Divorce
Certain qualifying life events allow you to make changes in benefits that otherwise are not possible until the annual Open Enrollment period. This summary outlines the benefit plan changes you may need to make as a result of your divorce. Please be sure to make your changes by completing and submitting the appropriate forms to Human Resources within 31 days of the date of your divorce. If you do not notify Human Resources within 31 days of the event, you will need to wait until the next Open Enrollment period.
Required Forms and Documentation
- Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance Enrollment Application
- Benefits Enrollment Form (Faculty, Administrators, and Staff)
- Employee's Evidence of Insurability (If increasing Life Insurance coverage)
- Group Life, Dependent Life & Travel Accident Beneficiary Designation
- Legal Divorce Decree (Copy)
- Name/Address Change Form
Medical/Prescription Drugs and Dental
If you were covered under your ex-spouse's health insurance plan, you may need to enroll in a University medical and/or dental plan. If you are already enrolled in a University health plan, you may need to remove your ex-spouse from your plan effective the date of the divorce. If the divorce decree requires you to insure your child(ren), you may need to add them to your plan. If stepchildren were previously covered under your plan, you may need to remove them from coverage effective the date of the divorce. If your ex-spouse was covered under a University health plan at the time of the divorce and if he/she is not eligible for coverage through his/her employer, your ex-spouse has the right to continue medical insurance participation through COBRA. If there is a name or address change as a result of your divorce, please complete a Name/Address Change Form.
Life Insurance
This is a good time to reevaluate your life insurance coverage to accommodate the change in your family structure. If you purchased dependent life insurance for your ex-spouse, you may want to cancel this coverage. You may also need to change your optional life insurance coverage and update or change your life insurance beneficiary(ies). This change may require that you complete an Evidence of Insurability form.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
Given your current situation, you may want to reconsider your participation in the Health Care and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts by either signing up now or changing the amount of your contributions.
Retirement Programs
This is a good time to review your retirement programs, investment elections, and contribution amounts to accommodate your new situation. You may either begin, stop, increase, or decrease your contributions as well as update or change your beneficiary(ies). This may be done by accessing the investment company's web site.
