U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

Unless you assign your life insurance as discussed starting on page 15, only you may designate a beneficiary. Designations by someone with your power of attorney are not valid. If you are incompetent, your designation of beneficiary cannot be altered.

You may obtain Standard Form (SF) 2823, Designation of Beneficiary, to name a beneficiary or to change or cancel a previous designation by calling our toll- free number, from the Internet, using email, or by writing to our Pennsylvania address shown on page 15.

After you complete the form, mail both copies back to this same address. To be valid, your designation must be in writing, signed, witnessed by two persons, and received by the Office of Personnel Management before your death. An un-witnessed letter indicating your intent does not constitute a valid designation of beneficiary. Witnesses to the designation may not be named as beneficiaries.

Be sure to keep your designation of beneficiary up-to-date. OFEGLI cannot make payment if they cannot locate the beneficiary.

If you name more than one beneficiary, be sure to specify their respective shares of your insurance benefits, otherwise they will share equally. Designate percentages or fractions; do not designate dollar amounts.

Do not send your designation to your former agency. If you send your designation to your former agency by mistake and we do not receive it before your death, it is not a valid designation of beneficiary.

Your beneficiary or other survivor as described on page 12 should call or write to us in the event of your death.

The beneficiary or other survivor should provide your full name and (1) your civil service retirement claim number (CSA number) or Social Security number, (2) date of birth, and (3) date of death.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) at that time will furnish the proper form (Form FE-6, Claim for Death Benefits) and instructions for claiming benefits. The claim form should be filed with the Office of Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance, not with OPM; the address is on the Form FE-6. It is the responsibility of the person to whom the benefits are payable to file the claim and to furnish proof of death and any other evidence which may be needed at that time.