Scales of JusticeOverview

On June 26, 2013 the US Supreme Court struck down a federal law defining marriage as between a man and a woman. The federal decision means legally married same-sex couples must now be treated as spouses under the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and more than 1,000 other federal laws.

When does this go into effect?

This becomes effective June 26, 2013.

Who Does this Apply To?

A same-sex couple that is legally married now has the same rights to benefits provided to opposite-sex spouses.

For a limited time only, a same-sex legally married spouse may make a change of election to his/her benefits.

Open enrollment dates will vary by vendor.

Tax Implications

As of June 26, 2013 the value of the employer-paid health insurance coverage for same-sex spouses is no longer counted as taxable income for the subscriber.

What do I need to do?

Advise your employees that the DOMA ruling is viewed as a qualifying event for benefits. Same-Sex legally married spouses may make changes to their benefits. They do not need to wait until open enrollment.

The above information is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

Image Credit: DonkeyHotey

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Teri Weber
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Teri Weber

Partner at Spring Consulting Group, LLC
Teri Weber, ACI is a Senior Vice President with Spring Consulting Group. She has over 10 years of experience in health and welfare plan strategy, design, pricing, and implementation. She also works with absence management programs, including disability, family medical leave and leave of absence tracking. Her areas of expertise have allowed her to work with diverse employers and vendors to streamline processes and programs to meet the needs of insurers, administrators, employers and employees. Teri is on the Board for the New England Employee Benefits Council (NEEBC) and recently served as lead editor for the Disability Management Employer Coalition’s (DMEC) Return to Work Program Manual. Prior to joining Spring, Teri worked with Watson Wyatt, Buck Consultants and AON Consulting. In addition she was an Account Manager with Health Direct, Inc. Teri earned a BS at the University of Connecticut and a MBA at the University of Massachusetts. She holds an ACI designation and is a licensed broker in the states of MA and CT.