How to avoid a doorstep dispute
All of the readily available information on the Internet seems to make it easy to shop for moving companies. But the Web can inspire a false confidence among consumers.
“The Internet has become the bane of my existence,” said Douglas Numbers, an investigator with the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection. People do an online search for movers and are attracted to companies with fancy Web sites that promise quick online estimates — which can lead to problems.
“They get movers that give them quotes without ever setting eyes on their house, and we’re seeing lowball estimates,” Numbers said. “When they get there the day of the move, suddenly they have an estimate that has doubled.” Some even seed consumer-ratings sites with fake reviews to make themselves look good.
But industry, government and consumer groups also use the Web to boost consumer awareness. You can check out movers’ records at the following sites:
launched the ProMover program in 2009 to help screen for basic criteria: Movers must have a “C” rating or higher from the BBB, must be in good standing with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, must have an arbitration process in place, and must meet a list of ethical standards. Look up companies at moving.org or call 888-849-2672.
has its own accreditation program. Go to bbb.org .
Also, local consumer protection agencies may have an online tool to look up complaint records. For example, the Fairfax County Consumer Affairs Branch, fairfaxcounty.gov/consumer.htm , lists details about complaints and their resolution. In Montgomery County, you can look up movers in the “merchant complaint” section of the Office of Consumer Protection’s Web site, montgomerycountymd.gov/consumer .
The federal regulator’s Web site, protectyourmove.gov , has information about movers’ records, consumer rights and links to state moving associations and consumer-protection offices.
Use these resources to check out movers recommended by friends and family, too. Use contact information pulled directly from one of these sites, rather than from an online search, because shady movers sometimes choose names similar to well-established companies.
There are other steps you can take:
Get in-home estimates from three companies.
Section 125 Regulations - News
Moving regulations are complicated; large, interstate movers are subject to different rules than local movers. Jurisdictional issues are particularly complicated in the Washington area, where a move of just a few miles can cross a state line and be
The Commission rejected their requests, and reiterated its general position that no entity has a right to participate in an investigative proceeding initiated under Part 1b of the Commission's regulations.125 Settlements of enforcement proceedings
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Section 125 POP Plans are Required to Perform Non Discrimination ...
If you read the IRS regulations on Section 125 POP Plans , also known as cafeteria plans, one thing becomes clear: the IRS wants all employees to have equal access to the plan and its benefits. That’s why the regulations include nondiscrimination rules and require regular testing of the plan.
Nondiscrimination rules are intended to discourage employers from offering more, better, or exclusive access to cafeteria plan benefits to company bigwigs. Specifically, the rules target “highly compensated” and “key” employees. The IRS classifies an employee as “highly compensated” if he is an officer; a shareholder who owns more than 5% of the stock in the company; someone who is highly compensated “based on the facts and circumstances”; or a spouse or dependent of that person.
Meanwhile, an employee is “key” if he gets annual pay over $160,000; owns 5% or more of the business; or owns 1% and gets annual pay over $150,000. Your plan is considered to favor key employees if you offer more than 25% of the nontaxable benefits you provide through your plan go to those employees. (Important exception: if your plan is offered pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement, it is not considered to favor key employees.)
If your plan favors either highly compensated or key employees, you lose the tax-advantaged status of your plan. As you can imagine, this could result in some substantial increases in your employees’ taxable wages – and payroll taxes for you.
Annual testing for nondiscrimination is required for employers who offer Section 125 Plans. Should your plan fail these tests, you could lose the tax-advantaged status of your plan. This would be a significant blow to your company and your employee. These are tests you don’t want to fail!
Nondiscrimination Testing Is Easier Than You Think
The rules for nondiscrimination testing are quite complicated, but TaxFreePremiums can take the work out of it. We offer easy to use non-discrimination software that is included in the low annual fee of $99 that makes testing easy. You won’t have to task your busy employees with having to research IRS rules, or take a chance that they’ll get it wrong, because our experts stay up to date with all of the latest rules, and pass this knowledge on to you. We also help you create and maintain IRS-compliant plan documents, provide a step-by-step checklist of employer responsibilities and provide all the tools, documents, and software so you’ll be in compliance.
Section 125 Regulations - Bookshelf
Income Tax Regulations As of January 2007
See section 125(b), (c) and (g) and the regulations thereunder. (b) Contributions made through a section 125 cafeteria plan. ...Federal Income Tax, Code and Regulations--Selected Sections as of June 1, 2008
The definitions set forth in this paragraph (a) apply for purposes of section 125 and the regulations. (1) The term cafeteria plan means a separate written ...Code of Federal Regulations, Title 26, Internal Revenue, Pt. 1 (Sections 1.401-1.440), Revised as of April 1, 2009
(6) Deemed section 125 compensation — (i) General rule. A plan is permitted to provide that deemed section 125 compensation (as defined in paragraph ...Pension and Employee Benefits Code, Erisa Regulations As of January 1 2004
regulations, will not fell to be a cafeteria plan under section 125 or a nontaxable benefit under section 105, 106. 120, or 129 solely because of such ...Code of Federal regulations, containing a codification of documents of general applicability and future effect as of December 31, 1948, with ancillaries and index
We do not include as wages any qualified benefits under a cafeteria plan as described in section 125 of the Code if such payment would not be treated as ...Media Info Directory
Resources - Preamble to Proposed Regulations for Section 1 ...
Resources for change of status and Preamble to Proposed Regulations for Section 125 rules and regs.
The New IRS Section 125 Cafeteria Plan Regulations
to Section 125 Cafeteria Plans (referred in this guide as the "new regulations" ... Section 1.125-1 contains guidance on a number of important general administration rules for ...
Change of Status Resource Center - Information Regarding Life ...
Preamble to Final Section 125 Regulations. Preamble to Proposed Section 125 Regulations ... to determine what life events are permitted under IRS rules and regulations. ...
Cafeteria Plan Regulations Under IRS Code Section 125
Under the new Section 125 regulations, a school is still required to have a written plan document, but the different components can be incorporated into one document. ...
Section 125 Health Savings Regulations | eHow.com
Section 125 Health Savings Regulations. Section 125 of the IRS code outlines the requirements for employers to use for flexible spending accounts,in which employees ...