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

If an employee dies and no survivor annuity is payable based on his/her death, the retirement contributions remaining to the deceased persons credit in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, plus applicable interest, are payable.

You do not need to make a designation if you are satisfied with the order of precedence that the law provides. That order of precedence follows:

1. To your widow or widower.
2. If your widow(er) is deceased, to your child or children, with the share of any deceased child distributed among the descendants of that child.
3. If none of the above, to your parents in equal shares or the entire amount to the surviving parent.
4. If none of the above, to the executor or administrator of your estate.
5. If none of the above, to your other next of kin under the laws of the State in which you live at the time of your death.

Payment of a lump sum will be made to the first person or persons listed above who are alive on the day you die.