRE Act
The Internal Revenue Service has issued the newly revised payroll tax form that most eligible employers can use to claim the special payroll tax exemption that applies to many new workers hired during 2010.
Designed to encourage employers to hire and retain new workers, the payroll tax exemption and the related new hire retention credit were created by the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act signed by President Obama on March 18.
Employers who hire unemployed workers this year (after Feb. 3, 2010, and before Jan. 1, 2011) may qualify for a 6.2-percent payroll tax incentive, in effect exempting them from the employer's share of Social Security tax on wages paid to these workers after March 18. This reduction will have no effect on the employee's future Social Security benefits. The employee's 6.2 percent share of Social Security tax and the employer and employee's shares of Medicare tax still apply to all wages.
In addition, for each qualified employee retained for at least a year whose wages did not significantly decrease in the second half of the year, businesses may claim a new hire retention credit of up to $1,000 per worker on their income tax return.
How to Claim the Payroll Tax Exemption
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1) Bring arms straight out in front of you
2) Place the right elbow on top of the left, banding both arms
3) Twist arms to bring palms to touching or as close
4) Lift elbows while keeping shoulder down
5) Repeat on the other side
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The Alpha Group Agency
Alpha Benefits, Inc. / Alpha Financial Services, Inc. / Alpha Property & Casualty, Inc. / AlphaHR, LLC.
Your partner for stability, security & growth. |
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