A Healthy Mother’s Day Brunch Menu

There’s no better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than by making mom a delicious, healthy brunch. We’ve curated a menu for you that takes advantage of wonderful spring fruits and vegetables for a lovely celebration.

Whole-Wheat Crepes with Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling
A basic crepe recipe, but with a healthy twist.

Find the recipe here.

Chard & Feta Tart
A Greek-inspired tart with a cracker-like crust.

Find the recipe here.

Eggs Italiano
A sophisticated – and lighter- take on the classic Eggs Benedict.


Find the recipe here.

Roasted Asparagus Salad with Citrus Dressing
The fat-free dressing is a sweet-sour combination of fresh citrus juices, honey and Dijon mustard.

Find the recipe here.

Strawberry Bruschetta
Made with a judicious smear of mascarpone – which has half the fat of butter.

Find the recipe here.

Blood Orange-Pomegranate Mimosas
A twist on the mimosa made with blood orange juice and pomegranate juice.

Find the recipe here.

All of us here at Sterling wish you and yours a very Happy Mother’s Day.

No Comments by Sterling HSA on May 10, 2012
filed in Health & Wellness, Healthy Recipes & Tips
tagged

New from Sterling: Form 5500 Filing Services



  • Whether or not we administer your benefit plans, HRA or FSA, we can complete the Form 5500 Filing for you. You must have at least 100 plan participants under a health and welfare plan.
  • We complete a needs assessment by reviewing Form 5500 Filing history and plan details. Then we gather the required data using a custom worksheet and employer provided information (Schedule A, Schedule C, etc.) to prepare a signature-ready Form 5500 document for filing with the IRS.
  • All documents, including Form 5500, Schedule As, and Schedule Cs, are available for employer review on a secure, password-protected portal. Employers can choose to file electronically after they review the documents we prepare. Or, employers can print, sign and scan the signature page, return it to Sterling and we do the filing. If employers file directly, we’ll help with e-filing instructions.
  • Timely filing requires that all information be provided to Sterling by the first of the month when the filing is due. For employers who need more time to work with us in gathering data, we’ll also prepare IRS Form 5558 to request a filing extension.
  • We can also work with employers to amend past incorrect or insufficient filings (DFVC) so Form 5500 filing records are current and compliant with the IRS.
  • Sterling will maintain the data we gather and all filings to reference for Form 5500 Filing in future years and in the event of questions from the IRS or Department of Labor (DOL). We help with DOL communication and keep you updated on changes in regulations.
  • We prepare and provide the Summary Annual Report (SAR) for distribution to your employees, if they request a copy. The SAR is a narrative summary of Form 5500 (it is not required for defined benefit pension plan years beginning after December 31, 2007).

On our forms page you’ll find documents to get started with the Form 5500 Filing process. They include the Sterling Form 5500 Application and Worksheet, Sterling Form 5500 Services and Fees collateral, Form 5500 Filing Definitions, and IRS Business Codes.

Please contact us to help with your Form 5500 Filing compliance needs.

No Comments by Sterling HSA on May 4, 2012
filed in Form 5500 Filing Services, Health Reimbursement Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Healthcare Flexible Spending Accounts, New at Sterling

Mark Your Calendar: May 12th – Stamp Out Hunger

As readers of our blog, you may know that fighting hunger is a cause near and dear to our hearts. We regularly work with Second Harvest Food Bank in the South San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles Mission – both stellar organizations and Sterling clients – as well as with other food banks in our markets across the country.

Saturday, May 12th is the 20th annual Letter Carriers’ Food Drive, Stamp Out Hunger. It’s easy to participate in the largest one-day food drive in the nation.

Here’s how you can help Stamp Out Hunger:

  1. Bag non-perishable food items*
  2. Leave the bag by your mailbox before mail delivery
  3. Your letter carrier will collect your donation and deliver it to the Food Bank

*Donate items like canned meats, fish, soup, bottled juice, vegetables, pasta, cereal and rice that do not require refrigeration. Please do not include items that have expired or are in glass containers.

Get more information and find out how you can help at HelpStampOutHunger.com.

Second Harvest Food Bank reports they received over 391,000 pounds of food from the 2010 Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. That equals over 300,000 meals or almost 20 semi trucks full of food.

Imagine the impact we can make if each person reading this blog donates one bag of food – and asks 5 friends to donate too! You can use the sharing icons at the end of this post to quickly and easily share this blog post, or visit StampOutHunger.com for more ways to spread the word.

No Comments by Sterling HSA on April 30, 2012
filed in Events, Our Community

“Mr. HSA” Finalizes 2013 HSA Projections

Ed. note: This article originally appeared on PRWeb.com on April 16, 2012 and can be found here.

Roy Ramthun, also known as “Mr. HSA,” is now finalizing his projections for the 2013 amounts for HSAs. “With last Friday’s release of the March inflation figures by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the inflation-adjusted amounts for health savings accounts (HSAs) for 2013 can be finalized,” says Ramthun.

“I am pleased to be able to provide this information in advance of the official publication by the Internal Revenue Service. The earlier notice will help banks, health plans, and plan administrators begin to lock in their program designs for next year,” says Ramthun. The IRS is required to publish the inflation-adjusted amounts for the upcoming year by June 1 each year.

Ramthun says that the maximum HSA contribution (not including catch-up contributions) will increase to $3,250 for individuals with self-only coverage and $6,450 for those with family coverage in 2013. “The HSA contribution limit for individuals ended up $50 higher than I projected in February,” Ramthun says. The annual catch-up contribution for individuals age 55 or older is set by statute and will remain $1,000 per person for 2013.

Ramthun also says that changes may be needed for HSA-qualified insurance plans as well. “For the first time in three years, the minimum deductible for HSA-qualified plans will increase. The minimum deductible will rise to $1,250 for individuals with self-only coverage and $2,500 for individuals with family coverage.”

Ramthun reminds consumers enrolled in HSA-qualified plans with the minimum deductible for 2012 to make sure that their plan remains HSA-qualified for 2013. “If your deductible does not increase to $1,250 or $2,500 at your plan renewal, you will lose your HSA eligibility for the coming year,” says Ramthun.

“The limits on out-of-pocket expenses will also rise for 2013,” says Ramthun. “The new limits will rise to $6,250 for individuals with self-only coverage and $12,500 for individuals with family coverage. Existing plans with lower limits will not have to change this feature of their plan designs but can if they want to,” says Ramthun.

About Roy Ramthun:
Roy Ramthun led the U.S. Treasury Department’s implementation of the HSA program after they were enacted in 2003. Now a private consultant, Ramthun is a nationally-recognized expert on HSAs and consumer-driven health plans. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars around the country. More information is available at http://www.mrhsa.com.

Visit our website for more information on Health Savings Accounts and Sterling Health Services Administration.

No Comments by Sterling HSA on April 18, 2012
filed in Consumer Directed Health Plans, Education, Health Savings Accounts, News
tagged ,
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