American Workers Don’t Understand Their Benefits – October 2015

While most Americans understand the importance of their personal finances and employee benefits, 40% say they know little or nothing about these benefits, according to a study from MassMutual. Most people seemingly have their financial house in order, saying they prioritize understanding their personal finances (77%), having enough medical insurance (74%) and being on track to retire comfortably (65%). Yet 38% say they know little or nothing about their employer-provided benefits, such as healthcare, life insurance, 401(k) retirement plans, and other benefits. Forty-two percent say they are clueless about whether or not they are on track to retire comfortably.

While many people say they do just fine managing their finances, 37% find doing so somewhat or very difficult and 40% say personal financial problems are a distraction at work, according to the study. Some groups find personal finance more difficult than others, including Millennials (58%), parents (50%), Generation X (47%), women (44%) and those with annual incomes of $50,000 or less (44%). Baby Boomers were the least likely to encounter difficulty in managing their finances (28%) or being distracted at work by financial issues (24%).

Eighty percent do not use an online financial tool to manage their retirement, healthcare and other forms of insurance. However, 73% say they would be likely to use such a tool if it were available free, especially if it were provided by a trusted and respected financial services company.

Millennials (82%), parents (80%) and Gen Xers (78%) are especially interested in using an online financial tool. Thirty-two percent said they would be more likely to enroll in their employee benefits if they could use an online tool to help them figure out their needs.