Newly retiring employees will be allowed to elect spousal survivor CSRS or FERS benefits under standard policies, and those already retired will have until June 26, 2015 to inform OPM that they have a legal marriage that now qualifies for recognition and elect any changes to their retirement benefits. Survivor annuity elections would require a reduction in the person’s annuity. Also: all employees who are in legal same-sex marriages will now be able to submit flexible spending accountsclaims for their same-sex spouse and any newly qualifying children or stepchildren; all legally married same-sex spouses and children of legal same-sex marriages are now eligible family members under FEGLI, which means that enrollees may add coverage for a same-sex spouse and any newly eligible children under Option C—enrollees have until August 26, 2013, to make changes to their FEGLI enrollment; and all legally married same-sex spouses can now apply for long-term care insurance under FLTCIP—typically, they already would have been eligible in any event because enrollment is allowed for same-sex domestic partners who meet certain standards—and have until the same date to apply and be subject only to abbreviated underwriting. The TSP meanwhile is reviewing its policies regarding spousal rights. An account holder already can designate anyone as a beneficiary. However, the TSP uses a state of residency test for determining who is a spouse for certain other policies, including one allowing surviving spouses, but not other beneficiaries, to keep an account open after the account holder’s death rather than having to cash it out or roll it over to an IRA.
