Benefits guides for employees
Short, plain-language guides to help you understand your benefits at work and make confident choices at open enrollment.
Last checked: Nov 2026
Guide 1
Open Enrollment 101: What It Is and What to Do, Step by Step
What open enrollment is, the 2027 HealthCare.gov dates, what to do if you miss it, and a simple 10-step walkthrough for picking your benefits.
Guide 2
Health Insurance Words Explained: Premium, Deductible, Copay, Coinsurance, and Out-of-Pocket Maximum
Premium, deductible, copay, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum explained in plain English, with simple examples from HealthCare.gov.
Guide 3
HMO vs PPO vs HDHP: How to Choose a Health Plan
HMO vs PPO vs high-deductible plans in plain words: how networks and costs differ, the 2027 HDHP limits, and questions to help you choose.
Guide 4
HSA Explained: What It Is, Who Qualifies, and How It Works
What is an HSA? Who qualifies, the tax breaks, 2026 and 2027 contribution limits, what you can spend it on, and what changes when you get Medicare.
Guide 5
FSA Explained: How It Works and the "Use It or Lose It" Rule
How a health FSA works, the 2026 limit, the grace period vs. carryover rule, what you can buy with it, and how a dependent care FSA is different.
Guide 6
HSA vs FSA: Which One Fits You?
HSA vs FSA side by side: who owns the money, what happens at year end, 2026 limits, whether you can have both, and questions to help you pick.
Guide 7
401(k) Basics and Employer Match: How Not to Leave Free Money Behind
How a 401(k) works, pre-tax vs. Roth, how an employer match and vesting work, 2026 limits, and common ways people miss free match money.
Guide 8
Life and Disability Insurance at Work: Do You Need It?
Life and disability insurance at work in plain words: how common they are, the $50,000 life insurance tax rule, and how disability benefits are taxed.
Guide 9
Dental and Vision Coverage: Is It Worth the Cost?
How dental and vision plans usually work: coverage tiers, annual maximums, waiting periods, and a simple way to check if the cost is worth it.
Guide 10
Open Enrollment Checklist: A Simple Checklist for Every Year
A simple, reusable open enrollment checklist: health plan, HSA or FSA, dental and vision, life and disability, 401(k), and paperwork to check.