End a Domestic Partnership

If you and your domestic partner are ending your relationship, you must notify your campus Benefits Office within 14 days to remove your ex-domestic partner from coverage. Your ex-domestic partner and their children cannot be continued on your RF benefits coverage.

Coverage for your partner will end on the day on which you and/or your partner no longer meet one or more of the requirements on the two affidavits you both have signed, or on the date that your marriage has been formally terminated.

The terms and conditions of your coverage require you to report this relationship termination within 14 days of its occurrence.

Within 14 days of the date the domestic partnership or same-sex marriage ends, you must complete and submit the Termination of Domestic Partnership form (this form applies to domestic partnerships and same-sex marriages). The form is available from your operating location benefits office.

Failure to file the form on a timely basis may have serious negative consequences for you and your partner/spouse.

You may be liable for claims paid for your former partner/spouse for medical services rendered on and after the date the partnership/marriage ended.

You may not enroll another domestic partner or re-enroll the same domestic partner until two years after the date the Termination of Domestic Partnership form is filed with your operating location Benefits Office.

This waiting period is waived in the case of a subsequent same-sex marriage. Your former partner/spouse's 60-day eligibility period for applying for COBRA continuation coverage starts on the date of relationship termination, not the notification date.

Health Plan

The end of a domestic partnership is considered a COBRA qualifying event. While the RF policy requires you to remove your ex-domestic partner from your benefits within 14 days of the relationship ending, federal regulations require the RF to provide your ex-domestic partner the opportunity to continue group health, dental, and vision coverage at their own cost under COBRA. For information about COBRA continuation privileges, please refer to the COBRA section of the Benefits Handbook.

If, as a result of the end of a domestic partnership, you and/or your dependents have lost coverage through your domestic partner’s plan, you will be allowed to change or add coverage through one of the RF’s health plans. The special enrollment period following your loss of other coverage allows you to elect one of the RF’s health plans, within 30 days after the other coverage ends. If elected, coverage begins on the first day of the calendar month that begins after the date that the completed request is received by the Plan. Please refer to the Health Plan and Dental Plan Web pages and the Benefits Handbook for additional information on eligibility and how to enroll.

Dental and Vision Plan

The end of a domestic partnership is considered a COBRA qualifying event. While the RF policy requires you to remove your ex-domestic partner from your benefits within 14 days of the relationship ending, federal regulations require the RF to provide your ex-domestic partner the opportunity to continue group health, dental, and vision coverage at their own cost under COBRA.

For information about COBRA continuation privileges, please refer to the COBRA section of the Benefits Handbook.

If you wish to change your coverage level, you must complete and submit a new RF Benefits Enrollment Form to your campus benefits office. You may change coverage anytime during the year.

Your new coverage will become effective on the day your campus benefits office receives your completed form.

If the change involves a newly eligible dependent, dependent coverage becomes effective on the date the dependent became eligible, provided a new enrollment form is completed within 60 days of this date.

Please refer to the Dental Plan and Vision Plan Web pages and the Benefits Handbook for additional information on eligibility and how to enroll.

Dependent Life Insurance

Your ex-domestic partner may convert the policy to an individual life insurance contract. Please contact The Prudential Insurance Company at 800-524-0542. 

Beneficiary Designation

Keeping beneficiary information current is important. The end of a domestic partnership may prompt beneficiary updates to your retirement and life insurance benefit plans.

You may change your beneficiary designation at any time for your Basic and/or Optional Life Insurance Plans by completing a new Benefits Enrollment Form and submitting it to your campus Benefits Office.

To update your beneficiary for Basic and/or Optional Retirement Plans, please visit www.tiaa.org/rfsuny. Select 'Access My Account', log in, and select 'My Profile'.

Taxes

A change in family status may lead to a change in federal and/or state withholding exemptions. Contact your Payroll Department to change your withholding exemptions.

Financial Planning

A major life event may trigger a change in your financial planning. You may want to review your options with regard to the Optional Retirement Plan.