Open Enrollment 2026: A Practical, Tax-Savvy Guide to Maximizing Your Employer Benefits

🎃 The Halloween Costume Dilemma

This year, my preschool-aged son confidently declared that he wanted to be Spiderman for Halloween. Then, out of nowhere, the favorite switched to a giraffe. Not long after, he pivoted again. This time, to an excavator construction truck. (Each time, he also had strong opinions about how to best coordinate with Mom and Dad’s matching costumes.)

Ultimately, after a few weeks of excitement and indecision, we circled back to where we started: Spidey it is.

If you’ve ever watched a child flip-flop on the perfect costume, you know how quickly preferences shift. But at some point, you must lock in that decision, because Halloween approaches and the window to make a change closes.

Open enrollment works much the same way. Typically, your employer provides a short window in the fall season to review your benefits menu and make decisions that will shape your financial and personal well-being for the coming year — in this case, 2026. And just like with Halloween costumes, the right decision depends on who you are today, not who you were last year. Taking a few intentional minutes now can help ensure your benefits truly fit your current life, family, and goals for the year ahead.

✅ At a Glance: What to Review During Open Enrollment

Here’s a quick overview of what to review, update, or optimize during your 2026 open enrollment period:

Plus, we address two non-employer open enrollment periods, ACA Marketplace and Medicare.

For a valuable checklist to better optimize your benefit elections, check out:

🍂 Why This Annual Pause Matters

It’s easy to breeze through and reselect last year’s defaults, but that approach can leave value and protection on the table.

Benefits make up nearly one-third of the average employee’s total compensation, and several limits and eligibility rules are changing for 2026. If you don’t take time to reassess, you may miss new opportunities or underutilize your available benefits.

This annual event isn’t just about picking insurance, it’s about aligning your hard-earned employer benefits with the life you’re living now. Maybe you are recently married, welcomed a new baby, changed jobs, moved states, became the primary income-earner, or experienced a health shift. Each transition changes what “good coverage” means for you.

🏥 Medical Insurance: Choosing the Right Plan for Healthcare Coverage and Tax Savings

Health insurance is one of the most valuable benefits offered by employers. It protects against unexpected medical costs and supports your ongoing physical and mental well-being.

What to Consider When Choosing a Medical Plan

1. Your Healthcare Usage: How frequently do you visit doctors, specialists, or therapists?
2. Prescription Needs: Do you have recurring medications that require certain coverage or tiers?
3. Provider Preferences: Are your current doctors and specialists in-network?
4. Financial Trade-Offs: Are you more comfortable with higher monthly premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs, or vice versa?

Common Plan Types

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)

• Lower premiums and more predictable costs, but care is limited to defined network of doctors and hospitals
• Requires choosing a primary care physician and getting referrals for specialists
• Best for those who prefer cost stability and don’t mind limited provider choice

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)

• Higher premiums, but broad flexibility to see both in- and out-of-network providers
• No referral required for specialists
• Ideal for those with complex or ongoing health needs or preferred doctors outside narrow networks

EPO (Exclusive Provider Organization)

• Hybrid of HMO and PPO — no out-of-network coverage (except emergencies), but no referral requirement
• Usually lower cost than PPOs, with moderate flexibility

When comparing plans, don’t just compare premiums. Instead, consider the total potential cost: monthly premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and annual out-of-pocket maximums.

If both you and a spouse both have separate employer health coverage options, compare coverage and total cost across both employers. This becomes especially important when factoring in dependents, as sometimes shifting coverage to one spouse’s plan yields better net value.

📌 Planning Tip: Focus first on health needs, then on cost for coverage
Pull last year’s claims summary and your current provider list; choose the plan that minimizes your realistic all-in cost (premium + out-of-pocket) while keeping key doctors in-network.

The Health Savings Account (HSA) is one of the most tax-advantaged tools available, and a frequent first step I recommend to W-2 clients who ask how to save on taxes.

Using an HSA for pre-tax savings requires enrollment in a High Deductible Healthcare Plan (HDHP), so be aware of which health insurance coverages offer compatibility. By definition, an HDHP is a health plan with at least a $1,700 deductible for self-only coverage ($3,400 for family) and maximum out-of-pocket limit of $8,500 for self-only coverage ($17,000 for family). These plans typically have lower monthly premiums but higher upfront costs when you need care.

For those eligible to participate, the HSA offers a unique triple tax advantage:

1. Contributions reduce taxable income
2. Growth is tax-deferred
3. Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are completely tax-free

Better still, unused funds never expire and remain yours to invest and use in the future — even as a supplemental retirement account for healthcare costs later in life.

