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Thrivent Puts Values at Its Core — and It’s Hiring Advisors

How are business expenses reported for income tax purposes? Get Answer What is a charitable IRA rollover or qualified charitable distribution? Get Answer What are the tax benefits that can be realized by providing employee benefits through a cafeteria plan? Get Answer What are the Social Security and Medicare tax rates for traditional employees and employers? Get Answer What developments have emerged regarding a fiduciary’s consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in making investment decisions? Get Answer What are the Social Security tax and Medicare rates for self-employed taxpayers? Get Answer How is it determined whether a taxpayer is an independent contractor or a common law employee? Get Answer What is FBAR, and does a U.S. citizen living in Canada need to be concerned with FBAR requirements? Get Answer

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How Holistic Tax Overlays Can Benefit Wealthy Clients

How are business expenses reported for income tax purposes? Get Answer What is a charitable IRA rollover or qualified charitable distribution? Get Answer What are the tax benefits that can be realized by providing employee benefits through a cafeteria plan? Get Answer What are the Social Security and Medicare tax rates for traditional employees and employers? Get Answer What developments have emerged regarding a fiduciary’s consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in making investment decisions? Get Answer What are the Social Security tax and Medicare rates for self-employed taxpayers? Get Answer How is it determined whether a taxpayer is an independent contractor or a common law employee? Get Answer What is FBAR, and does a U.S. citizen living in Canada need to be concerned with FBAR requirements? Get Answer

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State Farm Has Paid out $2.5 Billion for LA Wildfires

Article 0 Comments State Farm has reported paying out $2.5 billion for the Los Angeles wildfires in January, more than double what the carrier reported paying out weeks earlier. “As of March 28, we’ve received more than 12,300 total claims related to the fires and have paid over $2.5 billion to our customers,” State Farm said in a statement on the fires. State Farm reported more than $1 billion paid out to customers earlier in March. The latest figures from the California Department of Insurance updated on March 5 show insurance companies paid out more than $12 billion for losses from the two biggest of the Los Angeles-area wildfires that swept through the region and destroyed tens of thousands of homes in January. The money paid out in the first eight weeks was likely related to rapid payments for additional living expenses and contents coverages, according to the CDI. “We are now in the phase of the recovery where claims and losses need time to mature as rebuilding begins,” a CDI spokesperson said in an email reply to a request for an update on the losses from the fires. “We will be collecting additional data and updating the claims tracker...

Cowan Group Ltd. Joins Assurex Global 0

Cowan Group Ltd. Joins Assurex Global

Columbus, OH (Mar. 17, 2025) – Assurex Global, the world’s largest privately held commercial insurance, risk management, and employee benefits brokerage group, is thrilled to announce the election of Ontario-based Cowan Group Ltd., a leading Canadian insurance brokerage and consulting firm, to its Partnership, effective March 17, 2025. Founded in 1927, Cowan Group Ltd., through its wholly owned subsidiaries; Cowan Insurance Group Ltd. and Cowan Benefits Ltd., provides comprehensive insurance and risk management solutions, spanning commercial and personal insurance, group benefits, and wealth management. The firm is recognized for its Platinum Club Status as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, setting a benchmark for excellence in the insurance industry. The addition of Cowan Group Ltd. to the Partnership reinforces the strength of Cowan’s capabilities and complements Assurex Global’s network of best-in-class, independent insurance firms worldwide, fostering unparalleled service and innovation. “We’re thrilled to welcome Cowan Group Ltd. to the Assurex Global family,” said Dean Hildebrandt, President and CEO of Assurex Global. “Cowan’s nearly century-long legacy of excellence, combined with its deep industry expertise and community-first approach, perfectly aligns with Assurex Global’s values, further strengthening our ability to deliver tailored, world-class solutions for clients across North America and globally.” With 565...

Three-quarters of Canadians worried about effects of climate change as insurance rates rise 0

Three-quarters of Canadians worried about effects of climate change as insurance rates rise

First Onsite survey also explores urban flooding, severe rains, and threats to properties Mississauga, ON (Mar. 19, 2025) – As Canadian communities experience record-breaking weather-related insurance losses, almost three-in-four Canadians are now worried about climate change’s effect on their properties and wallets, according to First Onsite Property Restoration’s annual Weather and Property Survey. Canadians believe climate change is driving up insurance rates Commissioned by First Onsite each year, the Weather and Property Survey of more than 1500 adults found that three quarters of Canadians (73%) are worried about being affected by climate change, extreme weather, and disasters. This concern was highest in Atlantic Canada at 79 per cent, followed by Manitoba, Ontario, and British Columbia, all of which were above 75 per cent. Additionally, three quarters of Canadians (74%) are concerned that climate change is driving up the cost of their home or business insurance. This is an eight per cent increase over last year. More than one-third of respondents (36%) report they have already experienced increases in their property insurance rates. 2024 breaks record with $8.5 billion in losses According to CatIQ, 2024 shattered the record for severe weather-related property losses in Canadian history at $8.5 billion. This is...

