Voluntary benefits are exactly that. Voluntary. You are NOT forced to accept these benefits, but employers like to offer them because they want to attract employees. When you get hired, you can select these benefits, and you can check with your company on when you can add/drop benefits.

Should you choose to accept them, money will probably be taken out of your paycheck each pay period to pay for the programs. Although, some benefits can be free gifts, like the extra special pen you get after working twenty-five years at a job! How exciting!

There are three voluntary benefits to look at. They include:

• Healthcare Benefits: This is stuff like health, dental, and vision insurance. These may differ depending on what your employer chooses to offer. (Hopefully they aren’t too frugal or view healthcare like Dwight Schrute does.)
• Retirement Benefits: Retirement benefits (401K, IRA, 403b, etc.) can be employee sponsored or individually sponsored.  They can help you save for when you retire.
• Fringe Benefits: The perks of the benefit world, these include paid vacation, company credit cards, etc. These will probably be free and won’t be taken out of your paycheck.