• Health & Wellness
  • Health
    • Health Plan Overview
    • Participation
      • Enrolling in the Health Plan
      • Eligible Family Members
      • Special Provisions for Former Spouses
      • Cost of the Health Plan
      • Changing Coverage or Stopping Coverage
    • Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO
      • Emergency Coverage
      • Home Health Care Benefits
      • Prescription Drug Benefits
      • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Benefits
      • Services Not Covered
      • Appealing a Denied Claim
      • Out-of-Network Benefits
      • Routine Physicals
    • Network Blue New England
      • Emergency Coverage
      • Home Health Care Benefits
      • Prescription Drug Benefits
      • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Benefits
      • Services Not Covered
      • Appealing a Denied Claim
      • Routine Physicals
    • Boston Medical Center Preferred
      • What’s Covered under Boston Medical Center Preferred
      • Emergency Coverage
      • Home Health Care Benefits
      • Prescription Drug Benefits
      • Services Not Covered
      • Appealing a Denied Claim
      • Routine Physicals
    • Health Plan Comparison
      • Chiropractic Care
      • Drug and Alcohol Treatment
      • Durable Medical Equipment
      • Emergency Room Visit
      • Family Planning
      • Hospital Benefits
      • Mental Health Benefits
      • Physical Therapy
      • Physicians’ Services
      • Prescription Drugs
      • Preventative Care
      • Eye Exams
      • Deductible
      • Out-of-Pocket Maximum
      • Lifetime Maximum Benefit
      • Provider Choice
      • Copayments
      • Benefit Level
      • Claim Forms
    • Events That Affect Participation
      • If You Have a Qualified Change in Status
      • When You Retire
      • If You Become Totally Disabled
      • If You Die While You Are a Member of the Plan
      • If You Are Actively Employed When You Reach Age 65
      • Taking a Leave of Absence
      • When Your Coverage Ends
      • Continuing Under COBRA
      • Coverage Through Medicare
    • Prescription Drug Coverage
    • Other Information
      • Coordination of Benefits
      • Subrogation
  • Dental
    • Dental Plan Overview
    • Participation
      • Enrolling in the Dental Health Plan
      • Changing or Stopping Coverage
      • Cost of the Dental Health Plan
    • How the Dental Plan Works
      • BU Dental Health Center Plan
      • Dental Blue Freedom Plan
    • Events That Affect Participation
      • Qualified Changes in Your Family or Enrollment Status
      • When You Retire
      • If You Become Totally Disabled
      • If You Die
      • Taking a Leave of Absence
      • When Coverage Ends
      • Continuing Coverage Under COBRA
  • Disability
    • Short-Term Disability
      • Short-Term Disability Plan Overview
      • Participation
      • How the Plan Works
      • How to Obtain Benefits
      • When Membership in the STD Plan Ends
    • Long-Term Disability
      • Long-Term Disability Plan Overview
      • Participation
      • How the Plan Works
      • How to Obtain Benefits
      • Events That Affect Participation
    • Workers’ Compensation
  • DASH for Health
  • New England Eye Institute Benefit
  • QuitNet
  • Fitness & Recreation
  • Faculty/Staff Assistance Office
• Finances
  • Survivor Insurance
    • Survivor Insurance Overview
    • Basic Life Insurance Plan
      • Plan Coverage
      • How the Plan Works
      • Events That Affect Participation
    • Group Supplemental Life Insurance Plan
      • Plan Coverage
      • How the Plan Works
      • Events That Affect Participation
    • Travel Accident Insurance Plan
      • Plan Coverage
      • How the Plan Works
      • Events That Affect Participation
    • Personal and Family Accident Insurance Plan
      • Plan Coverage
      • How the Plan Works
      • Events That Affect Participation
      • Qualified Changes in Your Family or Enrollment Status
    • Supplemental Death Benefit Plan
      • How the Plan Works
      • Events That Affect Participation
  • Retirement Plan
    • Retirement Plan Overview
    • Participation
      • Enrolling in the Retirement Plan
      • Contributions to the Retirement Plan
      • Before-tax Versus After-tax Roth Contributions
      • Contribution Limitations
      • Changing or Stopping Your Elections
      • The Boston University Plan 1965
    • How the Plan Works
      • Investment Choices
      • Investment Restrictions
      • Moving Account Balances Between or Within Investment Sponsors
      • Statements of Your Accounts
      • When Your Participation Ends
      • Fidelity and TIAA/CREF Costs
    • How to Obtain Benefits
      • Married Participants
      • Forms of Payment from Fidelity
      • Forms of Payment from TIAA Traditional Annuity
      • Forms of Payment from CREF
      • TIAA and CREF Annuities Combined
      • Forms of Annuity — TIAA/CREF Only
      • Appealing a Denied Claim
    • Events That Affect Participation
