Salary, Health Insurance and Employee Benefits

Beginner's Guide offers a short definition of employee benefits, and notes that they vary from company to company. Links throughout the text take you to explanations of important terms.

CollegeGrad.com encourages college students to take advantage of employee benefits at a new job and explains which features you should look for in the benefits offered. You'll learn about most forms of coverage, but you'll have to put up with some flashy ads.

Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) might seem geared toward HR professionals, but its simple and straightforward language makes it accessible to a wide audience. The site offers valuable resources such as free downloads of the EBRI educational guide "Fundamentals of Employee Benefit Programs", or the comprehensive and up-to-date "EBRI Databook on Employee Benefits." You can download the books PDF documents in part or in their entirety. The "Research" section breaks benefits down by categories, including retirement, health, social security, and demographics

The Motley Fool has a comprehensive breakdown of the different types of retirement plans. Included are descriptions of the 11 types of IRAs, the 401(k) versus the 403(b), and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE). You'll also get daily reports of retirement plans in the news.

CNN Money has a section all about retirement, with information on retirement planning. You'll learn how to choose the right IRA to suit your needs, the 401(k) "flubs" you should avoid, and how to decide whether you should take your retirement money in a lump sum or an annuity. If you're new to the basics of getting ready for retirement, stop by the "Money 101" section first.

U.S. Department of Labor has a retirement section that explains benefit and pension plans, and it even answers questions about what happens to your benefits if the company you work for goes bankrupt. You'll also learn the warning signs that your 401(k) contributions are being misused. This site is an extensive network of articles and hyperlinks, so spend some time here to ensure you catch everything that might pertain to you.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has extensive information geared toward the consumer. Particularly useful is its guide to "Choosing and Using a Health Plan." Here you'll learn the difference between PPOs, HMOs, and POSs, along with how to compare health plans, evaluate quality, and choose doctors.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a directory of state health agencies, which can help answer your questions about health insurance and coverage.

CNN Money offers a lesson in health insurance and the top things you should know about the coverage you choose. Later, the lesson dives into the basics of the two types of insurance: managed care and indemnity plans. Finally, you'll learn how to choose the plan that's right for you.

HealthDecisions is one of the Web's premier portals for health insurance information. Users not familiar with how insurance works, or what their options are, should start by visiting the "Learning Center." It's here that you'll find definitions to acronyms like HMO, PPO, HSA, and HDHP, a beginner's guide to insurance, and a useful FAQ section. The "Insurance Locater" can help you find insurance in your area.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has information about health savings accounts (HSAs). On this page you'll find links to PDF documents, downloadable brochures, and a link to frequently asked questions about HSAs that should help you understand what HSAs are, how they work, and whether one is right for you.

Social Security Online is the official Web site of the U.S. Social Security Administration. Providing background on the rationale for the social security system and an explanation of how it works, this site functions as both a sound overview and introduction to the system, and a practical guide for learning about how social security affects you, the worker.

Kiplinger.com urges you to "Take Advantage of Tax-Deferred Accounts" in this article about health savings and flexible-spending accounts. The money in these accounts will help you pay for your out-of-pocket medical expenses. Browse through the site for more investment news and information.

AllBusiness discusses the benefits of employee stock options, and it helps you sort out the differences between incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options. Make sure you check out the related articles about Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and dividend reinvestment plans.