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Granted that this is only indirectly related to the original post, but have you seen the news story today about John Oliver? After investigating the "industry" that buys and sells medical debts, his show bought $15 million worth of outstanding medical debts (accumulated by 9,000 Texans) for $60,000 (i.e., for $60,000, they bought the right to harass thousands of people and work to collect on outstanding medical debts that totaled $15 million). And then the show forgave the debts (in a way that did not create a big tax liability for the 9,000 Texans whose debt had been purchased). 9,000 rescued people. Sticking people who need medical care with the responsibility for paying for it, without regard to their ability to pay, is morally unacceptable. One does not choose to go into deep debt for medical care that is not necessary. And those people who buy, at a deep discount, the debts generated when other people need medical care they cannot afford, in order to reap enormous profits from them, are truly evil. Virtually every other developed country on earth has a better way of financing medical care than we do. How much of the portion of the GNP going for medical care is wasted on billing, let alone diverted into profits? Whether our medical care system is better at causing misery than it is at alleviating it is a question that needs to be seriously considered.

Good example of why to always file welfare 5500s on the contract year basis (unless it's a wrap and has differing underlying contract years). Since you've been reporting Sch A info for the contract years ending in the calendar year I would file the 2015 5500 as a final and report the Sch A info for both the contract year ended 2/28/15 and the short contract year ended 12/31/15.

My opinion as HR/Payroll and Benefits of a small set of companies --> Because most employees near the minimum wage levels would rather have the wages than the benefits of health insurance. Back in the good ol' days, when health insurance was great coverage with low premiums, we had all the employees at one location ask to be given the money as wages rather than the coverage -- they weren't using it and in review, we were paying for non-used coverage. Many employees at that level will find another employer that doesn't "force" coverage who will pay a higher hourly wage and that is what they are looking for (especially if they can get cheap/subsidized Obamacare from the marketplace). They need that extra money for shelter/food/etc. And I have to agree that even if covered, many times the copays and deductibles are so high that they might as well not be covered.

5500 reporting is mandatory until no assets remain. That the plan is terminated does not negate the existence of people whose accounts are still held by the plan. Be prepared to file a 5500 for 2016. It is likely that the 2016 filing will not need an audit. You will want to make sure nothing hangs on past the end of 2016!

We put our resolution right on the contribution spreadsheet.