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  1. Tax impacts of the Canadian Dental Care Plan for your clients

    Tax impacts of the Canadian Dental Care Plan for your clients*


    Earlier this year, the government shared its progress on the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). 

    The CDCP will be available to Canadians with an annual family income of less than $90,000 who do not have dental benefits. Co-pays will be waived for eligible Canadians with a family income of less than $70,000. 

    Canadians who have access to private dental coverage are not eligible for the CDCP. This means that your clients must now report on T4s/T4As if dental coverage** was available on December 31 of the reporting tax year for:
    • Employees,
    • Employees’ spouses and/or dependents,
    • Former employees, and
    • Spouses of deceased employees.
    **Potential dental coverage includes Health Care Spending Accounts.

    This new tax reporting requirement is mandatory starting with the 2023 tax year. Employee tax slips will include new boxes for employers to complete:
    • Box 45 (T4): Employer Offered Dental Benefits. This new box will be mandatory.
    • Box 015 (T4A): Payer Offered Dental Benefits. This new box will be mandatory if plan sponsors report in Box 016, Pension or Superannuation. The box will otherwise be optional.
    Your clients should complete the boxes using the code system below. They should choose the appropriate code based on whether Dental coverage was available to the plan member – not whether the plan member has chosen to participate in the coverage.  For example, if a plan member has waived coverage or has chosen not to participate in the plan, they would still have access to coverage.
    • Code 1: The plan member has no access to dental care insurance or coverage of dental services of any kind.
    • Code 2: Only the plan member has access to any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind.
    • Code 3: The plan member, their spouse and their dependents have access to any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind. 
    • Code 4: Only the plan member and their spouse have access to any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind. 
    • Code 5: Only the plan member and their dependents have access to any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind. 
    Your clients can find further information about completing tax slips for employees on the Canada Revenue Agency’s website:

    Reports for dependents

    We have a report available for plan members who have enrolled their dependents in benefits coverage. Your clients can contact their local service team representative to receive a copy of the report. We are working to make it available on our Advisor and PA websites.
     

    Questions

    For guidance on your tax slips and reporting obligations, please encourage your clients to contact their accountant, payroll provider or tax advisor.
     

    Supporting plan members affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict*


    Traumatic events continue to unfold in the Middle East. Enduring ongoing news of conflict and suffering could challenge many Canadians. During this difficult time, Equitable encourages affected clients and plan members to access the mental health support they need. 


    Support available to all Equitable plan members

    Large-scale traumatic news events can cause people to experience intense reactions. This puts a lot of strain on their mental health. Having coping mechanisms to deal with the current crisis can be a huge help. Any Equitable Life plan member who needs mental health support can visit Homeweb.ca/equitable to access online resources or contact Homewood at 1.888.707.2115.  
     

    Support available to plan members with the Homewood Health EFAP

    For your clients that have purchased Homewood Health’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), remind them that their plan members also have access to confidential counselling services. The EFAP provides plan members with 24/7 access to confidential counselling through a national network of mental health professionals. Whether it’s face-to-face, by phone, email, chat or video, plan members and their dependent family members will receive appropriate, timely support for the issue they’re dealing with. 
      

    Questions? 

    If you need more information, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex account executive.

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients. 
  2. EXCITING NEWS! Digital Transactions for Universal Life Plans Now Available We are happy to announce a major update to our digital systems that makes managing Equitable Universal Life (UL) policies easier than ever. Starting now, you can use digital transactions to submit your clients’ instructions to change their UL deposit allocations and transfer funds between accounts.
     
    This update builds on the recent launch of our digital policy loan request on EquiNet® and is another step towards making your Equitable® experience easier and more convenient.

    What's New?
    In the past, you had to submit written requests for UL deposit allocation changes and account value transfers using the Universal Life Form 693UL (you can still use this method if you prefer).
     
    Now, you can manage these transactions directly through the secure EquiNet advisor portal. This new process also allows clients to securely approve their requested changes by email.
     
    To get started, simply log into your account on EquiNet and go to the Policy Inquiry tab.
    We have provided a brief user guide to help you through the steps.
     
    We trust that this digital upgrade will enhance the way you work with Equitable. Stay tuned for more digital enhancements in the near future!
     
    Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
     
    Questions? For more information, please reach out to your wholesaler or our customer service team.
     
     
    ® or TM denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
     
  3. 2023 Holiday Hours The Holiday season brings thoughts of gratitude, and there is no better time to express our thanks and sincere appreciation for your dedication and commitment to Equitable Life.
     
    Thank you for your support this past year and for trusting Equitable Life with your Individual Insurance and Savings & Retirement business. Happy Holidays!
     
    Client Care Centre Holiday Hours
    Friday December 22, 2023 - 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. ET
    Monday December 25, 2023 – CLOSED
    Tuesday December 26, 2023 – CLOSED
    December 27, 28 and 29, 2023 - 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. ET
    Monday January 1, 2024 - CLOSED

    Savings & Retirement
    To settle on December 22, 2023, the transaction must be received that day by 11:00 a.m. ET
    To settle on December 29, 2023, the transaction must be received that day by 11:00 a.m. ET


    Individual Insurance
    Underwriting
    ● Underwriting must receive all evidence and outstanding Underwriting requirements by December 15th- at the latest. Underwriting will then be able to decision these cases by December 21st. This will give the New Business team December 21st – December 29th to issue and settle policies.  

