Year-end benefits checklist: Make sure your plan is ready for 2026

As the year wraps up, it’s a great time to review your benefits plan to ensure everything is accurate and up to date before renewal. A few small checks now can help prevent administrative headaches in the new year.

Confirm employee eligibility and salary updates

Ensure that all active employees are correctly listed in your plan and that salary information is up-to-date, especially for benefits such as Life and Disability, which are typically salary-based. Check for any employees who may have changed employment status (such as full-time to part-time) or are no longer eligible for coverage.

Review waivers, dependents, and beneficiary designations

Encourage employees to review and update their information during the year-end period. This is a good opportunity to confirm that dependent coverage details are accurate and that beneficiary designations are up to date.

Reconcile premiums and align payroll deductions

Check that your premium remittances match your billing statements and that payroll deductions reflect any changes to coverage or premium rates you are being billed. This helps keep your plan records clean and prevents discrepancies in the new year.

A few minutes spent on these steps now will set your plan up for a smooth start to 2026!