Covering Dependents 
Have a dependent you want to add to your benefits? Read on for more information.

Domestic Partners
For dependent verification, if you live in a state that has domestic partner registry, you and your same or opposite-gender domestic partner must be registered in that state (see below).  If your state does not have domestic partner registry, you must submit a domestic partner affidavit.  

States with Domestic Partner Registry
For more information about state registry for same or opposite-gender domestic partners, click on a state below:

California*
Delaware 
District of Columbia
Hawaii 
Illinois
Maine
Maryland - see your local county Circuit Clerk's Office
New Jersey*
Nevada 
Washington*
Wisconsin*

*For noted states, domestic partner is defined as same sex couples or opposite sex couples in which at least one partner is at least 62 years of age to register

Dependent Verification
If you’re enrolling a dependent, you must submit dependent documentation before your dependent’s coverage will be approved. Acceptable forms of dependent documentation are:

• For a spouse:
  • Federal Tax Return (Form 1040) within last two years OR
  • Government issued marriage certificate AND proof of join ownership within last 6 months if married more than 12 months OR
  • Government issued marriage certificate (if married in last 12 months)
• For a child:
  • Government issued birth certificate
• For a domestic partner:
  • Affidavit of Domestic Partnership/Certificate of Domestic Partner Registration AND Proof of Joint Ownership within last 6 months

Need to add a dependent to your benefits due to a life event?
To add a dependent to your benefits due to a recent life event, go to the Cotality Benefits Center and select ‘Change My Benefits’ and then ‘Life Event’. After adding them, you will receive a notification to verify them by uploading the required documents.

Tax Implications of Enrolling Your Domestic Partner
Before you enroll your domestic partner in health care benefits, it’s important to understand how your taxes may be affected. The IRS requires employers to add the value of certain “non-cash compensation” to an employee’s taxable pay. This added value amount is commonly referred to as “imputed income.” The contributions for your domestic partner and his or her children count as imputed income. Imputed income does not increase your actual pay and is not a deduction from pay. However, it is subject to federal, state and local income tax, Social Security and Medicare withholding (FICA) and any other applicable payroll taxes. When the payroll taxes taken out of your pay are calculated, they are based on your pay plus any imputed income. So, imputed income will increase the taxes taken out of your pay.