Dependent Eligibility Verification Audit

ACT NOW:

Prior to June 1: Email documentation to verify your dependent's eligibility to dv@businessolver.com as soon as possible to keep coverage for your dependents. Please include “Microsoft DV Audit” in the Subject line along with your Microsoft badge ID number.

After June 1: You must contact the Dependent Verification Support team at 866-477-8177 and request an appeal.

  • Download the Appeal Form from aka.ms/benefitsenroll. You will find it in the Reference Center located in the upper-right corner of the landing page.
  • If your documents meet the audit requirements, they will be processed and your dependent's coverage will be reinstated. Claims may need to be reprocessed, but your dependent will be added back to coverage retro-effectively so that there is no gap in coverage.
  • If your documents do not meet the audit requirements, you will receive a denial letter explaining the decision.

You may appeal the decision throughout calendar year 2026 by submitting an appeal. If, through the appeal process, you are able to submit documentation to verify your dependent, they will be added back to your Medical, Dental and/or Vision benefits. Claims may need to be reprocessed, but your dependent will be added back to coverage retro-effectively so that there is no gap in coverage.

Direct all questions and appeal requests to the Dependent Verification Support team at 866-477-8177 Monday-Friday, 5AM-5PM PT.

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What is required to verify my dependent's eligibility?

The first page of your 2024 or 2025 Form 1040 is the preferred method of satisfying the documentation requirement for this audit. The first page of the actual Form 1040 (not your tax preparer’s cover letter) shows your dependents and their relationship to you, so this one piece of documentation can be used to validate multiple dependents’ eligibility. You should redact any non-relevant information such as SSNs, income and financial fields before submitting your Form 1040.

 

If you cannot provide your Form 1040, there are other documents that will suffice. It is your responsibility to know which document(s) are required to properly validate your dependent. See below for a detailed table of acceptable documents by dependent type. Any dependent that was not verified during the dependent verification audit deadline will be dropped from coverage effective May 1, 2026 and is not be eligible for COBRA.

 

What happens next?

Prior to June 1: Email documentation to verify your dependent's eligibility to dv@businessolver.com as soon as possible to keep coverage for your dependents. Please include "Microsoft DV Audit" in the Subject line along with your Microsoft badge ID number.

 

After June 1: You must contact the Dependent Verification Support team at 866-477-8177 and request to file an appeal.

 

  • Download the Appeal Form from aka.ms/benefitsenroll. You will find it in the Reference Center located in the upper-right corner of the landing page.
  • If your documents meet the audit requirements, they will be processed and your dependent's coverage will be reinstated. Claims may need to be reprocessed, but your dependent will be added back to coverage retro-effectively so that there is no gap in coverage.
  • If your documents do not meet the audit requirements, you will receive a denial letter explaining the decision.

 

You may appeal the decision throughout calendar year 2026 by submitting an appeal. If, through the appeal process, you are able to submit documentation to verify your dependent, they will be added back to your Medical, Dental and/or Vision benefits. Claims may need to be reprocessed, but your dependent will be added back to coverage retro-effectively so that there is no gap in coverage.

 

Confidentiality reminder: To protect your privacy, only the tax year and employee and dependent names are needed on your submitted documents. You should black out Social Security Numbers (SSNs) and financial details, as they are not required. If submitting your Form 1040 to verify your dependents, please note that we do need the full first page that shows full employee name and dependent information, along with the tax year. Please do not submit the entire form, just the first page. For reference, here is a sample Form 1040 that has been redacted to hide SSNs and non-required financial information.

 

 

Dependent Relationship

Documentation Required for Verification Audit

Spouse

[Preferred] Option 1: First page of your 2024 or 2025 Federal tax return (IRS Form 1040) showing Spouse’s name (please redact SSNs and financial information)
                                                 OR
Option 2: Government Issued Marriage Certificate plus cohabitation support (if applicable, see the below for details):

  • If married less than 3 years (January 1, 2023, or more recent), government issued marriage certificate accepted in place of IRS Form 1040
  • If married more than 3 years (before January 1, 2023), government issued marriage certificate and one (1) document substantiating cohabitation within the last 6 months:
    • Proof of joint ownership dated within 6 months prior to 2/3/2026 (must include employee and spouse’s names and a single address on file for the document, please redact other non-pertinent confidential and/or financial information)
    • Examples: bank account, credit account, government issued utility account, brokerage account, mortgage, leasehold, insurance (renters, homeowners)

Common Law Spouse

[Preferred] Option 1: First page of your 2024 or 2025 Federal tax return (IRS Form 1040) showing Spouse’s name (please redact SSNs and financial information)
                                          OR
Option 2: Affidavit of Domestic Partnership 
                                        AND
Proof substantiating joint financial responsibility that is demonstrated by at least one of the following dated in the last 6 months (please redact non-pertinent confidential and/or financial information):

  • Common ownership of real property (joint deed or mortgage agreement) or a common leasehold interest in property (joint lease)
  • Common ownership of a motor vehicle
  • Proof of joint bank accounts, credit accounts or utility accounts

Domestic Partner

Affidavit of Domestic Partnership notarized within the last 3 years (January 1, 2023, or more recent)

