Resources · written by the principals, not a content farm
Read the judgment before you hire it.
Articles by Michael Hipson and Justin Boulet on the rules that cost employers real money, the free tools that check your exposure, and the newsletter that keeps up when the numbers change. Every piece also runs on The Hipson Brief.
The 2026 ACA penalty guide: $3,340, $5,010, and the $680 form
Every employer-mandate number for 2026 in one place — and why "good-faith relief" no longer exists.
8 min read
The 50-employee line you crossed without noticing
How the FTE math turns a "35-person" clinic into an Applicable Large Employer — and the measurement method that fixes it.
7 min read
Which half of a $200K CFO you can outsource
The judgment half, the discipline half, what each should cost, and three questions to ask any provider — including us.
6 min read
Why the middle market gets the worst of both brokers
A $43–53B industry built for enterprises and solo shops — and how 2–1,000-employee companies fall through the middle.
6 min read
The rates are the rates: what you're actually hiring in a broker
Ten brokers, one census, identical quotes. Thirty years of renewals on what actually separates a benefits partner.
5 min read
A Houston live-events venue, and 600+ seasonal staff
How the ACA's full-time-equivalent math treats a workforce that swings with the show calendar — and what a venue this size has to get right. Written up with the client; published once they have signed it off.
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