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California has approved a statewide Zone 0 wildfire standard that establishes requirements to reduce combustible materials immediately around homes in areas with elevated wildfire risk.

The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection approved the regulations on Aug. 19, 2026. The rules apply to properties in State Responsibility Areas and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within Local Responsibility Areas and affect an estimated 2 million homes. What is Zone 0 and will your insurance company accept the new standard? 

It pays off to review your current Medicare health and drug coverage during the annual Open Enrollment Period, which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. If you are enrolled in Medicare Advantage or a Part D plan, you should also take this time to look at your plan to ensure your doctor is still in the insurer's network and any medications you need are still covered. If not, you may want to look at other plans.

There's a lot to consider during this time. Here are the options you have.

High employee turnover can cost businesses more than the direct costs of recruiting, hiring and training replacements. A revolving door of workers may also increase the likelihood of employment-related claims and lawsuits.

Each time an employer hires, disciplines or terminates a worker, there is potential for a dispute. As the number of these employment decisions increases, so may the company's exposure to allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation or wrongful termination. If you have high turnover, there are steps you can take to limit your exposure.

Cargo theft rings are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using stolen business identities, hacked e-mail accounts and inside information about shipments to pinpoint high-value loads they can steal and quickly resell.

For companies with fleets, the stakes are growing. Criminals are increasingly attacking the entire chain of information used to book and move freight, and a company can lose a load without a thief ever breaking a lock. What can fleet owners do?

Homeowner's insurance provides vital protection against a range of risks, including property damage to not only your home but also its contents.

However, not all of your property is equal in the eyes of your insurer. It may limit how much it will pay for the loss of, damage to or destruction of expensive, specialty or rare items, including antique furniture, jewelry, fur coats, watches and collectibles. That could leave you significantly out of pocket, but there's a solution.

A volatile stock market is fine for the 20- and 30-somethings. It's a different matter for people approaching retirement.

Your retirement nest-egg should be a source of security and comfort to you. It shouldn't be something that makes your blood pressure spike. The current coronavirus-driven market slump is a timely reminder of how volatility will always rear its head. If recent volatility is worrying to you, it may be time to take some action.

Few events are more stressful and disruptive than an unexpected job loss or layoff. For many, it's a hit not just to finances but also to confidence and sense of self.

You're not alone if you've been laid off — or if it is a concern. According to a November 2025 MarketWatch survey, 70% of workers have taken steps to prepare for a layoff, and about six million Americans "lose or leave" their jobs each month.

Whether a job loss comes unexpectedly or not, you may have more choices than you think. Here are a few things to consider.

If you are trying to reduce your tax burden in retirement, one option may be to make a qualified charitable distribution directly from a traditional or Roth individual retirement account.

A QCD can offer several benefits. Funds are transferred directly from the IRA to an eligible charity without you claiming it as income, meaning you are not taxed on those funds before giving them to charity. Is this strategy right for you?

Americans are becoming less confident about their ability to afford a comfortable retirement as rising costs, debt and Social Security and Medicare concerns weigh on their financial outlook, according to a new report.

The report found that 64% of Americans are confident they will have enough money to live comfortably throughout retirement. The findings shed light on concerns that Americans have about being able to afford retirement and how they can take steps to make that future more secure.

The Affordable Care Act and other laws require employers to furnish certain forms and documents to employees annually. To help your organization remain compliant, we've compiled a list of health and wellness plan notices that employers must provide annually, as well as a few that we recommend including in your benefits communications.

The arbitration process established under the No Surprises Act has generated an estimated $22.4 billion in additional health care spending over its first four years, according to a new Georgetown University analysis.

The No Surprises Act aims to protect patients from certain unexpected out-of-network medical bills. The findings have implications for employers already struggling with rising health benefit costs.

A number of surveys are predicting another year of steep group health insurance cost increases in 2027, prompting many employers to rethink plan designs, pharmacy benefits and relationships with health care vendors.

Health plan costs are expected to rise between 8% and 10% in 2027 from 2026, which employers hope to reduce through these plan changes and other strategies.