                                              OR
If more than 3 years (before January 1, 2023), Affidavit of Domestic Partnership plus additional document substantiating cohabitation within the last 6 months:

  • Proof of joint ownership dated within 6 months prior to 2/3/2026 (must include employee and spouse’s names and a single address on file for the document, please redact other non-pertinent confidential and/or financial information)
  • Examples: bank account, credit account, government issued utility account, brokerage account, mortgage, leasehold, insurance (renters, homeowners)

Child(ren)

[Preferred] Option 1: First page of your 2024 or 2025 Federal tax return (IRS Form 1040) showing Child(ren)’s name (please redact SSNs and financial information)
OR
Option 2: Government Issued Birth Certificate (not hospital issued) or Adoption Decree/Court documentation confirming adoption showing:

  • Child's name
  • Date of birth
  • Parents' names
    OR

Option 3: (If under six months of age) Hospital issued birth document showing:

  • Child's name
  • Date of birth
  • Parents' names

*For children born outside the United States, an equivalent, translated document from country of birth is accepted in place of IRS Form 1040 or birth certificate. If translated, translation certification is required.

Stepchild(ren)

[Preferred] Option 1: First page of your 2024 or 2025 Federal tax return (IRS Form 1040) showing Stepchild(ren)’s name (please redact SSNs and financial information)
OR
Option 2: Government Issued Birth Certificate (not hospital issued) showing:

  • Child's name
  • Date of birth
  • Parents' names

    AND
    Spouse Requirements (see Spouse section)

Child of Domestic Partner

Option 1: Government Issued Birth Certificate (not hospital issued) showing:

  • Child's name
  • Date of birth
  • Parents' names

AND
Domestic Partner Requirements (see Domestic Partner section)

Note:  Your Domestic Partner must be covered under the plans in order for a Child of Domestic Partner to be covered

Documents Substantiating Cohabitation

 

 

 

 

 

 Acceptable Proof of joint ownership (POJO):

  • Proof of joint ownership dated within 6 months prior to 2/3/2026 (must include employee and spouse’s names and a single address on file for the document, please redact other non-pertinent confidential and/or financial information)
    Examples: bank account, credit account, government issued utility account, brokerage account, mortgage, leasehold, insurance (renters, homeowners)


NOT Acceptable:

  • Document dated prior to 8/3/2025 (6 months or older)
  • Driver’s licenses (even if they show the employee and spouse share an address)
  • Picture of employee’s and spouse’s credit cards (even if they share the same account number)

 

Document translation: If you are submitting documents in a language other than English or Spanish, please ensure they are translated from the original copy to English and certified before submission.

1. Gather Your Required Documentation. Gather the necessary information for each dependent based on the chart in the How it works or Required Document sections.

2. Submit your documents.

 

Prior to June 1: Email documentation to verify your dependent's eligibility to dv@businessolver.com as soon as possible to keep coverage for your dependents. Please include "Microsoft DV Audit" in the Subject line along with your Microsoft badge ID number.

 

After June 1: You must contact the Dependent Verification Support team at 866-477-8177 and request to file an appeal.

 

  • Download the Appeal Form from aka.ms/benefitsenroll. You will find it in the Reference Center located in the upper-right corner of the landing page.
  • If your documents meet the audit requirements, they will be processed and your dependent's coverage will be reinstated. Claims may need to be reprocessed, but your dependent will be added back to coverage retro-effectively so that there is no gap in coverage.
  • If your documents do not meet the audit requirements, you will receive a denial letter explaining the decision.

 

You may appeal the decision throughout calendar year 2026 by submitting an appeal. If, through the appeal process, you are able to submit documentation to verify your dependent, they will be added back to your Medical, Dental and/or Vision benefits. Claims may need to be reprocessed, but your dependent will be added back to coverage retro-effectively so that there is no gap in coverage.

 

3. Check the Status of Your Dependent(s) Verification.

  • Once you have submitted the required documentation for the dependent verification audit, follow these steps to check the status of your dependent(s).
    1. Click Check the Status of Your Dependents at aka.ms/benefitsenroll and select the Your Dependents page
    2. Click your name in the top right corner,
    3. Select Profile, 
    4. Then navigate to the Your Dependents page
  • You will receive confirmation of the outcome of your dependent eligibility review within 5-10 business days of submission, often earlier if approved or if additional documentation is required.

 

IMPORTANT: It is your responsibility to review the requirements and select the right documentation based on your dependent type. Some situations may require more than one document. For example, if you do not submit a 1040 tax form for your spouse, you may need both a marriage certificate and proof of cohabitation. Visit the Required documentation section to learn more about the documentation required by dependent type.

 

The first page of your 2024 or 2025 Form 1040 is the preferred method of satisfying the documentation requirement for this audit. The first page of the actual Form 1040 (not your tax preparer’s cover letter) shows your dependents and their relationship to you, so this one piece of documentation can be used to validate multiple dependents’ eligibility. You should redact any non-relevant information such as SSNs, income and financial fields before submitting your Form 1040.

