Are cousins immediate family?

If your family is like mine, it’s a hodgepodge of biological family with friends that you consider a part your family. I have a few friends that I am closer to than some of my own blood relatives and often tell them that they were they best family I could have ever handpicked.

Unfortunately, even though I consider them family, if I were in the hospital and only allowed to see family members, my friends would not be allowed in. I also can’t exactly add them into my family tree or expect to see them in my DNA results on Ancestry.

In my opinion, family can be whoever you want it to be, but under certain circumstances, it is wise to know just who the members of your immediate family are.

What immediate family means

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines immediate family as  a person’s parents, brothers and sisters, husband or wife, and children.

This, however, is not always true. In some situations like the death of a loved one or  a hospital stay, special arrangement can sometimes be made to include a cousin or extended family member as your immediate family, especially if it is a person (like a niece, nephew or cousin) who have been raised in your home. In these situations, always ask if special consideration can be made for that relationship.

Who does immediate family include?

Your immediate family includes you, your spouse, your parents, grandparents, children, your children’s spouses, and grandchildren. It also includes your spouse’s parents and siblings, along with any step children or children that have been adopted by the people listed above.

Who is immediate family for bereavement?

Since bereavement policies can vary depending on where you are located, it is always a good idea to check with your employer or human resources office to find out who they consider as family under their bereavement policies and if they have a bereavement policy.

Some companies or businesses may only consider your spouse, parents, and children as a close enough relation for bereavement, while others include grandparents, in-laws, and cousins.

Who is immediate family on Ancestry DNA?

Ancestry DNA results don’t actually list your immediate family as immediate, however they use terms like parent /child, close family and cousin. The close family term on Ancestry includes grandparents, grandchildren, half siblings, aunts or uncles, and nieces and nephews.

Immediate family vs extended family

Though your immediate family can include people who do not live in your home, your extended family members are the relatives that live in your home with you but are not of the typical nuclear family relationship. Your extended family can include grandparents, parents, children, aunts, uncles, cousins, or even foster children living under the same roof.