Deceased Employee/Former (CSRS/FERS Employees)

• Death of Employee Covered Under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)
• Death of Employee Covered Under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

Death of Employee Covered Under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)

Types of Benefits Payable:

Monthly Survivor Annuity is Payable

To the Current Spouse if:

• the employee who died completed at least 18 months of creditable civilian service,
• the employee who died was covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) when he/she died, and
• the current spouse was married to the employee for at least nine months (if the death was accidental or there was a child born of your marriage to the employee, the nine month requirement does not apply).

If a court order awards part of the total survivor annuity to a former spouse, the current spouse will receive the remainder.  If the former spouse loses entitlement because of death or remarriage before age 55, the current spouse may begin to receive the full annuity.

If the employee’s death was job-related, workers’ compensation benefits may be payable.

To a Former Spouse if:

• specified under a qualifying court order,
• the employee who died completed at least 18 months of creditable civilian service,
• the former spouse was married to the employee for at least nine months, and
• the former spouse did not remarry before reaching age 55 (unless he/she was married to the deceased for at least 30 years).

To a Child if:

• the employee completed at least 18 months of creditable civilian service, and
• the child is an-
  • unmarried dependent child under age 18, and/or
  • unmarried dependent child from age 18 to age 22, if attending an accredited educational institution full-time, and/or
  • unmarried, disabled dependent child if the disability occurred before age 18.

Lump Sum Benefit is Payable

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

Payees for Lump Sum Benefits-

If a lump sum benefit is payable, it is paid to the first person eligible under the following order of precedence:

• to the designated beneficiary;
• if there is no such beneficiary, to the widow or widower;
• if none of the above, to the child or children, with the share of any deceased child distributed among the descendants of that child;
• if none of the above, to the parents in equal shares or the entire amount to a surviving parent;
• if none of the above, to the executor or administrator of the estate; or
• if none of the above, to the next of kin as determined under the laws of the State where the retiree lived.

When Benefits Begin

• Widow or Widower
• your survivor annuity begins on the day after the employee’s or retiree’s death. If you are eligible for benefits and we are unable to pay you because a former spouse is entitled, your annuity would begin the day after the former spouse loses entitlement to benefits.
• Former Spouse
• If you are a former spouse who was awarded a survivor annuity based on a court order, your survivor annuity begins to accrue on whichever day is later:
• The day after the employee’s or retiree’s death, or
• The first day of the second month after we receive a certified copy of the court order along with any additional necessary supporting documentation.
• If you are eligible for benefits and we are unable to pay you because another former spouse is entitled, your annuity would begin the day after the former spouse loses entitlement to benefit
• Child
• Your survivor annuity begins to accrue on the day after the employee’s or retiree’s death.

Applying for Benefits

Contact the personnel office of the Federal agency where the employee worked.   You should complete the Application for Death Benefits, Standard Form (SF) 2800 [807 KB] (CSRS)  or SF 3104 [742 KB] (FERS) and attach any other forms and/or evidence as the application or circumstances require.  Attach a copy of the employee’s death certificate and a copy of the certificate of the marriage to the widow or widower.   Give the application to the personnel office.  A widow or widower who is claiming benefits for himself/herself and on behalf of children should file one application.

Death of Employee Covered Under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

Types of Benefits Payable:

Basic Employee Death Benefit is Payable

To the Current Spouse if:

• The employee who died completed at least 18 months of creditable civilian service
• the employee who died was covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) when he/she died, and
• the current spouse was married to the employee for at least nine months (if the death was accidental or there was a child born of your marriage to the employee, the nine month requirement does not apply).

To a Former Spouse if:

• a qualifying court order is on file at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM),
• the former spouse was married to the deceased for a total period of at least nine months, and
• the former spouse did not remarry before reaching age 55 (unless he/she was married to the deceased for at least 30 years).

Amount of Basic Employee Death Benefit

• 50% of the employee’s final salary (average salary, if higher), plus
• $15,000 increased by Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) cost-of-living adjustments beginning 12/1/87. For deaths on or after 12/1/07, this amount is $28,093.53.  It will be updated by future CSRS cost-of-living adjustments.

Monthly Survivor Benefit is Payable

To the Current Spouse if:

• the employee who died completed at least 10 years of creditable service (18 months of which must be creditable civilian service),
• the employee who died was covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) when he/she died, and
• the current spouse was married to the employee for at least nine months (if the death was accidental or there was a child born of the marriage to the employee, the nine month requirement does not apply).

If a court order awards part of the total survivor annuity to a former spouse, the current spouse will receive the remainder.  If the former spouse loses entitlement because of death or remarriage before age 55, the current spouse may begin to receive the full annuity.

If the employee’s death was job-related, workers’ compensation benefits may be payable.

To a Former Spouse if

• specified under a qualifying court order,
• the employee who died completed at least 18 months of creditable civilian service,
• the former spouse was married to the employee for at least nine months, and
• the former spouse did not remarry before reaching age 55 (unless he/she was married to the deceased for at least 30 years).

To a Child if:

• the employee completed at least 18 months of creditable civilian service, and
• the child is an
• unmarried dependent child under age 18, and/or
• unmarried dependent child from age 18 to age 22, if attending an accredited educational institution full-time, and/or
• unmarried, disabled dependent child if the disability (certified as such by the Social Security Administration) occurred before age 18.

The combined benefit of all the children is reduced by the total amount of child’s insurance benefits that are payable (or would, upon proper application, be payable) under Title II of the Social Security Act for the same month to all children of the deceased based on the total earnings of the deceased.  In many cases, the FERS children’s benefit is reduced to $0.

Lump Sum Benefit is Payable

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

Payees for Lump Sum Benefits-

If a lump sum benefit is payable, it is paid to the first person eligible under the following order of precedence:

• to the designated beneficiary;
• if there is no such beneficiary, to the widow or widower;
• if none of the above, to the child or children, with the share of any deceased child distributed among the descendants of that child;
• if none of the above, to the parents in equal shares or the entire amount to a surviving parent;
• if none of the above, to the executor or administrator of the estate; or
• if none of the above, to the next of kin as determined under the laws of the State where the retiree lived.

When Benefits Begin

• Widow or Widower
• your survivor annuity begins on the day after the employee’s or retiree’s death. If you are eligible for benefits and we are unable to pay you because a former spouse is entitled, your annuity would begin the day after the former spouse loses entitlement to benefits.
• Former Spouse
• If you are a former spouse who was awarded a survivor annuity based on a court order, your survivor annuity begins to accrue on whichever day is later:
• The day after the employee’s or retiree’s death, or
• The first day of the second month after we receive a certified copy of the court order along with any additional necessary supporting documentation.
• If you are eligible for benefits and we are unable to pay you because another former spouse is entitled, your annuity would begin the day after the former spouse loses entitlement to benefits.
• Child
• Your survivor annuity begins to accrue on the day after the employee’s or retiree’s death.

Applying for Benefits

Contact the personnel office of the Federal agency where the employee worked.   You should complete the Application for Death Benefits, Standard Form (SF) 3104 [742 KB] and attach any other forms and/or evidence as the application or circumstances require.  Attach a copy of the employee’s death certificate and a copy of the certificate of the marriage to the widow or widower. Give the application to the personnel office.  If you are the surviving spouse or former spouse, you and deceased person’s employing agency should also complete Form (SF) 3104B [547 KB] Standard Documentation and Elections in Support of Application for Death Benefits when Deceased was an Employee at the Time of Death.

A widow or widower who is claiming benefits for himself/herself and on behalf of children should file one application.