    New Business
    ● New Business will continue to process all issue and settle requirements every business day until the last working day of the year – December 29th. New Business needs to receive ALL final settle documents in Good Order within our posted service standards. We are currently operating at a 3 business day turn around time.

    Field Payroll
    ● Second Last Pay Period for 2023 – December13, 2023 to December 19, 2023 (Transmission/Statement date December 20, 2023)
    ● Last Pay Period of 2023 – December 20, 2023 to December 29, 2023 (Transmission/Statement date January 2,2024)
    ● First Pay of 2024 – January 1, 2024 to January 9, 2024 (Transmission/Statement date on January 10,2024)  

    Daily Pay will run on business days.

     
    Please note that all requirements must be received in Head Office by the above dates to guarantee settlement for year end.
  4. A new look and feel for EZtransact, our digital self-serve tool We’re excited to introduce a new look and feel for EZtransact™, our digital self-serve tool.  EZtransact allows you to:
    • •  Help a client set up a one-time or recurring deposit or edit an existing pre-authorized debit.
    • •  Manage client segregated fund policies conveniently and eliminate the hassle of filling out forms and facilitating signatures.
     
    EZtransact now has a simplified and modern design that will make managing pre-authorized debit requests even easier!
     
    Check out EZtransact. And stay tuned for more exciting digital enhancements coming soon!
     
    If you have any questions, please contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager. 

    Posted November 27, 2023
  5. What’s the story behind Equitable’s new brand? We are excited to share some more insight into the news of Equitable’s new brand.
     
    Our new brand isn’t just a logo change.
    Our new brand reflects our deeply rooted dedication to our clients. Over the next year, we will make the transition to our refreshed look.  The new brand illustrates our focus on strong partnerships and making it even easier for you to do business with us. 
     
    Check out the Beyond the Logo video featuring our executive team sharing how the new brand embodies our commitment to advisors.
     
    We’ll provide more details on the changes we’re making, and we welcome you to join in the journey. Please reach out to your Equitable point of contact or visit equitable.ca to learn more.

    Posted December 4, 2023
  6. A message from Cam Crosbie, EVP, Savings and Retirement, Equitable

    What an exciting year it’s been at Equitable®. And there’s more to come in 2024!

     

    In this short video, I share with you some of the things we’ve done to show our commitment to you in 2023 and some of the great things we’ve got planned for 2024.  

     

    I want to thank you again for your continued support and trust in us.  We value our partnership and are always working hard to make things better.






    VideoStill.png

    Please take a few minutes to watch the video.  


    Cam-signature.jpg
     

    Cam Crosbie,
    Executive Vice-President, Savings and Retirement Division
    Equitable


    Posted December 6, 2023 

    ® denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.

  7. December 2023 eNews

    Insights on EZBenefits from our Executive Vice-President, Group Insurance


    When it comes to advising small business owners, it can be tough to find the right group benefits solution. Offering a competitive benefits plan is more important than ever to help small business owners attract and retain talent. They need an affordable solution that’s easy to implement, renew and maintain.

    That’s why we launched EZBenefits for small business earlier this year. It’s a unique group benefits solution designed with you and your small business clients in mind. 

    Marc Avaria, Executive Vice-President, Group Insurance, explains:

    Find out more

    Visit info.equitable.ca/EZBenefits for more details or to request a quote. If you have questions, contact your Equitable Group Account Executive.


    Supporting plan members through cold and flu season with Dialogue Virtual Healthcare*

    Now that cold and flu season is here, many Canadians will start calling in sick or missing work to visit their doctor – if they can get an appointment. Now’s the time to remind your clients that Equitable offers Dialogue Virtual Healthcare. It can be added to any Equitable plan for an additional cost.

    Eligible plan members and dependants receive fast, on-demand access to virtual primary medical care—24/7, 365 days a year. Available for a variety of non-urgent health concerns, Dialogue Virtual Healthcare can make it easier to navigate cold and flu season by providing:
    • Access to the largest, most experienced bilingual medical team in Canada,
    • In-app prescription renewals and refills,
    • Personalized follow-ups after each consultation, and
    • An all-in-one patient journey to address health issues. This reduces long waits and means less time away for doctor appointments.

    Benefits of Virtual Healthcare for plan sponsors

    When your clients provide Virtual Healthcare for their plan members, they can help:
    • Drive employee engagement;
    • Reduce absenteeism related to in-person medical appointments;
    • Manage chronic health issues;
    • Attract and retain top talent; and
    • Build a healthier workforce.

    Learn how it works

    Adding Dialogue Virtual Healthcare to your clients' plans

    To learn more about adding Virtual Healthcare to your clients’ benefits plans, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex® Account Executive. You can also share this resource from Dialogue on managing cold and flu season.


