Death Benefits


How do I report a death?

To report a death of someone who receives benefits from us, you can:

  • Call us toll-free at 1 (888) 767-6738. In the Washington, DC area, you can reach us at (202) 606-0500.
  • Send us email.
  • Write to us at: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Post Office Box 45, Boyers, Pennsylvania, 16017-0045.

In addition, Benefit Officers can use our web site to report the death of an employee and help us expedite payments to family members.

If you are reporting the death of someone who receives benefits from us, please provide us with the full name of the deceased and date of death, as well as the retirement claim number, if known, and Social Security number. We will tell you if there are any further benefits payable and send you the necessary claim forms. In many cases, we can start monthly payments to an eligible surviving spouse based on the records on file.

As a retiree, what kind of benefits are payable to my survivors?

Monthly survivor benefits may be payable to any of the following:

  • Your husband or wife, if you elected to provide a survivor benefit.
  • Your ex-spouse, if you elected to provide a former spouse survivor annuity, or if the benefit was required by a court order.
  • Your children. Benefits to children are payable until age 18. You do not have to elect the benefit for them.

A lump sum payment, covering the benefits you earned from the first of the month through the date of your death, may also be payable. This payment is generally made to a surviving spouse unless you requested payment to others in a Designation of Beneficiary.

How do my survivors apply for benefits?

In many cases, after receiving the report of a retiree's death, we can start monthly payments to the surviving husband or wife based on the records we have on file. In every case, we will tell your survivors what benefits are payable and provide the necessary forms and help they need to apply for benefits.

How do I claim family life insurance benefits?

If you are enrolled for family life insurance, and a covered member of your family dies, you can contact us in one of three ways:

  1. Call us toll-free at 1 (888) 767-6738. In the Washington, DC area, you can reach us at (202) 606-0500.
  2. Send us email.
  3. Write to us at: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Post Office Box 45, Boyers, Pennsylvania, 16017-0045.

You can download the necessary claim form and instructions, or contact us and ask that they be sent to you.

Who gets my life insurance benefit?

When you die, the Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI) will pay life insurance benefits in a particular order, set by law:

  • If you assigned ownership of your life insurance, OFEGLI will pay benefits in the following order of precedence:
    1. First to the designated beneficiary(ies) designated by your assignee(s), if any;
    2. Second, if there is no such beneficiary, to your assignee(s).
  • If you did not assign ownership and there is a valid court order on file, OFEGLI will pay benefits in accordance with that court order.
  • If you did not assign ownership and there is no valid court order on file, OFEGLI will pay benefits in the following order of precedence:
    1. to the beneficiary(ies) you designated;
    2. if there is no such beneficiary, to your widow or widower;
    3. if none of the above, to your child or children, with the share of any deceased child distributed among the descendants of that child (a court will usually have to appoint a guardian to receive payment for a minor child);
    4. if none of the above, to your parents in equal shares or the entire amount to your surviving parent;
    5. if none of the above, to the executor or administrator of your estate;
    6. if none of the above, to your other next of kin as determined as determined under the laws of the State where you lived.

You can download the Standard Form (SF) 2823, Designation of Beneficiary, and instructions, or contact us and ask that they be sent to you.

You need to keep your designated beneificiaries' addresses current. Failure to do so may mean that your beneficiary cannot be located and therefore benefits will not be paid to that person. The preferred way is to file a new Designation of Beneficiary when a beneficiary's address changes. A new address cannot be added directly to the Designation of Beneficiary form itself, since any cross outs, erasures, or alterations in your form may make it invalid.

Can my family continue their health insurance after I die?

If at least one of your family members will receive a monthly survivor benefit, their enrollment will automatically continue after death and the cost will be withheld from the monthly survivor payment. If you die and none of your family members receives a monthly survivor benefit, family enrollment ends.

Will my survivors receive cost of living increases?

Yes. Currently, every survivor receives a cost of living adjustment effective each December 1st. It will show up in the January payment due on the first business day of the month, which is the benefit for December. We will send a Notice of Annuity Adjustment showing how much the benefit was increased.

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