Cash Compensation Consulting

The starting point for any integrated and cohesive compensation and benefit program is the development of a corporate compensation philosophy. From this foundation all of the integrated pieces of a core compensation and benefit program can be built. After this foundation is in place, MBL Advisors works with its corporate clients to see where the foundation meets the company’s objectives and where it falls short. From there supplemental programs can be designed to create a fully integrated package that meets the needs of the company, its employees, its key executive management team, and the company’s stakeholders.

Our compensation-planning mission is to:

• Help businesses maximize their investment in people through compensation programs that are meaningful, affordable and appreciated by employees;
• Create a compensation program that is aligned with corporate financial objectives and understood by employees;
• Diagnose complex problems and structure solutions that are easy to communicate and administer;
• Teach employees how to utilize available benefit programs to improve the quality of their lives.

Equity Based Compensation

Equity based compensation plans allow employees to gain a stake in the company through the purchase or receipt of stock. By offering stock to employees the company can align the interest of management with the interests of shareholders. Some common types of equity based compensation include:

• Stock options
• Restricted Stock
• Performance Based Stock
• Stock Appreciation Rights
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Privately held businesses can offer plans like Phantom Stock or Long Term Incentive Plans that provide similar economic results for participants without diluting voting control of the company.

Executive Benefits

Executive benefits enable you to selectively reward key employees and leaders in your business. These benefits help you to attract and reward key people who will contribute to your company’s growth and profitability. A well-designed executive benefits program provides incentives that help retain your key employees and executives for the longest possible time.

We design, implement and administer executive benefit plans that supplement qualified retirement and group insurance plans. We create executive benefit plans that are cost-efficient and effective. In addition to core benefits MBL Advisors can assist you in the following areas:

• Deferred Compensation Plans
• Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs)
• Disability and Long Term Care Programs
• Group Term Carve Out Plans
• Split Dollar Life Insurance Plans

Our programs are designed to help meet your executives’ personal needs and goals within the context of your overall corporate financial goals.

Retirement Benefits

The foundation for any retirement plan is the accumulation of savings sufficient for the retiree to maintain his or her lifestyle after leaving full time employment. MBL Advisors works with its corporate clients to design, implement and administer a variety of plans to meet the objectives of the company and the employee. This may involve a combination of plans or offerings to allow all employees to meet their retirement objectives.

In the current economic environment a number of companies have been forced to temporarily or permanently reduce the match on their 401(k) plans. As a result a large percentage of middle and senior management will not be able to save adequately for retirement in their 401(k) plans due to IRS regulations. In 2011, an employee maybe defined as a Highly Compensated Employee if their income exceeds $110,000.

A nonqualified deferred compensation plan can be designed to mirror familiar features of basic 401(k) plans but without the cap on income considered for the plan or dollar amounts contributed. These plans allow deferral of various forms of pay including base, bonus, commissions and special incentives. A plan that accepts voluntary contributions from key employees can be established at minimal cost to the company and can allow for corporate matching or discretionary contributions.

Core Benefit Plans

The "bread and butter" of any company benefit offering is a basic insurance offering for its employees that will protect them from loss whether that loss be from illness, disability, accident, or death. The impact of Health Care Reform will impact every corporation leading up to the 2014 implementation of the new regulations and dramatically changing the cost of human capital for many businesses. Determining what will work for your employees and meet your financial parameters requires the assistance of an expert. MBL Advisors and its partner companies can help to navigate through those offerings and determine what package works for your company and your employees.

It is important to assure that whatever package is developed that it is integrated and does not leave employees with unexpected “holes” in coverage. Benefit programs must be developed with a view toward the whole to assure there are no unintended gaps in coverage or unintended overlaps.