    Changes to Short-Term Disability benefits calculations*

    The Canada Employment Insurance Commission and Canada Revenue Agency have announced the 2024 changes to Maximum Insurable Earnings, and premiums for employment insurance. The following changes to Employment Insurance (EI) will take effect January 1, 2024:

    How does this affect your clients?

    To comply with client policy provisions, Equitable will revise Short-Term Disability (STD) benefits with the updated maximums based on the percentage of EI Maximum Weekly Insurance Earnings for policies that meet these conditions:
    • Policies that include a STD benefit that is tied to the EI Maximum Weekly Insurable Earnings, and
    • Policies with a classification of employees that has less than a $668 maximum.
    • The additional premium for any increase from their previous STD amounts and new STD amounts will be shown on your clients’ January 2024 Group Insurance Billings (as applicable). 
    If a client’s STD maximum is currently higher than $668 or based on a flat amount (not based on a percentage or regular earnings), no change will be made to their plan unless otherwise directed.
     
    If your clients wish to provide direction regarding revising their STD maximum, or have questions about the process, they can email Kari Gough, Manager, Group Issue and Special Projects.

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients. 
  8. Guaranteed Interest Account Application version update

    Equitable® Guaranteed Interest Account applications with a version date prior to 2023/09/01 (located on the bottom right-hand corner of the application) will no longer be accepted after December 31, 2023. If you currently have applications with a date that is before 2023/09/01, please destroy them and download digital applications from EquiNet® or order paper applications from our Supply Team.  

    If you have any other questions, contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager or Equitable’s Advisor Services Team, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 1.866.884.7427 or email savingsretirement@equitable.ca 


    Posted December 13, 2023 

    ® or ™ denotes a registered trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. 

  9. Making it easier to do business with Equitable We wanted to share some exciting updates with you that focus on enhancing your experience with Equitable®. Improving your journey with us is a top priority, and we continually seek ways to make doing business simpler and more convenient.

    The following are our latest enhancements designed specifically to benefit you.

    New annual premium payment options for Life and Critical Illness plans
    ● Great news! We recently introduced new additional payment methods for clients making their first and subsequent annual insurance premium payments.
    ● And - we're thrilled to introduce a new lower annual premium requirement of $2,500 for clients who wish to pay their annual premiums by Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD)!
    ● Learn more about these changes here.

    Improved forms for requesting in-force illustrations
    ● We understand the importance of efficient workflows, and that's why we have recently updated and improved the following forms to make requesting inforce illustrations even easier:
    ● Term, CI & Whole Life Illustration and Quote for inforce policies
    ● Universal Life Illustration and Quote for inforce policies

    For these and other Equitable forms, navigate to EquiNet® -> Individual Insurance -> Forms.
     
    We trust that these improvements will be met with enthusiasm! And this is just the beginning – stay tuned for more enhancements in the new year!

    Questions? Please reach out to your local wholesaler or our customer service team.

     

    ® or TM denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada

  10. Digital tools for your clients and their plan members

    In this issue:

    • Digital tools for your clients and their plan members*
    • QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2024*
    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients.
     

    Digital tools for your clients and their plan members*

    Do your clients know how to use all the available digital tools in their Equitable® benefits plans? With useful features for both plan administrators and their members, it’s even easier for your clients to access their plans online. 

    Tools for plan administrators

    • Our online plan member enrolment tool lets groups and administrators add new plan members online without completing paper forms
    • The EquitableHealth.ca plan administrator portal makes it easy for plan administrators to manage their plan anytime and anywhere. Helpful features include:
      • A premium calculator to calculate monthly costs for plan members
      • A simple process for updating plan member information
    • Digital welcome kits provide personalized information directly to plan members through email
    • Easy, automated payment options help plan administrators avoid missed payments by offering pre-authorized debit or electronic funds transfer

    Tools for plan members

    • Our plan member portal at EquitableHealth.ca provides secure, 24/7 access to claims history and coverage details. It also lets members submit claims, and includes health and wellness resources
    • Electronic notifications and claims payments give plan members claim updates via email and deposit payments directly into their bank account
    • The Equitable EZClaim® mobile app lets plan members submit claims quickly and securely on-the-go from their mobile device
    • Digital benefits cards give plan members the convenience to access their benefits cards easily from a mobile device

    Help with digital benefits tools

    We’ve created a brochure and video guide to help plan members use digital tools for a smoother, more convenient benefits experience. 

    Plan members can contact us at 1.800.265.4556 and select the option for Web Support if they need further assistance.
     

    QDIPC updates terms and conditions for 2024*

    Every year, the Quebec Drug Insurance Pooling Corporation (QDIPC) reviews the terms and conditions for the high-cost pooling system in the province.

    Based on its latest review, QDIPC is revising its pooling levels and fees for 2024 to reflect trends in the volume of claims submitted to the pool, particularly catastrophic claims. These updates take effect January 1, 2024. You can view the updates here.

    We will apply the new pooling levels and fees to future renewal calculations that involve Quebec plan members.

    If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Account Executive.