Marriage
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 marriage. Please be sure to make your changes by completing and submitted the appropriate forms to Human Resources within 31 days of the date of your marriage. 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
- Marriage Certificate (Copy)
- Name/Address Change Form
Medical/Prescription Drugs and Dental
Now is a good time to review and compare your spouse's health benefits with those offered at the University so you can choose the coverage that suits you best. If you are already enrolled in a University medical and/or dental plan, you may decide to add your spouse to your plan (changing coverage from individual to family) or cancel your coverage and be on your spouse's insurance. Before canceling, first check with your spouse's employer to be certain they do not require that you maintain your own insurance.
Life Insurance
This is a good time to reevaluate your life insurance coverage to ensure that you have proper coverage to accommodate the change in your family. You may elect to change your optional and/or dependent life insurance coverage(s) as well as update or change your life insurance beneficiary(ies). This change may require that you complete an Evidence of Insurability form.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
You may want to reconsider your participation in Flexible Spending Accounts by either signing up now or changing the amount of your contributions. If you are already participating, you may want to increase your Health Care FSA contribution to pay for your spouse's out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or Dependent Care FSA contribution should you be gaining a dependent requiring day care services.
Retirement Programs
This is a good time to review your retirement programs, investment elections, and contribution amounts to make sure they are consistent with any agreement you may have made with your new partner about sharing financial responsibilities. You may also want to update or change your beneficiary(ies). This may be done by accessing the investment company's web site.
