Survivor Benefits: What Your Spouse Needs to Know About Your Federal Retirement Plan

Eligibility Requirements for Spouses

Here are some of the requirements your spouse must meet to be eligible for Social Security survivor benefits:

• Age: A widow or widower can receive benefits starting at age 60. If they are disabled, the starting age is 50. However, there is no age requirement if the spouse is caring for the deceased worker's child, who is disabled or under 16.
• Marriage Duration: The spouse must have been married to the deceased for at least nine months before their death. There are some exceptions, such as for accidental death or death that occurred in the line of duty.
• Remarriage: If a spouse remarries before age 60 (or age 50 if disabled), this generally disqualifies the spouse from receiving survivor benefits. Remarriage after age 60 (or age 50 if disabled) does not affect eligibility.

Benefit Options for FERS Survivor Benefits and CSRS Survivor Benefits

You’ll want to discuss with your spouse the pros and cons of these three survivor benefit options: full, reduced, and no survivor benefits. Here’s a brief breakdown of each.

Full Survivor Benefit

If you opt for a full survivor benefit, you’ll receive a smaller retirement annuity during your lifetime in exchange for a higher benefit to your survivor after you die. For example, under FERS, you’ll have a 10% reduction in your annuity, which provides your survivor with 50% of your gross annuity.

(For more examples of the cost of survivor benefits, see “Marriage, Divorce, and Survivor Benefits for FERS and CSRS.”)  

Reduced Survivor Benefit

In the case of a reduced survivor benefit, your annuity will be reduced by a smaller percentage. Under FERS, your reduction is 5%. This entitles your survivor to 25% of your gross annuity. This option allows you to receive a higher annuity during your lifetime while still providing some financial support to your survivor.

No Survivor Benefit

Under this scenario, you’ll receive the full amount of your retirement annuity without reduction during your retirement. Your survivor will not receive an annuity benefit. Your survivor will also not be eligible for FEHB when you die. 

However, your survivor may still be eligible for other benefits, including a lump sum payment or TSP inheritance.

Special Considerations

When deciding between these three survivor options, you’ll want to balance your financial needs during retirement with the potential future needs of your spouse. Take into consideration other income sources which can supplement your federal survivor benefits, such as Social Security, life insurance, and savings. 

Think about both your health and life expectancy along with that of your spouse. If your spouse is in good health and has a longer life expectancy, this may justify a higher survivor benefit.

Take This Easy Step to Protect Your Survivors

In this article, we’ve shown how your FERS or CSRS survivor benefits help provide your spouse with financial security. But at Serving Those Who Serve, we realize your situation is unique, and one article can’t address all your concerns and questions. 

That’s why we’re inviting you to a complimentary “Understanding Your Survivor Benefits” webinar. Our federal employee benefits expert Ed Zurndorfer covers a range of survivorship topics including: 

• Differences between the CSRS and FERS retirement systems’ benefits
• Cost of electing benefits
• What forms to fill out to ensure qualifying relatives receive benefits
• Child and non-spousal survivorship

Or, feel free to reach out to the team at Serving Those Who Serve at [email protected] with your questions.