Your company’s status just changed to “open”, that is open enrollment …
Even if you recently switched jobs and just went through the process of enrolling in your new company’s benefits, the fall marks the start of open enrollment for health care plans through your employer. The open enrollment period is an employee’s once annual opportunity to enroll in, opt out or switch health insurance plans through their employer.
Health Care
It’s important to use this time as an opportunity to consider the best health care coverage for you and your household. If you recently got married or started a family, the decision becomes even more meaningful to understand which health care plan has better coverage for a spouse or dependent. While it can seem like an overwhelming task to figure out which plan is best, take the time to review all options and schedule meetings with your HR department to answer your questions. You are not in this alone.
Don’t Forget About These
Health Care coverage is only one of the many benefits employer’s offer to their employees. Other types of basic employer benefits include:
- Retirement Plans – 401(k)s or 403(b)s
- Group Term Life Insurance
- Health Savings Accounts
- Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Qualified Fringe Benefits – Transportation, Wellness programs, etc.
- Executive Compensation Plans – Stock Options, Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), etc.
This is a great time of year to review these benefits and double check to ensure you’re signed up for the right benefits that match your financial needs and goals. Some questions to consider:
- Am I on track to max out my employer 401(k)?
- Should I adjust my contributions into the HSA?
- Do I feel comfortable with my current level of insurance?
- Am I taking advantage of all the fringe benefits offered to me?
- Do I have a plan for my Stock Options and RSUs that compliments my financial goals?
Questions?
If any of these questions are running through your head, be sure to click the link that will take you to one of my past posts on each of these topics to learn more. If you still have questions after reading, I’d encourage you to connect with me or another financial advisor to provide some advice around these topics.