The contribution limit for 2026 is $4,400 if single or $8,750 for a family (up from $4,300 and $8,550 in 2025). Another $1,000 contribution is available for those age 55+.

For a family in the 32% Federal tax bracket that contributes $8,750, they save about $2,800 in federal taxes and have the opportunity for tax-free healthcare withdrawals and investment growth.

📌 Planning Tip: Treat your HSA like a stealth retirement account
You don’t have to spend your HSA dollars immediately. Instead, consider investing them for long-term growth, much like you would in a 401(k) or IRA. As long as you save and document your qualified medical receipts, you can reimburse yourself months, years, or even decades later — completely tax-free. This approach allows your HSA balance to compound over time while keeping the flexibility to claim cash reimbursements whenever you choose. By paying current medical expenses out of pocket and letting your HSA investments to grow, you can significantly increase the value of each tax-advantaged dollar, ideally using those funds later in life, when medical expenses are likely to be higher.

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible healthcare expenses, reducing your taxable income in the process. Unlike an HSA, however, FSA funds generally must be used within the same plan year or they’re forfeited (some employers allow a small rollover or grace period). Because FSAs are owned by the employer, it’s important to spend down your balance before changing jobs.

With a projected contribution limit for 2026 of $3,400 (up from $3,300 in 2025), FSAs can be a great fit for those who want additional tax savings.

Think of the FSA as a short-term tool: flexible, valuable, and best used annually for known or recurring expenses. Even for those with moderate or uncertain annual healthcare costs, it’s helpful to know that these accounts can be used to cover a surprisingly wide range of everyday expenses. This includes dental care, eyeglasses, contact lenses, over-the-counter medications, and even first-aid supplies. You can also use FSA funds for your spouse and dependent children, even if they’re not covered under the same health insurance plan.

🛒 Explore qualified expenses and eligible products here:

📌 Planning Tip: The Everyday Health Account
Even if you don’t have frequent doctor visits or prescriptions, your FSA can still go a long way toward everyday health and prevention. Eligible expenses include essentials like sunscreen, contact lens solution, over-the-counter pain relievers, and first-aid supplies — as well as dental cleanings, eye exams, or new glasses. Some self-care services, such as massages or acupuncture, may also qualify if prescribed by a healthcare provider for a medical condition (with a Letter of Medical Necessity). Think of your FSA as a pre-tax way to fund the wellness items and preventive care you already use throughout the year.

Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)

Some employers fund a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) that can reimburse certain medical expenses or encourage preventive care. These are employer-funded only and less common than FSAs or HSAs. If offered, review the eligible expense list and use these funds first, since they’re not portable if you leave the company.

📌 Planning Tip: Use Employer-Funded HRA Dollars First
If your employer offers a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), treat those funds as “use first” dollars. Because HRAs are funded entirely by your employer and are not portable if you leave the company, it generally makes sense to spend from your HRA before dipping into your FSA or HSA. Use these funds for covered medical expenses or preventive care while preserving your personal, tax-advantaged savings for the future.

😁Dental & Vision Coverage

Dental and vision insurance often deliver significant value at a relatively low cost, particularly for maintaining preventive care and avoiding large out-of-pocket surprises. These benefits don’t typically protect against catastrophic medical expenses, but they enhance quality of life, prevent small issues from becoming big ones, and keep your overall healthcare predictable.

Dental Insurance

Most plans cover preventive services such as cleanings, exams, and x-rays at little or no cost, with additional coverage tiers for fillings, crowns, and orthodontics. While major procedures can still carry higher out-of-pocket costs, routine care alone often makes the premiums worthwhile.

If your plan allows, consider scheduling treatments before year-end to use up any remaining annual benefit maximums.

Vision Insurance

Vision plans are ideal if you wear glasses or contacts, covering annual exams and offsetting lens or frame costs. Some plans even include discounts for laser vision correction or blue-light lens coatings. If you use screens frequently, these benefits can meaningfully support eye health and comfort.

📌 Planning Tip: Maintain Preventive Care, Evaluate True Value
If you regularly need cleanings, fillings, or corrective lenses, dental and vision plans tend to pay for themselves. However, if you rarely use these services, compare the total annual premiums with your likely out-of-pocket expenses and weigh whether the peace of mind and preventive value justify the cost.

👶 Dependent Care FSA (DCAP)

For those with young children, you may already be aware that the national average annual price of child care in 2024 was over $13,000. Expect roughly $10,000–$20,000 annually per child, depending on age and location.

The Dependent Care FSA is often a clear winner for families with children under the age of 13 or adult dependents, offering to lower out-of-pocket spending on eligible expenses like daycare, preschool, after-school care, summer day camps, and in-home care for dependents.

