Life & Work Events

Marriage and Partnership

Getting Married

When you get married or gain a same sex domestic partner, you may add or make changes to your benefits coverage.  Contact your departmental administrator to change your name.

Registering your Same-Sex Domestic Partner

  • Complete the Statement of Domestic Partnership form and a Tax Certification of Dependency for health and submit to Benefits (fax to 773.753.3319).
  • Upon approval, Benefits will mail confirmation of the registration approval directly to you.
  • You will be contacted if any information is missing from your Statement of Domestic Partnership form, or if your registration has not been approved because you do not meet all the necessary requirements.
Medical and Dental Insurance

If you are a medical and/or dental plan participant, you may wish to add your spouse or same sex domestic partner to your coverage or drop your medical coverage should you choose coverage under your spouse's medical plan. You cannot drop dental coverage for yourself or any of your enrolled dependents until the annual open enrollment period.

  • Verification of relationship is required when adding a spouse or domestic partner to your health and/or dental coverage. Documentation may include a marriage certificate or domestic partnership statement.
  • Copies of all necessary documentation should be submitted within 31 days of the marriage to Benefits (fax to 773.753.3319).
Group Life Insurance and/or Personal Accident Insurance

You may want to change your beneficiary designation(s) and/or increase the level of your coverage because of a recent marriage or the addition of a domestic partner. These changes may be made anytime during the year.

  • If you wish to increase your level of Life Insurance coverage, you must complete the Evidence of Insurability process through the Prudential Insurance Company of America (Prudential). Prudential will contact you with information regarding the Evidence of Insurability process and must approve your application before your increased level of coverage takes effect.

You may wish to consider/elect: 

  • Voluntary Spouse or Same Gender Domestic Partner (registered with the University) Life Insurance. You may elect coverage for your spouse or same gender domestic partner, registered with the University, in $10,000 increments up to $150,000. You must complete the Evidence of Insurability process through the Prudential Insurance Company of America (Prudential). Prudential will contact you with information regarding the Evidence of Insurability process and must approve your application before the increased level of coverage takes effect. You, as the employee, pay the full cost for this coverage through after-tax payroll deductions.
  • Voluntary Dependent Child (ren) Life Insurance. You may elect coverage for your eligible dependent child(ren) (up to age 26) in $2,000 increments up to $10,000. Voluntary Dependent Child(ren) Life may cover one child or multiple children in your family. You will only pay premium based on one level of coverage. So, if you choose the $2,000 level of coverage, you will only pay premium based on $2,000, yet you will have $2,000 coverage on each eligible child in your family. There is no Evidence of Insurability required for children. You, as the employee, pay the full cost for this coverage through after-tax payroll deductions.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

If you are getting married and anticipate a change in your health care expenses, you may want to begin participating in a Health Care FSA or increase/ decrease your current contributions to the Health Care FSA.

If your new spouse has children who will become your dependents and you anticipate day care expenses, you may want to begin participating in the Dependent Care FSA, or increase/decrease your current contributions to the Dependent Care FSA. 

Special Notes:

This change can only be made in the case of marriage, not in the case of same sex domestic partnership.  To make changes to your benefits, within 31 days of the qualifying event:

  • Download and complete the Benefits Change form and
  • Return the completed form with any supporting documentation to Benefits (fax to 773.753.3319).
Retirement Benefits

Under federal law, your spouse has certain rights with respect to your retirement benefits. Accordingly, it is important that you notify TIAA-CREF and/or Vanguard of your new spouse or partner as soon as possible after your marriage or approved same sex domestic partnership agreement obtain any requisite paperwork.

If you are registering a same sex domestic partner, you may also want to update your beneficiary designation with TIAA-CREF and Vanguard.