Confidential Financial Strategy Brief
Prepared for Rick West · Bloomfield Hills Schools
Prepared exclusively for Bloomfield Hills Schools
Before the
Next Hard
Tradeoff —
there's another path.
A budget strategy brief prepared for Superintendent Rick West — a decision that belongs at the superintendent level.
"There's budgetary constraints as it relates to our resources available to continue to run and operate — the ongoing operational impact of our general fund."
— Superintendent Rick West, Bloomfield Hills Schools
Scroll to see the numbers
1,033 employees.
One conversation could
change the math.
Based on publicly available payroll data for Bloomfield Hills Schools — here is what SIMERP could mean for your district's general fund. These are estimates. A proper analysis requires your actual payroll data.
5-Year Cumulative Savings Projection
Based on ~1,033 qualifying employees at full participation
Total 5-Year Opportunity
$3,300,000
Every year without SIMERP, ~$660,000 in recoverable payroll taxes goes unclaimed. The question is not whether this works — it is how long you wait.
What $660K in recovered funds could mean:
Important: These figures are a preliminary scenario only. Actual results depend on participation rates, employee eligibility, and wage mix. This is not a guarantee — it is an illustration of potential scale. All we need is a simple employee census. We deliver a custom savings proposal within 2 business days — at no cost.
This is a budget decision.
Not an HR decision.
The mechanism involves payroll. The outcome is a reduction in what Bloomfield Hills pays the federal government in FICA taxes every year. That decision sits with the superintendent — not HR, not a benefits coordinator. Here are the questions you're likely asking right now.
Is this a budget decision or an HR decision?
Budget. This reduces the district's annual FICA tax liability — the 7.65% the district pays on every dollar of payroll. That is a financial decision. HR administers enrollment. The superintendent approves the strategy.
Does this replace our health insurance?
No. Your current health insurance stays exactly as-is. Your broker stays. Your carrier stays. Your employees' coverage stays. This is a complement — it adds to what you already have.
Does this affect employee take-home pay?
No. Employees receive the same net compensation. The restructuring reduces the district's FICA obligation — not wages. Employees gain access to new medical care benefits at no cost to them.
Is this IRS-compliant?
Yes. Structured under IRC §§ 105, 106, and 3121 — in place since 1954. IRS Publication 15 (2026) — the official Employer's Tax Guide — confirms the FICA exclusion in plain language. We'll show you the exact page.
What does it cost the district to find out?
Nothing. The discovery call is 20 minutes and free. All we need from you is a simple employee census. We deliver a custom savings proposal within 2 business days. If you decide to move forward, the plan is fully implemented in 60 days — and we manage the entire enrollment process for you.
Why hasn't our financial advisor mentioned this?
Most advisors focus on investments and debt. This sits at the intersection of payroll, tax law, and benefits — a gap that typically falls between advisors. That's exactly why it's still available to districts like yours.
You're already paying for this.
You just haven't reclaimed it yet.
Bloomfield Hills Schools pays FICA taxes on every dollar of payroll. A portion of that obligation is legally reducible — without cutting staff, cutting programs, or changing a single benefit.
"Certainly there's budgetary constraints as it relates to our resources available to continue to run and operate — both the capital expenditures required and the ongoing operational impact of our general fund."
— Superintendent Rick West
"In Michigan, the programs that serve our youngest children are the most costly to operate, the least publicly funded, and the most difficult to sustain — especially when you're talking about a public school district challenged with a structural deficit."
— Board-Level Statement, Bloomfield Hills Schools
"We do have a fiduciary obligation to this community to do what's best financially for the community."
— Board of Education, Bloomfield Hills Schools
"So, either we take it from the general fund bucket or we have to raise a bond. We have to do something."
— Board of Education, Bloomfield Hills Schools
February 2026: The Bloomin' Program Closed.
The board cited budget pressure. Parents pushed back publicly. Media covered it. This is what happens when the only tools available are cuts, bonds, or tradeoffs. There may be another tool — one that doesn't require any of those.
