Making The Commitment
Stanford offers benefits coverage for spouses 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
- Gain or loss of a registered domestic partner
- Death of a spouse, registered domestic partner or dependent
- Spouse or registered domestic partner gains or loses coverage or his/her benefits change
Add A Spouse/Partner
When you get married or gain a domestic partner — or your spouse or partner's job status has changed — you can add or make changes to your benefits coverage. Or you may decide to switch to your spouse/partner's benefit plans.
What To Do In Marriage/Partnership
- Log on to MyBenefits 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 your Beneficiary Designation
- Change your Beneficiary Designation for life insurance coverage.
- Decide if you need a health care or dependent day care spending account, or if you need to decrease the amount you originally elected.
Dissolution/Divorce/Death
Getting divorced or legally separated affects your benefits coverage. A death in the family, such as a spouse, partner or child, also affects your benefits. You can drop or add coverage for dependents as well as make changes to your life insurance.
What To Do In Dissolution/Divorce/Death
- Log on to MyBenefits 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.
- 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.
Registered Domestic Partners
You can cover your domestic partner if your partnership is registered with the State of California. For more information visit the State of California Domestic Partners Registry Web page or see Eligibility.
