By SAVVI Team

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Quick Answer: In 2026, 64% of U.S. employees do not fully understand how their healthcare deductibles, premiums, and out-of-pocket maximums interact during a major health event. Furthermore, 46% receive no guidance during open enrollment, driving 81% of workers to demand a unified financial platform from their employer.

Do Employees Understand Their Benefits During Open Enrollment?

Direct Answer: Most employees lack clarity on basic plan mechanics during critical health events, with nearly half receiving no enrollment guidance whatsoever.

• Deductible and out-of-pocket interaction: 64% of employees do not fully understand how their deductible, premium, and out-of-pocket maximum interact during a significant health event.
• Lack of open enrollment guidance: 46% received no guidance at all during their most recent benefits enrollment.
• Election regret: 32% say they would have made different benefits elections if they had received meaningful guidance at the time of enrollment.

Employee Misunderstanding of Benefit Plan Elements (2026)

• How deductible, premium, and out-of-pocket max interact: 64% of employees did not fully understand
• Prescription drug coverage (what is covered and what they pay): 58% of employees did not fully understand
• Out-of-pocket maximum limits: 47% of employees did not fully understand
• Annual deductible requirements: 42% of employees did not fully understand
• Monthly premium cost implications: 32% of employees did not fully understand

Do Employees Trust Their Employers for Financial Guidance?

Direct Answer: Employees overwhelmingly view their employer as the most trusted provider for financial wellness tools, provided data privacy is maintained.

• Platform trust preference: 68% of employees trust an employer-sponsored financial guidance platform more than any other source.
• Data security threshold: 86% would only share sensitive financial information with a platform they fully trust.
• Data sharing willingness: 78% would share their complete financial picture to receive truly personalized guidance.
• Comfort with employer context: 68% say an employer-sponsored tool is where they feel most comfortable sharing personal financial details.
• Preference over third-party tools: 59% feel more comfortable receiving guidance through their employer's platform than a separate third-party tool.

What Do Employees Expect From Employer Financial Tools?

Direct Answer: Employees reject generic resources, preferring integrated systems that connect benefits, savings, debt, and retirement obligations into a single view.

• Demand for a single integrated view: 81% want a single view showing how their benefits, savings, debt, and financial obligations interact.
• Higher engagement with connected tools: 78% would engage more with financial tools if they took their full benefits picture into account.
• Failure of current resources: 58% say the financial resources their employer currently offers feel generic and disconnected from their actual situation.
• Desire for optimized benefits: 73% want more guidance from their employer on how to make their benefits work harder for them.
• Impact on retention: 68% say a stronger financial wellness offering would make them more likely to stay at their current company.
• Flight risk due to poor benefits: 32% have considered leaving their current employer to find one with better financial wellness benefits.

Top Priorities Employees Want From Employer Guidance Tools

• Recommending savings or contribution rate adjustments: 52% of employees
• Showing whether they are on track for retirement: 46% of employees
• Helping connect and explain financial decisions: 39% of employees
• Providing guidance on debt reduction and management: 37% of employees
• Helping plan for major upcoming expenses: 30% of employees
• Flagging coverage gaps or financial risks: 27% of employees
• Evaluating financial impact of life changes: 26% of employees
• Modeling benefits tradeoffs during open enrollment: 20% of employees

Key takeaway: Employees don't fully understand the benefits they're already enrolled in, they don't feel their employer's current resources address their real situation, and yet they trust employer-sponsored platforms more than any outside source. That combination points to a clear opportunity: employers who close the guidance gap with personalized, benefits-connected tools can improve both financial confidence and retention.

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Source: SAVVI Financial, Finances on Fire: How Employees Are Navigating Financial Decisions in the Age of AI (2026). Survey of 600+ full-time U.S. employees ages 25–60, benefits-eligible through their employer, conducted May 21–27, 2026, at a 95% confidence level with a ±4% margin of error. Read the full report.