Student Loan Help Tax Breaks and Other Employer Dreams

Prudential Financial Inc. recently held a new installment in its series of benefits trends briefings for reporters in New York. The Newark, New Jersey-based company no longer sells major medical insurance, but it's a major provider of group life and disability products, retirement plans, supplemental health insurance products, and other worksite, voluntary and true-group products. (Related: What Prudential Benefits Sellers Are Seeing Now) Last year, the list of hot topics that came up included the fact that most big employers have already locked in their benefits for the coming year by October; rational pricing in the benefits market; the implementation of new federal group disability benefits claim review standards; the possibility that employers might offer more association disability plans; and expanded employer return-to-work help for employees with disabilities. This year, one thing executives said is that the new federal group disability claim review standards have been a non event. At this point, speakers said, upheaval in group disability claims is not a topic of focus. For five 2019-2020 benefits trends that are getting the speakers' attention, see the idea cards in the slideshow above. (To get the control arrows to show up, wiggle your pointer over the first slide.)     — Read 5 Benefits Trends on Prudential's Radar Now, on ThinkAdvisor. — Connect with ThinkAdvisor Life/Health on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.