 

If you cannot provide your Form 1040, there are other documents that will suffice. It is your responsibility to know which document(s) are required to properly validate your dependent. See below for a detailed table of acceptable documents by dependent type. Any dependent that remains unverified by the deadline will be dropped from coverage effective May 1, 2026 and will not be eligible for COBRA.

 

Confidentiality reminder: To protect your privacy, only employee and dependent names are needed on your submitted documents. You should black out Social Security Numbers (SSNs) and financial details, as they are not required. For reference, here is a sample Form 1040 that has been redacted to hide SSNs and non-required financial information.

 

 

Dependent Relationship

Documentation Required for Verification Audit

Spouse

[Preferred] Option 1: First page of your 2024 or 2025 Federal tax return (IRS Form 1040) showing Spouse’s name (please redact SSNs and financial information)
                                                 OR
Option 2: Government Issued Marriage Certificate plus cohabitation support (if applicable, see the below for details):

  • If married less than 3 years (January 1, 2023, or more recent), government issued marriage certificate accepted in place of IRS Form 1040
  • If married more than 3 years (before January 1, 2023), government issued marriage certificate and one (1) document substantiating cohabitation within the last 6 months:
    • Proof of joint ownership dated within 6 months prior to 2/3/2026 (must include employee and spouse’s names and a single address on file for the document, please redact other non-pertinent confidential and/or financial information)
    • Examples: bank account, credit account, government issued utility account, brokerage account, mortgage, leasehold, insurance (renters, homeowners)

Common Law Spouse

[Preferred] Option 1: First page of your 2024 or 2025 Federal tax return (IRS Form 1040) showing Spouse’s name (please redact SSNs and financial information)
                                          OR
Option 2: Affidavit of Domestic Partnership 
                                        AND
Proof substantiating joint financial responsibility that is demonstrated by at least one of the following dated in the last 6 months (please redact non-pertinent confidential and/or financial information):

  • Common ownership of real property (joint deed or mortgage agreement) or a common leasehold interest in property (joint lease)
  • Common ownership of a motor vehicle
  • Proof of joint bank accounts, credit accounts or utility accounts

Domestic Partner

Affidavit of Domestic Partnership notarized within the last 3 years (January 1, 2023, or more recent)

                                              OR
If more than 3 years (before January 1, 2023), Affidavit of Domestic Partnership plus additional document substantiating cohabitation within the last 6 months:

  • Proof of joint ownership dated within 6 months prior to 2/3/2026 (must include employee and spouse’s names and a single address on file for the document, please redact other non-pertinent confidential and/or financial information)
  • Examples: bank account, credit account, government issued utility account, brokerage account, mortgage, leasehold, insurance (renters, homeowners)

Child(ren)

[Preferred] Option 1: First page of your 2024 or 2025 Federal tax return (IRS Form 1040) showing Child(ren)’s name (please redact SSNs and financial information)
OR
Option 2: Government Issued Birth Certificate (not hospital issued) or Adoption Decree/Court documentation confirming adoption showing

  • Child's name
  • Date of birth
  • Parents' names

OR

Option 3: (If under six months of age) Hospital issued birth document showing

  • Child's name
  • Date of birth
  • Parents' names

*For children born outside the United States, an equivalent, translated document from country of birth is accepted in place of IRS Form 1040 or birth certificate

Stepchild(ren)

[Preferred] Option 1: First page of your 2024 or 2025 Federal tax return (IRS Form 1040) showing Stepchild(ren)’s name (please redact SSNs and financial information)
OR
Option 2: Government Issued Birth Certificate (not hospital issued) showing

  • Child's name
  • Date of birth
  • Parents' names

    AND
    Spouse Requirements (see Spouse section)

Child of Domestic Partner

Option 1: Government Issued Birth Certificate (not hospital issued) showing

  • Child's name
  • Date of birth
  • Parents' names

AND
Domestic Partner Requirements (see Domestic Partner section)

Note:  Your Domestic Partner must be covered under the plans in order for the Child of Domestic Partner to be covered

Documents Substantiating Cohabitation

 

 

 

 

 

 Acceptable Proof:

  • Proof of joint ownership dated within 6 months prior to 2/3/2026 (must include employee and spouse’s names and a single address on file for the document, please redact other non-pertinent confidential and/or financial information)
    Examples: bank account, credit account, government issued utility account, brokerage account, mortgage, leasehold, insurance (renters, homeowners)


NOT Acceptable:

  • Document dated prior to 8/3/2025 (6 months or older)
  • Driver’s licenses (even if they show the employee and spouse share an address)
  • Picture of employee’s and spouse’s credit cards (even if they share the same account number)

 

Document translation: If you are submitting documents in a language other than English or Spanish, please ensure they are translated from the original copy to English and certified before submission.

 

For any additional assistance, to appeal a denial of your dependent's eligibility or if you are experiencing any technical issues or have questions regarding the documentation required, reach out to the Businessolver Verification Support team by phone at 866-477-8177, Monday-Friday, 5AM-5PM PT.

Dependent Verification Audit FAQs

More resources

Enrollment and eligibility

Covering your domestic partner

Coordination of benefits

What's available

Guide to benefits

Enroll or change benefits