Benefits for Your Spouse or Domestic Partner

Stanford offers benefits coverage for spouses (same or opposite sex) and registered domestic partners. See Eligibility for more details. The following life events allow you to make a change to your coverage:

• Marriage, divorce or legal separation
• Establishment or dissolution of a registered domestic partnership
• Death of your spouse or registered domestic partner
• Gain or loss of coverage, or change in benefits, for your spouse or domestic partner

When you get married or enter into a domestic partnership — or your spouse or partner's job status changes — you can add or make changes to your benefits coverage. Or, you may decide to switch to your spouse/partner's benefit plans. If you add a spouse/partner to your coverage, you will need to submit proof of eligibilityDependent Eligibility Documentation Requirements
List of dependents who may be eligible for various benefits, and documentation required to prove that relationship.
.

What To Do If You Get Married or Establish a Partnership

• Log on to MyBenefits in the upper right corner of this page within 31 days of the event to add, change or drop health care and/or life coverage.
• If you are adding your spouse/partner, make sure you have the document(s) you needDependent Eligibility Documentation Requirements
  List of dependents who may be eligible for various benefits, and documentation required to prove that relationship.
  to verify their eligibility.
• Adjust your life and AD&D insurance, or purchase dependent life insurance.
• Verify or change your beneficiary information for your life and AD&D insurance. Log on to MyBenefits in the upper right corner of this page and look under My Personal Information. If you need change your beneficiary for your Stanford retirement savings plan, download the form and follow the instructions.
• Decide if you need a health care or dependent day care spending account, or if you need to decrease the amount you originally elected.

Removing a Spouse or Partner from Your Benefits

Getting divorced or legally separated affects your benefits coverage. The death of your spouse or partner also affects your benefits. You can drop or add coverage for dependents as well as make changes to your life insurance.

What To Do If You Divorce, Dissolve Your Partnership, Or If Your Spouse/Partner Dies

• Log on to MyBenefits in the upper right corner of this page within 31 days of the event to add, change or drop health care and/or life coverage.
• Adjust your life and AD&D insurance, or purchase dependent life insurance.
• Verify or change your beneficiary information for your life and AD&D insurance. Logon to MyBenefits in the upper right corner of this page and look under My Personal Information. If you need change your beneficiary for your Stanford retirement savings plan, download the form and follow the instructions.
• If applicable, change your name and/or address.
• Decide if you need a health care or dependent day care spending account, or if you need to decrease the amount you originally elected.
• Submit a QMSCO (Qualified Medical Child-Support Order) to Stanford Benefits, if applicable. Contact Stanford Benefits for more information.
• Submit a QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relations Order) on your retirement savings plans to Stanford Benefits, if applicable. Click here for more info.
• Be sure to get several certified copies of the death certificate, if applicable.