      • If You Become Totally Disabled
      • Taking a Leave of Absence
      • If You Leave the University
      • If You Die Before You Begin to Receive Benefits
    • Other Information
      • Employee Classification in “Subplans”
      • Tax Considerations
      • Payments to Others
      • Not Insured by PBGC
  • Supplemental Retirement & Savings Plan
    • Supplemental Retirement & Savings Plan Overview
    • Participation
      • Enrolling in the Plan
      • Your Spouse’s Rights
      • Contributing to the Plan
      • Changing or Stopping Your Elections
      • Before-tax Versus After-Tax Roth Contributions
    • How the Plan Works
      • Investment Fund Sponsors
      • Investment Restrictions
      • Moving Account Balances Between Investment Sponsors
      • When Your Participation Ends
      • Fidelity and TIAA/CREF Costs
      • Making Withdrawals on Your Accounts
      • Taking Loans from Your Accounts
    • How to Obtain Benefits
      • Forms of Payment from Fidelity
      • Forms of Payment from TIAA/CREF
      • Annuity Forms — TIAA/CREF Only
      • Appealing a Denied Claim
    • Events That Affect Participation
      • Taking a Leave of Absence
      • If You Leave the University
      • If You Die Before You Begin to Receive Benefits
    • Other Information
      • Tax Considerations When You Receive Benefits
      • Payments to Others
      • Correction of Mistakes
      • Not Insured by PBGC
  • Retirement Planning Resources/Tools
    • Income Solutions
    • ESPlanner Financial Planning Software
    • Personal Finance Video Series
  • Social Security
  • Severance Pay Plan
  • Unemployment
• Work/Life
  • Changes in Your Work & Family
    • Becoming a Boston University Employee
    • Becoming a Parent
    • Change in Spouse’s Employment Status
    • Designating Beneficiaries
    • Getting Divorced
    • Getting Married
    • If You Become Disabled
    • In Case of Your or a Family Member’s Death
    • Taking a Leave of Absence
    • Leaving or Retiring from Boston University
  • Flexible Benefits Program
    • Flexible Benefits Plan Overview
    • Participation
      • Enrolling in the Flexible Benefits Plan
      • Contributions to the Flexible Benefits Plan
      • Changing or Stopping Your Contributions
    • How the Program Works
      • Tax Advantages of the Program
      • How the Reimbursement Accounts Work
    • Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
      • Maximum Contributions
      • Contribution Limitations
      • Filing Claims
      • If You Are Divorced or Separated
      • Qualifying Individuals
      • Qualifying Services
    • Health Care Reimbursement Account
      • Eligible Health Care Expenses
      • Filing Claims
    • Events That Affect Participation
      • When Your Participation Ends
      • Taking a Leave of Absence
      • Qualified Changes in Your Family or Enrollment Status
  • Resources for You and Your Family
    • Child Care and Preschool Education Programs
    • Faculty/Staff Assistance Office
    • Family Resources Office
    • Personal Insurance
    • Real Estate Advantage Program
  • Long-Term Care Insurance
  • Tuition Benefits
    • Tuition Remission
      • Tuition Remission Program Overview
      • Participation
      • How the Program Works
      • Tuition Remission Benefits
      • Events That Affect Participation
      • Other Information
    • Tuition Exchange Program
      • Tuition Exchange Program Overview
      • Participation
      • How the Program Works
      • How to Apply for Tuition Exchange Benefits
      • Events That Affect Participation
      • Other Information
  • Time Off
    • Non-Represented Employees
    • Employees Represented by BUPPA
    • Employees Represented by BUSOA
    • Employees Represented by L2324
    • Employees Represented by Local 615
    • Employees Represented by Local 888
• Administrative Information
  • About Your Plans
    • Types of Plans, Plan Numbers, and Plan Years
    • Administrator for All Plans
    • Funding and Administration of All Plans
      • Defined Contribution Plans
      • Contributions to the Health Plans
      • Contributions to the Dental Health Plan
      • Contributions to the Basic and Group Supplemental Life Insurance Plan
      • Contributions to the Travel Accident and the Personal and Family Accident Insurance Plan
      • Contributions to the Long-Term Disability Plan
      • Contributions to the Dependent Care and Health Care Reimbursement Accounts
      • Programs Paid from General Assets
    • Agent of Legal Service
    • Fraudulent Claims
    • Appealing a Denial of Benefits
    • Documents and Laws Governing All Plans
    • Equal Employment Opportunity
    • Amendment or Termination of the Plans
  • Your Rights Under ERISA
  • Summary Annual Reports

Events That Affect Participation

It is important that you understand how your retirement benefits are affected if you take a leave of absence, leave the University, or if you die before you begin to receive benefits.