Open enrollment checklist for 2027: 9 things to check before you click submit

Open enrollment is the one time a year you get to redesign your benefits. Pick well and you keep more of your paycheck all year. Click through on autopilot and you might pay for coverage you don't need, or miss free money from your employer.

The good news: it comes down to 9 checks. Here they are, with pictures.

Your employer sets your enrollment window, so use the deadline in your benefits portal or HR notice. Workplace enrollment dates vary by employer.

Your open enrollment checklist

Tap each step as you finish it. Your ticks are saved in this browser, so you can come back later.

Before you start, gather four things:

1. Compare plans by total yearly cost 💸

The plan with the smallest paycheck deduction is not always the cheapest. What matters is premiums plus the care you'll actually use.

Start with each plan's Summary of Benefits and Coverage. It's a standard format, so plans line up side by side. Note your premium, deductible, copays, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum. Then estimate your share of the care you expect (count deductible spending once, inside that estimate). HealthCare.gov shows how premiums and care costs fit together.

Different care needs could flip the result, so use the same assumptions for every plan. Also note any employer HSA or HRA money and when it arrives.

Plan for a rough year too. Add annual premiums to the plan's in-network out-of-pocket maximum. That's a useful benchmark, but not a hard cap: premiums, noncovered services and out-of-network charges sit outside it. See what the out-of-pocket maximum excludes.

2. Check your doctors, hospitals and prescriptions 🩺

"We take that insurer" is not the same as "we're in your network." Insurers sell several networks, so look up the exact plan and network you're choosing.

Check your primary care doctor, specialists, preferred hospital and anyone you expect to see next year, and confirm with both sides. CMS recommends this double-check when changing plans.

For prescriptions, look at the plan's covered-drug list, called a formulary. Your insurer can explain prescription coverage. Got open questions? Get answers before you submit.

3. Check HSA eligibility before picking an HSA or FSA 🏦

A health savings account (HSA) is a great deal: the balance stays with you and carries forward. But you need HSA-eligible coverage and must meet the other rules. A high deductible alone doesn't make you eligible. IRS Publication 969 explains HSA eligibility and ownership.

For 2027, HSA limits are $4,500 for self-only coverage and $9,000 for family coverage, before any catch-up contribution. Employer contributions count toward your limit, and partial-year eligibility can change it. Check the IRS contribution rules before setting your payroll amount.

That spouse rule surprises people: a spouse's general-purpose FSA that can reimburse your medical costs can block your HSA, even if you never file a claim. The IRS covers this in Notice 2008-59, question 25. Want both accounts? Ask HR about an HSA-compatible limited-purpose FSA. Publication 969 describes compatible arrangements.

4. Set your health FSA from real expected spending 🧾

Start with last year's eligible expenses, then adjust for what's coming: prescriptions, copays, dental work, glasses. A health FSA pays eligible out-of-pocket costs but not insurance premiums. HealthCare.gov explains how workplace FSAs work.

Check the 2027 IRS limit and your employer's plan maximum. Treat the maximum as a ceiling, not a target.

Ask your FSA administrator four things:

• The last date you can incur eligible expenses.
• Whether the plan has a carryover or a grace period.
• The separate deadline to submit claims (the run-out deadline).
• Whether you need a fresh election for 2027.

A plan may offer a carryover or a grace period of up to 2½ months, but not both, and either one is optional. A later claims deadline doesn't give you more time to spend.

Drop both dates into PerkEasy's deadline calendar so you see them coming and can mark them done.

5. Make sure your 401(k) gets the full match 📈

An employer match is extra pay that only shows up if you contribute enough. Find your plan's matching formula and any eligibility conditions. The IRS explains how matching contributions work.

Then compare your actual payroll election with the formula. Ask how bonuses are treated, whether the match is calculated per paycheck, and whether the plan does an annual true-up. Retirement contributions may change on a different schedule from health benefits, so confirm the effective date.

Want the full walkthrough? Read how to check whether you're getting your full 401(k) match.

6. Review life, disability and beneficiaries ☂️

Nobody loves this part, but it takes five minutes and protects the people you care about.

Check whether extra life coverage needs medical information or approval. For disability, look at exclusions and whether coverage can continue if you leave the job. Review beneficiaries on life insurance and retirement accounts separately, and save any changes. For exact terms, the plan documents rule; the Department of Labor explains the summary plan description.

7. Confirm which dependents you cover 👨‍👩‍👧

Check each dependent's name and coverage across medical, dental and vision, and send any required eligibility documents.

If someone else in your household has workplace benefits, compare the combinations: employee-only vs. family premiums, any spouse surcharge, networks, and how each option affects HSA or FSA eligibility. Your employers' plan rules decide what's allowed.

8. Review your dependent care FSA 🧸

A dependent care FSA pays for eligible care that lets you (and generally your spouse, if married) work or look for work. That can include child care, or care for a qualifying person who can't care for themselves. IRS Publication 503 explains the eligibility tests.

The federal exclusion rose in 2026 to $7,500, or $3,750 if married filing separately. Married couples filing jointly share the $7,500 limit across both spouses' dependent care benefits, so coordinate your elections. Earned-income and other rules can lower what you can exclude.

Ask HR which limit your plan uses for 2027 and note its spending and claims deadlines. Keep this election separate from your health FSA. One more thing: the same expenses can't count for both this FSA and the child and dependent care tax credit.

9. Save your confirmation and check your paycheck ✅

Before you click submit, review the final summary: plans, dependents, contribution amounts and coverage dates. Check whether each amount is annual, monthly or per paycheck.

After you submit, download or save the confirmation along with any approvals or dependent-verification requests. Then set a reminder for your first paycheck with the new elections.

Record what you see in PerkEasy's paycheck view and compare it with your confirmation. PerkEasy uses the figures you enter rather than connecting to payroll.

Open enrollment FAQs

When is open enrollment for employer benefits in 2027?

Your employer sets the dates. Check your HR notice for the deadline and coverage start date. Marketplace dates apply to Marketplace plans only. The Texas Department of Insurance explains the difference.

Do my benefits renew automatically if I do nothing?

It depends on the benefit. Some elections carry forward and others need action, so confirm your medical coverage and account contributions separately, even if nothing changes.

Can I have an HSA and a health FSA at the same time?

A general-purpose health FSA usually makes you ineligible for HSA contributions, but some limited-purpose FSAs are compatible. Check the IRS rules and ask your benefits administrator what your employer offers.

What if I miss open enrollment?

Contact HR right away. Ask whether your current coverage continues and whether a special enrollment right applies. Marriage, birth, adoption or a qualifying loss of other coverage can open a window, subject to rules and deadlines. The Department of Labor explains special enrollment rights.

Keep it all in one place

Once you've enrolled, add your benefits to PerkEasy so your deadlines, payroll deductions and 401(k) match live in one place. Keep your confirmation with your plan records for the paycheck check.

Start tracking your benefits free or explore the demo with sample data.

PerkEasy estimates are based on the details you enter and are not financial advice. Always confirm with your plan documents or benefits team.