LifeEvents

Relationships Submenu

Wellness Programs Submenu

Taking responsibility for a child is an important decision in one’s life. As the legal adoptive parent, you become the primary person responsible for the child’s needs and progress in life. Not only must you consider the child in this process, but you must also consider yourself, other family members, and the family environment.

Plan Checklist

  • Legally adopted children who live in your home or children who have been placed in your home for adoption for which you or your legal spouse are or will be the legal adoptive parents are covered by the Welfare Trust in the same way as genetic children. You must complete a new Enrollment and Beneficiary Designation for the Health Trust and provide a copy of the legal adoption papers to the Trust Customer Service Office. The Plan may also require proof that you provide the child’s support. This must be done within 31 days of the arrangement in order to ensure coverage.
  • You will want to review your designation of beneficiary for the life insurance under the Welfare Trust. If you are unmarried, you will also want to review the designation of beneficiary for the Pension Plan.
  • Review the rules for coordination of benefits. Coordination of benefits rules govern who will have the primary coverage for your child if both you and your spouse have group health coverage.
  • If you think you might be taking Family/Maternity/Paternity Leave you should review section 1.9 of the Welfare SPD and section 3.4.3 of the Pension SPD to see how your benefits may be affected.

Also Consider…

Financial planners recommend that whenever there is an addition to your family you should update a number of personal plans and documents. Here is a checklist of some items which you may need to update, revise, or consider:

  • Unique Families: Adoption and Special Needs
    Support for parents of children with special needs or children who are adopted. Mailing lists, articles by parents and professionals, resources.
  • Advice for Adoptive Parents
    Tips and advice for adoptive and foster parents including talking with your child about adoption, childhood grief and loss issues, and other unique situations that occur within adoptive and foster families.
  • International Adoption
    Information and online publications provided by US State Department.
Life Events

Wherever life takes you, know your benefit impact.