My furlough is combined with a wedding or another personal event. 

My furlough may extend beyond three months.  How will that affect my taxes and healthcare? 

Taxes

People on extended furloughs have the right maintain their Foreign tax status, and continue to file form 2555, even when they are in the US more that Reliant’s standard furlough of three months.  We understand that we have the right to continue to treat international missionaries on extended furlough as foreign residents if the following are true:

...

Also, please understand we are assuming that our international missionaries want to maintain those statuses.  If you wish to move your tax location to a US location during your stay, we can do that.  We would report your taxes according to the state in which you live/work, and pay local and US taxes based on that location.  It may be that you have a tax adviser encouraging you to make that change, and we will follow your wishes, if that is your leaning. Just email international@reliant.org to let us know. 

Healthcare/Insurance

Reliant's international healthcare plan with Global Benefits Group (GBG) covers our missionaries for up to 90 days of furlough in the US. In the event of an extended furlough (lasting longer than 90 days) there are a couple of options for how you can sustain healthcare insurance:

1. Stay with GBG (International Insurance): 
   • GBG can continue to cover you while in the US, with a standard pricing rule of an 85% premium surcharge on your rates. You will be prorated during the period while you are in the US. Once you return to your international country the premium will be adjusted to the current premium. There is the possibility that GBG will offer a lower premium surcharge, if there is a history of good claims - but this is at the discretion of GBG.
2. Temporarily change to Guidestone (US insurance): 
   • You have the right to change your plan with GBG at any time while you are in the US and enroll in our US insurances. This option can incur multiple deductibles for the respective year and could potentially mean an increase in out of pocket expenses. 
   • Also keep in mind, the GBG plan offers medical, dental and vision. If you choose to discontinue this plan while on extended furlough and wish to maintain dental and vision coverage, you will need to enroll separately in dental and vision coverage in addition to medical coverage with Guidestone.
   • Once returning to your international location, you must also change back to international coverage with GBG.