Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Navigating Open Enrollment: Benefits & Real-Life Choices
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Navigating Open Enrollment: Benefits & Real-Life Choices
"Default is always the easiest option. I will also say, it is not [always] the best option for you.”
With open enrollment season in full swing, our hosts Natalie and Dan Slagle dive into a dilemma that has plagued many married couples (and people in general) during this time of year: choosing workplace benefits.
For many, open enrollment means defaulting to last year’s plan out of fatigue or confusion. It’s a far cry from Natalie’s tongue-in-cheek visual of a couple at their breakfast nook, romantically highlighting benefit packets. If only it were all so simple (and romantic)!
Natalie and Dan detail how they normally proceed down the list of benefits with clients: from medical, to dental, to vision.
Dan walks through how they help clients compare premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums. A big component is calculating both the minimum and maximum potential annual costs, which is key for families expecting big medical events like childbirth.
They move on to tax-advantaged accounts like HSAs and FSAs, including underused tools such as the dependent care FSA. They also talk disability, life, and legal insurance, as well as what to factor in should you think about leaving your current employer sometime in the near future.
Treat open enrollment as a shared decision, not a solo chore. Couples who plan benefits together gain not just financial clarity but stronger alignment as a household team!
Key Topics:
- Why Open Enrollment Overwhelms Most Couples (01:44)
- The “Breakfast Nook” Fantasy vs Reality (03:49)
- Comparing Premiums, Deductibles, and Maximums (05:38)
- Planning for Predictable Medical Events (11:50)
- Understanding HSAs, FSAs, and Hidden Savings (13:01)
- “Use It or Lose It”: Avoiding FSA Pitfalls (20:02)
- Disability and Life Insurance (24:20)
- Legal Insurance (27:24)
Natalie Slagle, CFP® and Dan Slagle, CFP® are the founding partners and lead financial planners at Fyooz Financial Planning — an independent firm dedicated to helping high-earning couples in their 30s and 40s confidently navigate the complexities of managing money together.
At Fyooz, they specialize in turning financial stress into strategy, guiding couples through everything from cash flow and investing to aligning money with shared goals.
Disclaimer: For updated disclosures, please visit fyoozfinancial.com.
View all episodes
By Natalie Slagle and Dan Slagle"Default is always the easiest option. I will also say, it is not [always] the best option for you.”
With open enrollment season in full swing, our hosts Natalie and Dan Slagle dive into a dilemma that has plagued many married couples (and people in general) during this time of year: choosing workplace benefits.
For many, open enrollment means defaulting to last year’s plan out of fatigue or confusion. It’s a far cry from Natalie’s tongue-in-cheek visual of a couple at their breakfast nook, romantically highlighting benefit packets. If only it were all so simple (and romantic)!
Natalie and Dan detail how they normally proceed down the list of benefits with clients: from medical, to dental, to vision.
Dan walks through how they help clients compare premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums. A big component is calculating both the minimum and maximum potential annual costs, which is key for families expecting big medical events like childbirth.
They move on to tax-advantaged accounts like HSAs and FSAs, including underused tools such as the dependent care FSA. They also talk disability, life, and legal insurance, as well as what to factor in should you think about leaving your current employer sometime in the near future.
Treat open enrollment as a shared decision, not a solo chore. Couples who plan benefits together gain not just financial clarity but stronger alignment as a household team!
Key Topics:
- Why Open Enrollment Overwhelms Most Couples (01:44)
- The “Breakfast Nook” Fantasy vs Reality (03:49)
- Comparing Premiums, Deductibles, and Maximums (05:38)
- Planning for Predictable Medical Events (11:50)
- Understanding HSAs, FSAs, and Hidden Savings (13:01)
- “Use It or Lose It”: Avoiding FSA Pitfalls (20:02)
- Disability and Life Insurance (24:20)
- Legal Insurance (27:24)
Natalie Slagle, CFP® and Dan Slagle, CFP® are the founding partners and lead financial planners at Fyooz Financial Planning — an independent firm dedicated to helping high-earning couples in their 30s and 40s confidently navigate the complexities of managing money together.
At Fyooz, they specialize in turning financial stress into strategy, guiding couples through everything from cash flow and investing to aligning money with shared goals.
Disclaimer: For updated disclosures, please visit fyoozfinancial.com.