In 2026, the annual contribution limit increases from $5,000 to $7,500 per household ($3,750 if married filing separately). Note that both spouses must typically earn income to qualify for the tax deduction.

🛒 Explore eligible dependent care expenses here:

📌 Planning Tip: Using tax-free dollars means less expensive child care
A qualifying household in California could save as much as $3,779 in taxes by maxing out contributions in 2026.

❤️ Life Insurance

Life insurance offers lasting financial stability for the people who depend on you. The right amount of coverage can replace years of lost income, pay off debts, and fund major goals such as a child’s education or a spouse’s retirement.

Typical Employer-Sponsored Life Insurance Coverage

Basic Group Life Insurance

• Typically 1× salary or $50,000 (often employer-paid), but can be higher

Supplemental Group Life Insurance

• Additional optional insurance you can buy through payroll deduction, often without evidence of insurability up to a set cap

Spouse and Child Life Insurance

• Often available but limited and geared toward final expense protection

How Much Coverage Is Enough?

A common starting point is 10–30x annual income, though the right figure comes from a needs analysis that considers:

It almost always makes sense to accept the free or low-cost basic life insurance your employer provides.

Supplemental group coverage can also be a convenient, no-exam way to boost protection, particularly valuable if you have existing health issues that make private coverage costly or if you need additional insurance quickly.

However, relying solely on employer life insurance has clear limitations: coverage typically ends when you leave your job, premiums often increase with age, and benefit caps may fall short for higher earners. In contrast, a privately owned term life policy offers portability, stable premiums, and long-term control over both coverage and cost.

📌 Planning Tip: Build a Two-Layer Strategy
Take advantage of your employer’s free or low-cost coverage, then complete a needs analysis to determine if you should add a portable term policy. Locking in level premiums for 10–30 years while you’re young and healthy can secure long-term protection at a much lower cost.

💼 Disability Insurance

Your ability to earn income is your single most valuable asset. Disability insurance protects that income if an illness or injury keeps you from working.

Most people assume disability won’t happen to them; however, the odds are higher than most people think. According to the Social Security Administration, roughly 25% of today’s 20-year-olds will face a disabling condition before 67. Income protection isn’t optional, it’s foundational.

There are two major categories of disability insurance: Short-Term and Long-Term.

Short-Term Disability (STD)

• Typically covers 60–70% of income for 3 to 6 months
• Usually begins after using all paid time off (PTO) and a brief waiting period (7–14 days)

Long-Term Disability (LTD)

• Extends income protection for years, often until retirement age
• Usually starts after a 90–180 day elimination period (when short-term coverage ends)

What to Consider When Choosing Disability Insurance

1. Who Pays the Premium
   • If employer-paid, income benefits are fully taxable
   • If employee-paid with after-tax dollars, income benefits are tax-free
2. Definition of Disability
   • “Own occupation” coverage pays if you can’t perform your specific job, while “Any occupation” is stricter and may not pay unless you can’t work at all
   • Often, employer-sponsored disability policies switch the definition from “own occupation” to “any occupation” after a pre-determined period of time, typically 2 years
3. Coverage Adequacy
   • Definition of “covered earnings”: Many group policies base benefits on base salary only (excluding bonus, commission, or RSU income). High variable compensation may require a supplemental individual policy
   • Monthly income benefit dollar caps: Even with a 60% formula, a benefit cap (e.g., $10k per month) can lower the true replacement rate for higher incomes
4. Elimination Period
   • Also known as the waiting period, this represents how many days, weeks, or months you must be disabled before any income benefits are paid out
   • For planning, aim to match this period with your emergency cash reserves (e.g., a 90-day elimination period pairs with ~3 months of expenses)

📌 Planning Tip: Right-size your income protection
Aim to replace about 60–70% of your total income if the benefit is tax-free, or a similar take-home equivalent after accounting for taxes and policy caps. Consider a supplemental policy if bonuses or commissions aren’t covered under your employer plan. And be sure your emergency fund aligns with your elimination period. For example, six months of expenses for a 180-day waiting period.

🧘 Other Common Employer Perks

During open enrollment, take a moment to review the “hidden value” benefits your employer may offer. These often go overlooked but can meaningfully improve your financial, family, and personal well-being.

Family & Lifestyle Benefits

Financial & Workplace Perks

And while open enrollment doesn’t lock in retirement choices, it’s a great time to confirm you’re on track for meeting current year’s retirement strategy. This may include contributing enough to receive the full employer match, max out annual pre-tax or Roth salary deferral, or fund a Mega Backdoor Roth through after-tax contributions.

📌 Planning Tip: Optimize with a team approach
If both spouses work, coordinate elections to avoid overlapping coverage and make the most of complementary household benefits.