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AM Best Removes Negative Implications, Expects Continued Profitability for Pie Insurance

Article 0 Comments AM Best has removed from under review with negative implications and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” (Excellent) of The Pie Insurance Company (Columbus, OH) and its pooled affiliate, Pie Casualty Insurance Company (Chicago, IL), collectively referred to as Pie Insurance Group (Pie). The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The ratings reflect Pie’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The ratings were initially placed under review with negative implications on March 8, 2024, following the organization’s 2023 results, which included material underwriting losses brought on by adverse reserve development in its New York book of business (see related press release). The reserves have stabilized since third-quarter 2023 and management has derisked the balance sheet significantly through commutation of their reserves. The ratings have been removed from under review with negative implications as AM Best has completed its assessment of the impact of the commutation on the rated entities and consolidated risk-adjusted capitalization. Post-commutation, Pie’s risk-adjusted capitalization for year-end 2024, as measured by Best’s Capital...

New Data Reveals Escalating Anxiety Among Canadians Amid Political and Economic Turmoil 0

New Data Reveals Escalating Anxiety Among Canadians Amid Political and Economic Turmoil

GreenShield Responds with Free Therapy Initiative to Support All Canadians Toronto, ON (Mar. 27, 2025) – As Canada-U.S. trade tensions escalate and the cost of living continues to rise, new data reveals nearly half of Canadians are experiencing heightened anxiety, with tariffs quickly emerging as one of the top drivers. Last month, GreenShield—a proudly Canadian-owned and operated non-profit health and benefits company—partnered with Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) to identify key trends and gaps in care for Canadians amidst growing economic and political uncertainty. The data revealed a significant spike in anxiety over the past month, with the rising cost of living and political tensions with the U.S. reported among the top stressors for Canadians. According to this new data: In 2024 there was a declining trend in the number of Canadians reporting negative mental health impacts due to economic conditions; however, the start of 2025 marked a sharp spike, with: 42% now reporting the economic downturn is negatively affecting their mental health, and 39% worrying about the possibility of not being able to pay their bills. Nearly 50% of Canadians reported increased anxiety in the past month, with concerns highest among lower-income households and women. Almost 40% of Canadians...

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MS&AD Insurance Group Announces Merger of 2 Non-Life Subsidiaries

Article 0 Comments MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc. announced it will merge two of its non-life insurance company subsidiaries – Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co. Ltd. and Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co. Ltd. This merger will establish a non-life insurance company that holds the top market share in the domestic non-life insurance sector, said the MS&AD Board of Directors in the announcement on March 28. “Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance (MSI) and Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance have collaborated under the same holding company for 15 years and have already carried out integration in their capital and enterprise risk management, and business strategies,” according to Soichiro Makimoto, an analyst and vice president-senior credit officer, Moody’s Ratings, in an emailed statement. “The merger will therefore have no significant direct impact on their credit, but we expect it will further advance integration. For example, there is room for further cost reduction through deeper integration of their IT systems, which would improve profitability,” Makimoto added. “Since MSI handles most overseas business, there is little cannibalization except in domestic property and casualty (P/C) insurance,” Makimoto said. “Both companies operate similarly in the domestic P/C sector but have somewhat different customer bases. As domestic P/C insurers divest cross-shareholdings, corporate...

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Debate: Do Consumers Benefit From Proposed ACA Changes?

How are business expenses reported for income tax purposes? Get Answer What is a charitable IRA rollover or qualified charitable distribution? Get Answer What are the tax benefits that can be realized by providing employee benefits through a cafeteria plan? Get Answer What are the Social Security and Medicare tax rates for traditional employees and employers? Get Answer What developments have emerged regarding a fiduciary’s consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in making investment decisions? Get Answer What are the Social Security tax and Medicare rates for self-employed taxpayers? Get Answer How is it determined whether a taxpayer is an independent contractor or a common law employee? Get Answer What is FBAR, and does a U.S. citizen living in Canada need to be concerned with FBAR requirements? Get Answer

Accenture Helps Organizations Supercharge Growth and Customer Experiences with AI from Google Cloud and Salesforce 0

Accenture Helps Organizations Supercharge Growth and Customer Experiences with AI from Google Cloud and Salesforce

New York, NY (Mar. 26, 2024) – Accenture is launching new capabilities, accelerators and training to help organizations build and scale generative AI solutions and agents that enhance the impact of the integrations of Google Cloud’s Gemini models and Salesforce’s Agentforce, (see backgrounder). As a leading transformation partner for both Google Cloud and Salesforce, Accenture will help clients capitalize on this strategic moment with packaged accelerators to drive growth and reinvent business workflows and customer experiences in the agentic era. The industry- and function-specific accelerators leverage Accenture’s understanding of customer processes, extensive data and AI engineering skills, and expansive industry and functional experience from across the Accenture and Google Cloud joint generative AI Center of Excellence and the Accenture Salesforce hub for generative AI. The accelerators will help drive more robust and intelligent AI-driven processes by harnessing real-time data insights to help identify operational efficiencies and empower organizations to deliver more personalized and impactful customer experiences faster than ever before. “Accenture is doubling down to bring its extensive ecosystem and customer domain capabilities and deep AI engineering skills together with the collective innovations from Google Cloud and Salesforce to accelerate value for our clients,” said Lan Guan, chief AI officer,...