Need advise

[utahcowboy72]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Utah. when i was younger i made a big mistake and i am wondering if there is a good way to fix it. the details are, i got a divorce about ten years ago, at the time i felt we where going to be getting back together so i did not take her off my employers benefits now i don't know what to do we didn't get back together. i did remove her from the employers insurance a few years ago but as far as the employer is concerned we are still married. any help would be greatly appreciated
thanks in advance

 

[Zigner]

What do you need advice about? Tell your employer your are no longer married (if you need to.)

 

[Silverplum]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Utah. when i was younger i made a big mistake and i am wondering if there is a good way to fix it. the details are, i got a divorce about ten years ago, at the time i felt we where going to be getting back together so i did not take her off my employers benefits now i don't know what to do we didn't get back together. i did remove her from the employers insurance a few years ago but as far as the employer is concerned we are still married. any help would be greatly appreciated
thanks in advance

So you participated in fraud? Did your insurer and/or employer find out?

 

[cbg]

She's off the insurance now?

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Utah. when i was younger i made a big mistake and i am wondering if there is a good way to fix it. the details are, i got a divorce about ten years ago, at the time i felt we where going to be getting back together so i did not take her off my employers benefits now i don't know what to do we didn't get back together. i did remove her from the employers insurance a few years ago but as far as the employer is concerned we are still married. any help would be greatly appreciated
thanks in advance

You are still married as far as the employer is concerned in what way? Is she still the beneficiary to your company sponsored life insurance or other benefits like a 401K? If so, you tell them that you are divorced and change the beneficiary.

 

[utahcowboy72]

She's off the insurance now?

Yes she has been for a few years

 

[utahcowboy72]

You are still married as far as the employer is concerned in what way? Is she still the beneficiary to your company sponsored life insurance or other benefits like a 401K? If so, you tell them that you are divorced and change the beneficiary.

I'm not sure what will happen if I tell them now I can't afford to loose my job

 

[utahcowboy72]

So you participated in fraud? Did your insurer and/or employer find out?

No that's why I have asked this question.

 

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

Other than health insurance, what other benefits does the company offer that marital status affects?

 

[Ohiogal]

I'm not sure what will happen if I tell them now I can't afford to loose my job

They may very well find out without you telling them. YOu did commit fraud. How much did your ex use the insurance? You were both complicit in this if she used it after the divorce.

 

[cbg]

Hold on. It's not quite that dire. My employer will not allow you to enroll an ex-wife or ex-husband, but if the spouse is already on the policy at the time of the divorce, we will allow them to stay on. And maybe it's just because it's liberal Massachusetts, but I've never worked anywhere that didn't have that same policy.

The first thing the OP needs to do is find out who is considered an eligible dependent on his health insurance.

As for beneficiaries, there's no issue there. He should be able to change the beneficiaries for his life insurance and retirement plans at any time; there's nothing saying he can't have an ex-spouse as his beneficiary. Some life insurance policies are taken out specifically as protection for an ex-spouse.

 

[Ohiogal]

Hold on. It's not quite that dire. My employer will not allow you to enroll an ex-wife or ex-husband, but if the spouse is already on the policy at the time of the divorce, we will allow them to stay on. And maybe it's just because it's liberal Massachusetts, but I've never worked anywhere that didn't have that same policy.

The first thing the OP needs to do is find out who is considered an eligible dependent on his health insurance.

As for beneficiaries, there's no issue there. He should be able to change the beneficiaries for his life insurance and retirement plans at any time; there's nothing saying he can't have an ex-spouse as his beneficiary. Some life insurance policies are taken out specifically as protection for an ex-spouse.

The only employer in this state (mine) that allows an ex to remain on health insurance is the military. Other than that, all exes get kicked off.

 

[cbg]

And the OP is in a different state from either of us - and a very family-oriented state.

I very much doubt that the law in any state REQUIRES that ex's be kicked off. I can agree that a standard response might be to do so, but considering how many spouses are required by the court to provide coverage, I have my doubts that any state legislature would make a law prohibiting an employer from allowing ex-spouses to be covered if they choose to allow it.

Got a heck of a lot of multi-state experience here; I'm not just talking out of my hat. Been doing this almost as long as you've been alive.

Now, if the OP comes back and says he's checked his policy and ex-spouses are definitely not covered dependents under any circumstances, we can move on to the next step, which is whether or not his ex-wife used the policy after the divorce. But there is no reason to assume that ex-spouses MUST be ineligible.

 

[Ohiogal]

And the OP is in a different state from either of us - and a very family-oriented state.

I very much doubt that the law in any state REQUIRES that ex's be kicked off. I can agree that a standard response might be to do so, but considering how many spouses are required by the court to provide coverage, I have my doubts that any state legislature would make a law prohibiting an employer from allowing ex-spouses to be covered if they choose to allow it.

Got a heck of a lot of multi-state experience here; I'm not just talking out of my hat. Been doing this almost as long as you've been alive.

Now, if the OP comes back and says he's checked his policy and ex-spouses are definitely not covered dependents under any circumstances, we can move on to the next step, which is whether or not his ex-wife used the policy after the divorce. But there is no reason to assume that ex-spouses MUST be ineligible.

I wasn't arguing with you. I really wasn't. I probably should have been a bit more complete with that response of mine because that is cool that it is allowed -- and I was not aware that it was allowed as that has not been my experience. And I answered based upon what I have seen happen here. If I am wrong, I can admit it.

 

[cbg]

Fair enough.