Claim Employee Benefits You're Already Paying For

Most people leave money on the table because they don't know what their employer actually offers or assume benefits are automatic. They're not.

You're paying for a benefits package through reduced salary. Companies factor total compensation - including benefits - into what they pay you. If you're not using those benefits, you're working for less than you're worth.

Today you review what's available and confirm you're claiming everything you're entitled to. This isn't about optimizing for maximum tax advantage or planning your financial future. It's about not leaving your own money unclaimed.

Why This Matters Right Now

When you're worried about job security, the instinct is to save more cash. So you skip the HSA contribution because you want that money in your checking account. You ignore the 401k match because retirement feels irrelevant when you might lose your job next month.

But these decisions cost you immediate money.

A 401k match is free money - your employer gives you dollars for contributing your own. Turning that down is like refusing part of your paycheck.

An HSA contribution reduces your taxable income and builds a healthcare fund. Not using it means you pay more in taxes and pay for medical expenses with post-tax money instead of pre-tax money.

Professional development funds are budget allocated for you. If you don't use them, they don't roll over or get paid to you. They just disappear.

During economic uncertainty, claiming every dollar you're entitled to matters more, not less.

Find Your Benefits Summary

You have a benefits guide or summary somewhere - probably in an email from HR when you started, in your employee portal, or in a document called something like "Your 2025 Benefits Guide."

Find it. If you can't locate it, email HR and ask for the current benefits summary.

Don't rely on memory. Don't assume you know what's offered. Look at the actual document. Companies add benefits or change terms, and most employees never notice.

Check These Five Categories

1. Retirement Match

Look for: 401k match, 403b match (nonprofits), or similar retirement contribution matching.

What it usually says: "Company matches 50% of your contribution up to 6% of salary" or "Dollar-for-dollar match up to 4% of salary."

What this means: If you contribute a certain percentage, your employer adds money. This is immediate return on your contribution - 50% or 100% depending on the match structure.

Confirm:

• Are you contributing at least enough to get the full match?
• If not, can you increase your contribution to capture it?

If you're contributing 3% but the match goes to 6%, you're leaving free money unclaimed. Even during tight finances, getting the match is usually worth it because it's instant money added to your account.

2. Health Savings Account (HSA)

Only available if you have a high-deductible health plan, but if you have one, this is significant.

What to look for: HSA contribution limits, employer HSA contributions (some employers add money to your HSA), and whether your employer offers HSA payroll deduction.

Why this matters: HSA contributions are pre-tax (reduces your taxable income now), grow tax-free, and come out tax-free for medical expenses. This is the only triple-tax-advantaged account that exists.

Confirm:

• Are you contributing to your HSA if you have a high-deductible plan?
• Is your employer making any HSA contributions that you need to be enrolled to receive?
• Are you making contributions through payroll (pre-tax) vs. after-tax?

Many people with high-deductible plans don't realize they're eligible for HSAs or that employer contributions exist.

3. Professional Development or Education Budget

Look for: tuition reimbursement, professional development fund, conference/training budget, certification reimbursement, LinkedIn Learning or other platform subscriptions paid by employer.

What it usually says: "$X annually for professional development" or "Up to $X for approved training and certifications."

Confirm:

• Do you have professional development funds available?
• What's the approval process?
• What qualifies (certifications, courses, conferences, books)?
• Is there a deadline to use it (often calendar year, doesn't roll over)?

This is money specifically allocated for your skill development. If you don't use it, it doesn't come back to you as salary. It just goes unused.

If you have this benefit: Identify one course, certification, or training you could take this quarter. Submit the approval request. Use the money before year-end.

4. Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Look for: healthcare FSA, dependent care FSA, commuter benefits FSA.

What to look for: How much you can contribute pre-tax, what it can be used for, and whether you elected to participate during open enrollment.

Confirm:

• If you elected FSA contributions, are you actually using the money?
• FSAs are "use it or lose it" - money disappears if not spent by year-end (some have small grace periods)
• If you're not using it, can you reduce contributions for next year?

FSAs only help if you actually spend the money on eligible expenses. Contributing but not using it is worse than not contributing at all.

5. Other Commonly Missed Benefits

Scan your benefits document for these often-overlooked items:

Commuter benefits: Pre-tax parking or transit passes (saves you money if you commute)

Gym or wellness reimbursement: Some employers reimburse gym memberships or wellness program costs

Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Free counseling, legal consultation, financial planning - usually 3-6 free sessions annually. If you're stressed about job security, these free counseling sessions are there for you.

Life insurance or disability insurance: Confirm you're enrolled if offered at no cost or low cost

Discount programs: Corporate discounts on software, travel, retail, phones - usually available through an employee portal

Backup childcare or elder care: Some larger employers offer emergency backup care services

Most employees use zero of these. If they're offered and relevant to your situation, use them.

Make One Change Based on What You Found

Don't try to optimize everything today. Pick one thing from your review:

Are you missing the 401k match? Increase your contribution this month to capture it.

Have professional development funds? Submit a request for one course or certification before the end of this quarter.

Not using HSA despite having eligible health plan? Set up payroll contribution starting next pay period.

Have unused FSA money? Schedule medical appointments or buy eligible healthcare items before money expires.

Didn't know about EAP counseling? Schedule one session if you're dealing with stress or uncertainty.

One change. Make it this week.

Why People Don't Do This

"I'll deal with benefits during open enrollment" Open enrollment is once a year. Some benefits can be changed anytime. And unused current-year benefits (professional development funds, FSA money) disappear regardless of open enrollment.

"I don't understand the tax implications" You don't need to understand everything. You need to know: pre-tax contributions reduce your taxable income (good) and employer matches are free money (also good).

"I can't afford to reduce my paycheck" If you're not getting the 401k match, you're already reducing your total compensation. The match is part of your pay - you're just choosing not to claim it.

"I don't have time to figure this out" Reading your benefits summary and making one change takes less than an hour. The alternative is leaving hundreds or thousands of dollars unclaimed annually.

Review Your Benefits Today

Find your benefits summary document. Read through it looking specifically for the five categories above. Identify one thing you're not using that's available to you.

Make one change this week - increase a contribution, submit a reimbursement request, schedule an appointment, enroll in a program.

This isn't about becoming a benefits optimization expert. It's about claiming what you're already entitled to instead of letting it disappear because you didn't know it existed or didn't think it mattered.

During economic uncertainty, every dollar you're entitled to but not claiming is a dollar you can't afford to ignore.