Jobs with benefits...do I really need them?

Question

My husband has a job, and right now I'm trying to get out of the home and into the business world. While this is more difficult than I orginially figured, I have one question:

How do I work with benefits?

Obviously we already have insurence with my husband's work. How do I work around/with those?

I am so confused with all of this!

Answer 1

I would review the benefit plans for both you and your husband's companies, and see which was better. You can always decline your benefits if your husband has a better plan. You will just need to sign a form.

If one of the benefits is a 401K with any type of matching (or any other type of savings plan) I would recommend that you accept that benefit and use it (if it is financially feasible). Nothing better for a working couple than being able to have each worker put a little bit into savings.

Also, don't get confused with all of this stuff...there will be people at your new employer who will need to review all of these things with you when you start....

Good Luck!

Answer 2

If your goal is to get out of the house and into the business world, you should forget about benefits that you may not need. Of course I would definately take advantage of a 401K plan, but if your husband had health insurance for the family, I would forget that.

Answer 3

If you are going to be getting a job that offers health benefits, you can look at the cost of the benefits to you and compare them against the cost of the benefits offered to your husband. If it will cost you more, you can opt to decline the health benefits. Likewise, if your husband's benefits will cost more, he can then decline his during his next enrollment period. If you decline signing up for health insurance, your employer may require evidence of insurance elsewhere (documentation from your husband's job that shows that he is getting family health insurance there). Some employers may offer a small cash stipend if you decline health insurance (since they don't have to contribute their share). You should consult either your HR/Benefits manual or your HR department.