Basic Fringe Benefits

Course Description:

  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. 

Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Recognize basic fringe benefit planning by determining “income” under §61, identify the unusual tax-favored compensation advantage of qualified fringe benefits, and determine the fair market value of a fringe benefit under the general valuation rule and the special two-month pour-over accounting rule.
•     Identify the rules for group term life insurance under §79, stating how to implement proper coverage and determine the mechanics of self-insured medical reimbursement plans under §105.
   
•   Identify the rules for excluding the value of meals and lodging under §119, and “cafeteria plans,” and recognize the requirements and limits of employee educational assistance programs and dependent care assistance.
•  Identify “no-additional-cost services” and determine what property or services are excludable from income as qualified employee discounts under §132(c), and specify exceptions to working condition fringes and de minimis fringes.
•    Determine the requirements for qualified transportation fringe benefits under §132(f), specify valuation methods for employer-provided automobiles, and identify the requirements and benefits of adoption assistance programs.
• Recognize the income inclusion of moving expense reimbursement and below market loans, specify the treatment of employer planning advice and identify ERISA compliance requirements.