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Benefits
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Life Events
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Introduction
Becoming a Parent
Change in Spouse's Employment Status
Designating Beneficiaries
Getting Divorced
Getting Married
If You Become Disabled
In Case of Your or a Family Member's Death
Joining Boston University
Leaving or Retiring from Boston University
Taking a Leave of Absence
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Getting Married

When you get married, you should notify the Benefits Section of the Office of Human Resources immediately to report the change in status, update your personnel records and emergency contact information and request any appropriate forms. To enroll your new spouse (and any dependents) for coverage, you must complete the forms and return them to the Benefits Section of the Office of Human Resources within 30 calendar days of your marriage, which is considered a qualified change in status. You may be required to provide a marriage license.

When you get married, you should also update your beneficiary designations. You may also want to think about adjusting your reimbursement account contributions, your life insurance coverage or your withholding allowances on your W-4 Form.

Here is a summary of the impact on your benefits when you get married.

Benefits Your Coverage at Boston University

Health Plan and
Dental Health Plan

  • You may enroll eligible new dependents within 30 days of your marriage.
Long-Term Disability Plan
  • Coverage continues with no change.
Basic Life Insurance Plan
  • Coverage continues.
  • You may want to update your beneficiary designation(s).
Group Supplemental Life Insurance Plan
  • You may elect to cover your spouse individually, only if you choose to enroll for coverage for yourself.

  • To do so, you must enroll your spouse within 30 days of your marriage.

  • The maximum coverage amount you may elect for your spouse is three times your annual base salary (rounded up to the next higher multiple of $10,000) or $100,000, whichever is less.

  • You may enroll any newly eligible dependent children for $5,000 or $10,000 of coverage per child.
Travel Accident Insurance Plan
  • Review and update your beneficiary designation(s).
Personal and Family Accident Insurance Plan
  • Consider purchasing or increasing coverage for yourself and/or your eligible family members within 30 days of your marriage.
Supplemental Retirement and Savings Plan
  • Your spouse is automatically the primary beneficiary of this plan, unless he or she provides notarized consent to an alternate beneficiary.

Dependent Care Reimbursement Account and
Health Care Reimbursement Account

 

  • You may adjust participation consistent with your changed status within 30 days of your marriage.
Tuition Remission Program
  • Once you have completed 12 months of eligible service, your spouse will be granted 50% tuition remission each semester for all graduate and undergraduate courses taken at Boston University.

  • Your dependent children will also be eligible once you have completed four months of service.

Boston University Children's Center, Inc. and
Early Childhood Learning Lab

  • Your new dependents may be eligible for Boston University's on-site day care, if there is space available. (Children must be ages two through six for the Children's Center and ages two years and nine months through age five for the Learning Lab.)

  • You may contact the Family Resources Office [link to 9.2.4] for help with child care services.
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