Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to review your benefits, make changes for 2026 and explore programs and resources you may not be using. Outside of this window, you can only modify most benefits if you experience a qualifying life event.
Take action Nov. 3-14: Log in to MySlice to complete your 2026 benefits enrollment. If you do not take action, your 2025 coverage continues automatically, except Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), which require active enrollment each year.
Contact HR Shared Services at 315.443.4042 with questions or to request an accommodation.
Helpful Resources
- Dental and vision coverage automatically carries over. As the second year of a two-year commitment, your current elections remain in effect through Dec. 31, 2026, unless you have a qualifying life event.
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) require re-enrollment. FSA elections don’t carry over automatically—you must enroll each year during Open Enrollment. The Dependent Care FSA limit has increased to $7,500 per household ($3,750 if married filing separately) with no carryover allowed.
- New IRS rule for retirement catch-up contributions. If you are age 50 or older and earned $145,000 or more in 2025 from Syracuse University, your catch-up contributions to the Voluntary Retirement Plan will automatically be made as after-tax Roth 403(b) contributions. Learn more on the Retirement Planning webpage.
- Free flu and COVID-19 vaccines are available on campus on Nov. 13 through Wegmans Pharmacy. Learn more on the Wellness Initiative webpage.
- Log in to MySlice between Nov. 3–14 and click the Open Enrollment tile on the Employee Home page. Need help? Visit Self-Serv or call 315.443.2677 for NetID or password assistance.
- Select your 2026 benefits. Review plan options, add or remove dependents, elect an FSA, update beneficiaries and more.
- Click finish to save your selections. You can make changes any time through Nov. 14.
- Review your confirmation statement sent to your Syracuse University email to ensure your 2026 plan selections are correct.
Multiple resources are available to help with benefit decisions:
- HR Shared Services: Available 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 315.443.4042. Appointments are available on request.
- TIAA (retirement planning): Schedule a consultation with a University-dedicated financial consultant at 855.842.CUSE (TTY: 800.842.2755) or sign up online.
- View all other benefit vendor contact information online.
Benefits to Review During Open Enrollment, Nov. 3-14
- Dental and vision coverage automatically carries over from 2025. As the second year of a two-year commitment, your current elections remain in effect through Dec. 31, 2026, unless you have a qualifying life event.Two dental plans offered:
- Preventive Plan: Covers two annual cleanings and other basic services.
- Comprehensive Plan:Covers basic and major restorative services, including oral surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics and orthodontics.
Both plans include in-network and out-of-network providers. Using in-network providers maximizes your benefits.
The VSP vision plan covers routine eye exams, contact lens care, glasses and frames. Consider contributing to a health care FSA to offset out-of-pocket vision and dental costs.
Full coverage details and employee contributions are available on the dental and vision webpage.
New for 2026: The Dependent Care FSA limit has increased to $7,500 per household ($3,750 if married filing separately). Unused dependent care FSA funds do not carry over.
FSAs help you save on taxes by setting aside pre-tax dollars for health care or dependent care expenses—whether you’re enrolled in University health plans or not.
Dependent Care FSAs cover day care expenses for children under age 13 or adult dependents.
Important: FSA elections don’t transfer automatically to 2026. You must re-enroll during Open Enrollment.
Review details and use the online calculators on the HealthEquity|EZ Receipts website or the FSA webpage.
Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
The University provides life and AD&D insurance through MetLife, with options to purchase supplemental coverage for yourself and your family members at group rates.
A Statement of Health must be approved by MetLife before certain coverage becomes effective. Supplemental life insurance includes a valuable additional benefit—free will preparation [PDF].
Learn more on the Life Insurance webpage or the Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance webpage.
- Review your retirement savings: While you can change contributions anytime, Open Enrollment is a great time to evaluate what you’re setting aside and ensure you’re on track for your future goals. Log in to TIAA to review your account balance and update voluntary contributions through the Open Enrollment tile in MySlice. Outside Open Enrollment, make changes through the HR/Benefits tile in MySlice or by submitting the Voluntary Salary Reduction Form to HR Shared Services.
- New IRS rule for age-based catch-up contributions: Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, if your Syracuse University 2025 Social Security wages (Form W-2, Box 3) exceed $145,000 (indexed for inflation), any Voluntary Retirement Plan contributions that are designated as age-based catch-up contributions will automatically be made as after-tax Roth 403(b) contributions. Learn more on the Retirement Planning webpage.
- 2026 retirement plan contribution limits: The 2026 contribution limits will be posted on the Retirement Planning webpage once announced by the IRS. TIAA will also email your personal 2026 maximum contribution limit to your University email account. You can begin or adjust your contributions at any time by completing the Syracuse University Voluntary Retirement Plan 403(b) Salary Reduction Form [PDF] or, if already enrolled, through the MySlice portal.
Every effort has been made to ensure the information within this website is accurate. However, benefits are governed by legal documents (which, in certain circumstances, may include insurance contracts). If there is any difference between the information within this website and the official documents, the official documents will control. As is the case with all of Syracuse University’s benefit plans, the University reserves the right to modify or terminate these benefits at any time.