Your teachers and staff
get something real.
This is not a paper benefit. Every enrolled employee gets immediate, on-demand access to licensed medical professionals — with zero out-of-pocket cost.
Their existing health insurance is untouched. This is in addition to it — not instead of it.
24/7 Physician Access
Licensed physicians available around the clock via phone or video. No appointment needed. No waiting room. No missing a day of work.
Mental Health Support
Licensed therapists and counselors available on demand. For teachers managing classroom stress, this is a benefit most districts can't afford to offer.
Prescription Access
Access to generic medications at 100% discount through the plan formulary. Common medications at zero cost to the employee.
What this means for Bloomfield Hills Schools:
What if your payroll taxes
were already the answer?
SIMERP is a payroll-tax-efficiency strategy. It does not require new revenue. It does not touch your existing benefits. It works by restructuring a portion of compensation as a qualified medical care benefit — which the IRS has excluded from FICA taxes since 1954.
The full mechanism is explained in the discovery call — not because we're hiding anything, but because it requires 20 minutes to explain properly. What we can show you here is the outcome.
The District Saves
The district's FICA obligation decreases. The savings flow back as unrestricted operating dollars — usable for any district priority.
Employees Gain
Employees receive real medical care benefits — 24/7 physician access, mental health support, and prescription access — at zero out-of-pocket cost.
Nothing Changes
Your broker stays. Your carrier stays. Your policies stay. Your employees' coverage stays. The only thing that changes is the district's FICA bill.
This is not new.
It's 70 years of tax code.
SIMERP is structured under IRC §§ 105, 106, and 3121 — provisions in place since 1954. The IRS confirms the FICA exclusion every year in Publication 15, the official Employer's Tax Guide. Here is the 2026 edition.
IRS Publication 15 (2026)
Circular E, Employer's Tax Guide — For use in 2026 — Page 20
"Medical care reimbursements paid for an employee under an employer's self-insured medical reimbursement plan aren't wages and aren't subject to social security, Medicare, and FUTA taxes, or federal income tax withholding."
Section 5 "Wages and Other Compensation" — IRS Pub. 15 (2026), Catalog No. 10000W, Dept. of Treasury, Dec. 15, 2025
Still have questions? Good.
Who's Behind This
This isn't a cold call
from a stranger.
Dale Mahrle is a lifelong resident of West Bloomfield, Michigan — just minutes from Bloomfield Hills. He's not calling from a call center. He's your neighbor, and he has a stake in the quality of education in this community.
Dale is a SIMERP partner. Your Discovery Call will be led by Kristin Moore — also a lifelong West Bloomfield resident — who will walk you through exactly what this means for Bloomfield Hills Schools.
This isn't a sales pitch. It's a 20-minute conversation between people who care about the same community.
West Bloomfield, MI — Both of Us
Dale Mahrle and Kristin Moore are both lifelong West Bloomfield residents. Bloomfield Hills Schools is not an abstract account — it's the district their neighbors' children attend.
Your Discovery Call Expert
Kristin Moore leads every Discovery Call. She'll show you the numbers, answer every question, and tell you exactly what implementation looks like — no pressure, no obligation.
(947) 243-4411
From Call to Savings
Here's how fast this moves.
Discovery Call
We walk through the strategy. You ask every question. No commitment required.
Custom Savings Proposal
You provide a simple employee census. We deliver a Bloomfield Hills-specific savings projection — at no cost.
Fully Implemented
If you decide to move forward, the plan is live within 60 days. We manage the entire enrollment process for you.
The only thing required from Bloomfield Hills to get started:
A simple employee census.
That's it. We do the rest.
20 minutes.
No commitment.
Just a conversation.
We built this page specifically for Superintendent Rick West and the Bloomfield Hills leadership team. We put in the work to earn your attention. The only thing we're asking for in return is 20 minutes on Zoom.