Domestic Partner Definition
A domestic partner may be a same-sex or opposite-sex partner who meets all of the following requirements:
- You and your partner are each other's sole partners and plan to remain so.
- Neither partner is legally married to another person.
- Both partners are at least 18 years old, mentally competent to consent, and not related by blood in a way that would prevent marriage under Iowa law.
- You and your partner live together in the same residence.
Quick Links
Available Coverage
Coverage options include:
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
Children of either you or your domestic partner may be covered if they meet the eligibility guidelines set by the insurance provider and the University.
Coverage Effective Date
Coverage takes effect on the first day of the month after the affidavit is signed and submitted to the University Benefits Office.
The start date cannot be backdated.
What Changes When You Add a Domestic Partner
- Your benefits family status will change.
- If you are classified as a student for benefits purposes, your monthly premiums will increase when adding a partner, with or without children.
- For employed graduate students, adding a partner (with or without dependent children) will affect premiums and University contributions.
- Employed graduate students may also have tax changes related to domestic partner coverage.
Tax Consequences (Employed Graduate Students Only)
Domestic partner coverage may create additional tax liability for employed graduate students. This depends on the partner’s tax status and federal regulations for imputed income.
Domestic Partner is Not a Tax Dependent
If your domestic partner does not qualify as your tax dependent:
- You cannot pay for your partner’s coverage on a pre‑tax basis.
- The portion of the premium that the University of Iowa pays for your partner’s coverage will be added to your taxable income.
- This additional amount is subject to federal income tax withholding and employment taxes and will appear on your Form W‑2.
- You cannot claim expenses for your domestic partner under the Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
Domestic Partner Is a Tax Dependent
If your domestic partner does qualify as your tax dependent under IRS rules:
- None of the University‑paid premiums for your partner’s coverage is added to your income.
- The premium is not subject to federal income tax withholding or employment taxes.
- Your partner may be included in the pre‑tax program.
To meet IRS dependency requirements:
- You must provide more than 50% of your partner’s financial support.
- You and your partner must share the same household for the entire calendar year.
For more information, see the Tax Implications section on the Domestic Partner webpage.
Required Documentation
If you believe your partner qualifies as a tax dependent, you must indicate this on the Affidavit for Domestic Partnership.
If you do not note this, your partner will automatically be treated as not being a tax dependent for tax and premium purposes.
Undergrad Student + Domestic Partner Monthly Premium Rates
| Plan | Student + Spouse | Family (Student + Domestic Partner + Children) |
|---|---|---|
| SHIP | $1,080 | $1,253 |
| UIGRADCare | $926 | $2,381 |
| Student Dental | $47 | $80 |
Employed Grad + Domestic Partner Monthly Premium Rates
| Plan | Before Tax Premium | After-Tax Premium (Employee Contribution) | Taxable Amount (Employer Contribution) | Total Cost of Dom. Partner Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHIP | $29.20 | $294.80 | $493.20 | $788.00 |
| UIGRADCare | $47.20 | $230.60 | $223.40 | $454.00 |
| Student Dental | $3.75 | $10.35 | $11.65 | $22.00 |
Table Legend:
- Before-Tax Premium = The premium amount deducted from pay on a before-tax basis.
- After-Tax Premium = The premium amount deducted from pay on an after-tax basis.
- Total Premium Deduction = The before-tax amount + the after-tax amount.
- Taxable Amount = The amount added to your earnings to offset the after-tax premium. You are taxed on this amount.
- Total Cost of Domestic Partner Coverage = The total amount that will be deducted from pay on an after-tax basis (the taxable amount offsets this)
Table Legend for Employed Grad Students
How to Begin the Process
- Complete the Affidavit for Domestic Partnership – Students (pdf).
This form remains active until the relationship ends. - Submit the affidavit to the University Benefits Student Insurance team:
Email: benefits-students@uiowa.edu
Mail: University Benefits – Student Insurance
120 University Services Building
Iowa City, IA 52242 - Once approved, the Student Insurance team will email instructions for completing your enrollment.
- You must request the change in MyUI within 30 days of the date the affidavit was signed.
If you miss the 30‑day window, you must wait for a student open enrollment period.
Enrollment Instructions
Before You Begin: Gather Required Information
You will need your partner's:
- Full legal name
- Date of Birth
- Social Security Number
How to Add Your Domestic Partner in MyUI
- Log in to MyUI.
From the top menu, go to Student Information → Student Life Management → Student Insurance. - Select the Student Insurance - Life Event button (orange).
- If you have not yet enrolled yourself, select the Enroll in Insurance button (green).
- From the Life Events drop-down menu, choose Domestic Partnership.
- Enter the date you andyour partner signed the affidavit in the Date of Event field.
- Select Continue.
- Under Dependents, select Add Dependents and enter your partner's information.
- In the Relationship field, choose Domestic Partner.
- Two checkboxes will appear; review them and complete any that apply.
- Choose the plan(s) you want to add your partner to, then select Save and Continue Life Event Process.
- Review the information for accuracy.
- Add comments if needed.
- Select Continue to route your form to University Benefits for processing.
- You will receive a Routing Complete email from UI Workflow once your event has been processed.
COBRA Coverage
Students enrolled only through student status are not eligible for COBRA continuation coverage.
If you are employed by the University of Iowa, federal COBRA rules apply. Your domestic partner may be eligible for COBRA if coverage ends because of:
- termination of your employment,
- the end of the domestic partner relationship, or
- a child no longer meeting dependent eligibility guidelines.
If the Relationship Ends
You must notify University Benefits by submitting the Termination of Domestic Partnership (PDF) form.
As stated in the original affidavit, you must wait 12 months from the termination date before filing a new Affidavit of Domestic Partnership with University Benefits. If you enter a new domestic partner relationship after that period, a new affidavit will be required.
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Our website's information describes only the highlights of the plans and does not constitute official plan documents. Additional terms and conditions may apply. If there are any discrepancies between the information contained herein and the official plan documents, the plan documents will govern.