Open enrollment is live at both Ithaca campuses. Cornell's endowed window closes November 13. Ithaca College's closes November 6. Whatever you pick is locked in for 2027.
If nothing in your life changed this year, keeping last year's choices is probably fine. But if you got married, had a kid, your spouse changed jobs, or you've never looked at what your retirement money is invested in, it's worth conducting a review of your options.
The deadlines
Cornell contract-college faculty (CALS, Human Ecology, ILR, Vet) choose health insurance through NYSHIP, with an Option Transfer window that typically opens in December.
What to check, by school
The plans, systems, and employer contributions are different enough that I wrote one for each campus:
- Cornell open enrollment 2026: what to check before November 13. Premiums are up and CPHL's deductible doubled for 2027, Cornell's $1,000 HSA deposit, why the 10% CURP contribution is a floor and not a plan, and what to look at in your TIAA or Fidelity account.
- Ithaca College open enrollment 2026: what to check before November 6. How the three 2027 plans compare on the rate sheet, the $1,000 to $1,500 IC puts in your HSA, and the 3%-gets-you-8% retirement match.
The five things that apply everywhere
Before you click submit
- Pick the health plan on total cost for the year, using what you actually spent last year, not the premium line.
- Re-elect your FSAs. They reset to zero every year, and dependent care money you don't use is gone.
- Check your 403(b) contribution and what it's invested in. The 2026 limit is $24,500 plus catch-ups.
- Check beneficiaries on every policy and account. A beneficiary form overrides your will.
- If your spouse has benefits elsewhere, compare both before you submit.
Your benefits are a big part of your pay. Take a look at them once a year like you would a raise. You'd be surprised at what you could be leaving on the table.
Quick answers
When does Cornell open enrollment end in 2026?
Cornell's endowed open enrollment for 2027 benefits runs October 26 through November 13, 2026, in Workday. Contract-college employees (CALS, Human Ecology, ILR, Vet) use the separate NYSHIP Option Transfer window, which typically falls in December.
When does Ithaca College open enrollment end in 2026?
November 6, 2026, in IC HR Cloud. IC does not grant extensions. Changes take effect January 1, 2027.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Your medical, dental, and vision elections generally roll forward unchanged. FSAs don't; you must re-elect them each year. After the window closes, you can only make changes with a qualifying life event such as marriage, a birth, or a change in your spouse's coverage.
Can a financial planner help with open enrollment?
Yes. I'll compare the plans against what your family actually spent, line them up against a spouse's benefits, check your retirement contribution and funds, and look at life and disability coverage. Fee-only, so there's nothing for me to sell you.
Want me to look it over before the deadline?
A 20-minute call. Bring your enrollment worksheet and last year's statements. I'll tell you what I'd change and what I'd leave alone.
Book a conversation