Intro to Open Enrollment & Employee Benefits (Completed)

NOTE: Go to My Professional Profile in your CCH CPELink account settings to ensure your name, and PTIN number; matches your PTIN card

Open enrollment is a critical time for employees to make decisions that impact their financial well-being and long-term security. This course equips accountants, tax professionals, and financial advisors with the knowledge and tools to guide clients through benefit selection and optimization. You’ll learn how to evaluate health, retirement, insurance, and supplemental benefits, interpret paystub data, and apply best practices for aligning benefits with financial goals. The session also covers strategies for leveraging employer resources and understanding executive compensation structures.

Stay ahead of benefit trends and position yourself as a trusted advisor during one of the most important annual financial planning periods.

Who Should Attend
If you work in finance, tax, wealth management, or employee benefits, this session will give you the tools to confidently guide clients through open enrollment decisions.

Topics Covered

• Open enrollment overview and significance in financial planning
• Typical benefits package: medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, savings accounts, and other perks
• Retirement plan options and contribution limits (401(k), Roth, after-tax, profit-sharing)
• Health, dental, and vision insurance plan considerations
• Disability insurance types and adequacy analysis
• Life insurance (group term, supplemental, dependent, AD&D, split-dollar)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare & Dependent Care) rules and limits
• Health Savings Accounts (eligibility, limits, tax benefits)
• Long-term care insurance features and eligibility
• Employee education assistance programs and tax implications
• Legal services benefits and financial wellness programs
• Best practices checklist for open enrollment preparation and decision-making
• Paystub analysis: deductions, contributions, employer-paid benefits, vacation/PTO balances
• Executive and nonqualified deferred compensation agreement review
• Advisor strategies for aligning benefits with client financial plans

Learning Objectives

• Explain the open enrollment process, timelines, and rules, including qualifying life events
• Identify and compare common employee benefits, including health, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, retirement plans, FSAs, HSAs, and supplemental offerings
• Apply best practices to evaluate benefits and make strategic selections based on client needs and financial goals
• Use paystub and executive compensation data to analyze current benefit elections and identify gaps or opportunities
• Leverage employer and workplace team resources to obtain benefit documentation and facilitate informed decision-making

Level
Intermediate

Instructional Method
Group: Internet-based

NASBA Field of Study
Taxes (1 hour)

Program Prerequisites
Basic understanding of Employee Benefits

Advance Preparation
None