Lone Star Benefits, Inc.

08/17/2026

Pencils?✅
Glue sticks? ✅
And the ever-requested box of tissues? ✅

Parents have been checking off the school-supply lists, but when was the last time your employees got a benefits supply list?

📣 HR Pro, do your employees have a supply list for your organization's benefits? For employees, the essentials include knowing where to find their ID card, how to use virtual care, who to call with a claim question, and what preventive care is covered.

Open enrollment is important, but benefits education shouldn't be a once-a-year event. The employers maximizing their benefits programs are making it easier for employees to utilize their benefits all year long.

Informed employees make better health decisions and see greater value in their benefits program.

✅ Here's an easy checklist you can use with your team now. Because benefits should feel helpful, not like homework. Reach out anytime to us here at Lone Star Benefits, Inc. 🌟

08/13/2026

When kids head back to school, it's always the time of year people start getting sick. Most health insurance plans include virtual visit and many offer it at no cost. Virtual visit is a perfect solution for this as it can be accessed 24/7/365 and from the comfort of your own home!

07/31/2026

Every health insurance renewal season, we sit across from employers watching their premiums climb, and this year's conversations have been rougher than most.

And Texas is one of the most expensive states to insure! Only about 30% of small businesses can still afford to offer coverage. We're seeing employers cut contributions, shift to high-deductible plans, or drop coverage altogether, not because they don't want to take care of their people, but because the math stopped working.

Governor Greg Abbott's new "Essential Benefits" plan announced this week is aimed squarely at that math. It will allow insurers to offer leaner group plans that skip certain state-mandated coverage, with a target of cutting premiums by nearly 20%. On paper, that's an estimated $1,150/year back for a typical family and $3,400+ per employee for small businesses. 👏

We'll be keeping our eyes on this closely here at Lone Star Benefits as plans are developed and announced.

07/30/2026

EMPLOYERS ➡️ 226-J Letters for tax year 2024 were just sent out!

If you're an Applicable Large Employer (ALE) and have more than 50 full-time equivalent employees, I'd keep my eyes open for this. Whether you did or did not offer a qualified and affordable health plan to your employees, you could still receive this letter and must respond timely.

The IRS compiles Letter 226-J based on information provided in employer ACA filings, along with information reported by individuals who received premium tax credits through the Marketplace. The IRS uses the information provided on employers’ Form 1094-C and related Forms 1095-C to determine whether employers met their obligations under the ACA ESRP requirements.

The letter will identify the tax year and include a response deadline that is at least 90 days after the date of the letter.

Keeping you informed!

07/03/2026

We are blessed to live in a country where we can dream big, and to wake up every morning with the freedom to speak, work, worship and serve the way God has called us to. ❤️ 🤍 💙

Our team loves this country deeply. We are so thankful for the brave men and women who put on a uniform so the rest of us could live free and that's never something we take for granted.❤️ 🤍 💙

Happy 4th of July, and Happy 250th Birthday America, from all of us at Lone Star Benefits, Inc.!

Wishing everyone a great day and weekend full of fun, good food, great company and a whole lot of gratitude. 🇺🇸🙏

06/17/2026

Employers with level funded or self funded plans, your PCORI fee is due 7/31 but the Internal Revenue Service has not released the updated Form 720 yet and so don’t file just yet. (If you file with the incorrect form, it will be rejected by the IRS!) Hoping the updated form is released soon!

05/25/2026

Today we pause to honor the men and women who gave everything in service to our country.🇺🇸

To the fallen and to the families who carry their memory, thank you. Your sacrifice is not forgotten.❤️🤍💙

05/21/2026

Lone Star Benefits was featured this week in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram discussing a benefit that's surging in popularity ➡️ Dependent Care FSAs.

Childcare costs in Texas now average $10K-$11K/year, and working parents are struggling to balance return-to-office expectations with these skyrocketing expenses.

Dependent Care FSAs can offset some of this expense by allowing employees to set aside up to $7,500/year in pre-tax dollars to cover childcare, camps, and programs.

Why it works:

✅ Employees save on taxes (take home more money)
✅ Employers save on payroll taxes (offset by minimal admin fees)
✅ Retention increases (working parents feel supported)

We have seen a significant uptick in employers adding this benefit post-COVID. It's a low-cost, high-impact way to support employees during a time when childcare is one of the biggest financial stressors for families.

And the IRS helped out by increasing the contribution limit to $7,500 this year, up from $5,000.

If you're an employer that wants to enhance your benefits package at a very nominal cost to you, implementing a Dependent Care FSA is a very easy way to do this.

More employers are offering this kind of Flexible Spending Account as a retention strategy in the post-COVID era.

04/14/2026

We're thrilled to welcome Lauren Ashley to the Lone Star Benefits team as our newest Account Executive!

With many years of experience in benefits and HR, Lauren is here to provide the same white-glove service and strategic guidance our clients have come to expect from LSB. (And her love of dogs makes her a perfect fit for LSB too!)

Welcome, Lauren! We're lucky to have you! 🤘⭐

04/05/2026

Wishing your family a blessed Easter!✝️