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Certify Dependents for Benefits Coverage

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The table below lists the documentation needed to certify your dependents' eligibility for benefits.

When you add a dependent to your benefits, that election is incomplete until the required certification documents are received. 

You have 31 days from your hire date or qualified life event to upload, fax or mail dependent certification documentation to Stanford Benefits. If Stanford Benefits does not receive the required dependent documentation within 31 days, your dependent will not be covered. 

Certifying dependents during Open Enrollment: You have until Jan. 31 in the new plan year to provide certification documents. 

Note: In January 2020, California began recognizing domestic partnerships as all couples consisting of any two people, regardless of gender, over 18 years old. If you are enrolling previously ineligible partners and dependents, your registration with the state is the necessary dependent verification documentation to provide and the date of the event is the date on the registration.  

Upload Documentation:
Upload your documentation by logging in to My Benefits and use the Upload Documents tool.

Mail:
Stanford Benefits
P.O. Box 3190
Bellaire, TX 77402 

Fax:
866-539-0431

Certify Your Dependents for Benefits Coverage

DEPENDENT'S RELATIONSHIP TO YOU

PREFERRED DOCUMENTATION

ALTERNATE DOCUMENTATION

DOCUMENT RESOURCES

Spouse, same or opposite sex (unless legally separated)

Marriage certificate

  1. Most recent state or federal (joint) tax return; or

  2. Most recent visa document; and

    • Related legal document that establishes dependent relationship

  • County Clerk/Recorder

  • State vital records

  • Personal tax filing records

  • U.S. State Department

Registered domestic partner

State or municipal Declaration of Domestic Partnership Certificate

Most recent state (joint) tax return

State of California website (for California registered domestic partners)

Common Law spouse

  1. Affidavit;

  2. Declaration of Common Law Marriage; or

  3. Other state legal affidavits or declarations

Most recent state or federal (joint) tax return

  • County Clerk/Recorder

  • State vital records

  • Personal tax filing records

Children up to age 26

  1. Birth certificate; or

  2. Hospital issued certificate of live birth (for newborns added within 31 days of birth)

  1. Most recent state or federal tax return;

  2. Hospital certificate of live birth;

  3. Most recent visa documents; and

  • Related legal documents that establish dependent relationship and birth date; or

  • Legal documents that establish dependent relationship and DNA test results as evidence of family relationships

  • County Clerk/Recorder

  • State vital records

  • Personal tax filing records

  • U.S. State Department

Stepchild(ren) up to age 26

Birth certificate and marriage certificate

  1. Most recent state or federal (joint) tax return;

  2. Most recent visa document; and

  • Related legal documents that establish dependent relationship and birth date

  • County Clerk/Recorder

  • State vital records

  • Personal tax filing records

  • U.S. State Department

Adopted child(ren) up to age 26

  1. Birth certificate;

  2. Final adoption decree;

  3. Placement letter from court; or

  4. Adoption agency for pending adoption(s)

n/a

  • County Clerk/Recorder

  • State vital records

  • U.S. State Department

 Child(ren) up to age 26 for whom you are a legal guardian

  1. Court assignment; or

  2. Agency order establishing legal guardianship; and

  • Related legal documents that establish relationship and birth date

  1. Most recent state or federal tax return;

  2. Most recent visa document; and

  • Related legal documents that establish dependent relationship and birth date

Child(ren) up to age 26 of your registered domestic partner, who depend on your support and lives with you in a parent/child relationship

State or municipal Declaration of Domestic Partnership Certificate and birth certificate

  1. Most recent state (joint) tax return;

  2. Most recent visa document; and

  • Related legal documents that establish dependent relationship and birth date

Adopted child(ren) up to age 26 of your registered domestic partner, who depend on your support and live with you in a parent/child relationship

  1. State or municipal Declaration of Domestic Partnership Certificate; and birth certificate;

  2. Final adoption decree; or

  3. Placement letter from court or adoption agency for pending adoptions

  1. Most recent state (joint) tax return; or

  2. Most recent visa document; and

  • Related legal documents that establish dependent relationship and birth date

Children up to age 26 for whom your registered domestic partner is the legal guardian

  1. State or municipal Declaration of Domestic Partnership Certificate; and

  • Birth certificate and court assignment; or

  • Agency order establishing legal guardianship

  1. Most recent state (joint) tax return; or

  2. Most recent visa document; and

  • Related legal documents that establish dependent relationship and birth date

Child(ren) up to age 26 for whom the court has issued a Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO)

Qualified Child Support Order (QMCSO)

n/a

  • County Clerk/Recorder

  • State vital records

Unmarried children age 26 or over if dependent on your for primary financial support and maintenance due to a physical or mental disability, incapable of self-support and disability existed before age 19

  1. Birth certificate

  2. Other document supporting the relationship; and

  • Proof of the disability from your child's medical plan.

Note: This audit verifies only dependent eligibility. Your medical carrier determines the child's disability status.

Most recent state or federal tax return

  • County Clerk/Recorder

  • State vital records

  • Personal tax filing records

  • U.S. State Department

Important Note

  • You are responsible for providing any necessary translation of documents into English. Translated document(s) must be notarized.