🚫 Avoiding Missed Opportunities

Over years of working with professionals, here are the most common benefits left untapped:

1. Not contributing enough to capture the full 401(k) match or hit full salary deferral limits, especially with age 50+ catch ups
2. Overlooking tax-free investment growth within Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
3. Outright skipping or leaving major gaps in long-term disability coverage
4. Forgetting to review and update beneficiary designations
5. Under-contributing to FSA health care because of uncertain future medical expenses
6. Paying for childcare with post-tax dollars instead of a pre-tax Dependent Care FSA
7. Failing to compare spouse’s open enrollment options side-by-side

🌎 Two Other Non-Employer Open Enrollment Periods to Know

ACA Marketplace (Individual Coverage)

If you don’t have access to employer-sponsored health insurance — whether you’re self-employed, between jobs, or retiring early — you can obtain coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. Open Enrollment for 2026 runs from November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026, though specific deadlines may vary by state.

Marketplace plans are organized into four “metal” tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each slightly differs in how costs are shared between you and the insurer. It’s a common misconception that higher-tier plans automatically provide “better” coverage. In truth, the right plan depends on your expected medical usage and cash flow preferences:

• Bronze plans typically have the lowest monthly premiums but higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs when care is needed, ideal for healthy households that use few services and want access to HSA-eligible savings
• Silver plans balance monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs and often qualify for cost-sharing reductions if you’re eligible for income-based subsidies
• Gold and Platinum plans feature higher monthly premiums but lower deductibles and copays, helpful if you anticipate significant or ongoing medical care, but not always the best value if your healthcare usage is modest

If you expect changes to your income, household size, or employment status in 2026, it’s worth revisiting your options. Many households qualify for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions, which can make Marketplace coverage surprisingly affordable.

Explore 2026 options at HealthCare.gov or your state ACA Marketplace site.

📌 Planning Tip: Choose Based on Total Value, Not Tier Name
Instead of assuming that Gold or Platinum means “better,” focus on your total expected cost — premiums plus deductible and copays — alongside your ability to use an HSA for long-term savings. The right plan is the one that aligns with both your medical needs and your financial goals.

Medicare Open Enrollment

If you’re enrolled in Medicare, your annual Open Enrollment window runs from October 15 through December 7, 2025, for coverage beginning January 1, 2026.

This period applies primarily to those who wish to make changes to their Medicare coverage, such as switching between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage or reviewing their Part D prescription drug plan. Even if you’re satisfied with your current setup, it’s wise to review your plan annually since premiums, provider networks, and drug formularies can change each year.

This is your annual opportunity to:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan (or vice versa)
• Change your Medicare Advantage Plan to a different provider or plan type
• Add, drop, or change your Part D prescription drug plan
• Review supplemental coverage (Medigap) if you’re coordinating between Original Medicare and private secondary insurance
• Ensure your providers and medications remain in-network

For those on Original Medicare with a Medigap policy who are not changing their coverage, you generally don’t need to take action during Open Enrollment, but it’s still a good time to verify that your prescription plan and providers remain aligned with your needs for the year ahead.

Explore plans and compare options at Medicare.gov or consult a trusted Medicare specialist, such as Boomer Benefits, for personalized support.

📌 Planning Tip: Verify, Don’t Assume
Each fall, review your plan’s Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and check your medications, providers, and premiums against current options. Even satisfied participants should review options, as coverage details and costs shift each year and small adjustments can lead to meaningful savings or better coverage.

🧩 Putting the Pieces in Place

Clients often ask: “What can I do to save more on taxes and protect my wealth?”

One of the simplest and most effective answers is to maximize your tax-advantaged employer benefits. Each dollar contributed to an HSA, FSA, or dependent care account can directly reduce your taxable income while protecting your health, income, and family along the way.

Open enrollment isn’t just an HR formality. It’s a built-in checkpoint to realign your well-deserved benefits with your current goals and season of life.

With 2026 bringing higher contribution limits, expanded HSA access, and new family-friendly provisions, thoughtful benefit choices can meaningfully strengthen your financial foundation and pay dividends all year long.

📅 Ready to Maximize Your 2026 Benefits?

If you’d like to take a more strategic approach this year:

1. ✅ Utilize our interactive checklist, “What Issues Should I Consider With My Employer-Provided Benefits?”
2. 📤 Upload your 2026 benefits package for review
3. 📅 Schedule a Max My Employer Benefits Meeting

Your benefits are more than a few workplace forms, they’re a cornerstone of your financial plan. Let’s make sure they work as hard for you as you do for them.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, legal, tax, or accounting advice. Please consult a qualified estate planning attorney or tax advisor regarding your individual circumstances.