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LifeEvents
Adoption/Guardianship of Dependent Child

Adopting a child is a joyful event in one's life. As a guardian you become the primary person responsible for the child's needs and progress in life. Obviously you will be considering the child in this process, but you must also consider yourself, other family members, and the family environment. A review of your benefit plans is certainly in order at this time.

Forms:

Additional Information:

Health SPD

DB Pension SPD/Plan Document

Can I Ever Lose My Pension Credits?

Planning Notes:

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:

Benefit Plan Checklist Items regarding the Health Plans apply only to participants in the Southern California IBEW-NECA Health Plans. However, if you participate in another electrician health plan, it is likely that similar considerations will apply.
	Children who would lose eligibility as a dependent child on or after June 30, 2011 under the old eligibility rules (due to age or lack of full-time student status) will have their coverage continued until the last day of the calendar month in which they attain age 26 presuming the Participant retains eligibility under the plan through that date. The law also allows plans the option of denying coverage to dependents who are eligible to enroll for another employer-sponsored health plan OTHER than their parents' group health plans until the first Plan Year commencing in 2014 at which time this potential limitation of coverage is eliminated. This Board of Trustees has adopted this option until July 1, 2014.
	You may want to review your designation of beneficiary for the Life Insurance Death Benefit and the DB and DC Pension Plans.
	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 take a look at the Family and Medical Leave Act information in the Active Health SPD to see how your benefits may be affected. The Family/Maternity/Paternity Leave also affects DB grace periods - see SPD link for more information.

External Related Links:
(These are listed for your convenience. The sites and the contents of the sites are not sponsored or endorsed by your benefit plans. Use them at your own risk.)

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.
California Kids Connection - California Kids Connection is the online, searchable database listing children in California who are available for adoption.
Children and Family Services - Provides information on adoption in California, frequently asked questions, a directory of licensed California adoption agencies and more.