The government might have to pay benefits to someone the employee listed years ago rather than someone the employee currently would wish to receive the benefits. Image: TippaPatt/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffSeveral federal benefit programs provide for death benefits, but such forms can easily be filed and forgotten. Benefits counselors say that those approaching retirement should be sure to review those forms to be sure that they reflect the individual’s current wishes.
Some of the key forms are:
SF 2823, Designation of Beneficiary, Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI);
SF 2808, Designation of Beneficiary-CSRS;
SF 3102, Designation of Beneficiary-FERS;
SF 1152, Designation of Beneficiary-Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Civilian Employee; and
TSP 3, Designation of Beneficiary-TSP.
Employees wishing to complete new beneficiary forms may obtain copies of these forms from their personnel office.
Under these programs if a designation of beneficiary form is not on file, benefits will be paid according to a standard order of precedence: your spouse; then your child or children in equal shares, with the share of any deceased child distributed among the descendants of that child; then your parents in equal shares or the entire amount to the surviving parent; then the duly appointed executor or administrator of you estate; then your next of kin under the laws of the place you were living at the time of your death.
Officials commonly must remind employees that a will or other estate document generally does not override the designations made on these forms. Thus, the government might have to pay benefits to someone the employee listed years ago rather than someone the employee currently would wish to receive the benefits.
Officials also say they often must remind employees to review their designations of beneficiary at any important life event—the birth or adoption of a child, the death of a family member, a marriage or divorce, or any other significant change in family relationships.
FERS survivor benefits upon death of employee
The surviving spouse of an employee who had at least 18 months of creditable civilian service may be eligible for a basic employee death benefit, so long as the spouse:
– was married to the deceased for an aggregate of at least nine months (the nine month requirement does not apply if the death was accidental); or
– was the parent of a child born of the marriage (including one born posthumously, or out of wedlock if the parties later married).
The basic death benefit is equal to 50 percent of the employee’s final salary (or average salary, if higher) plus a lump sum of about $41,500, inflation-indexed annually.
This benefit may be payable to a former spouse (in whole or in part) if a qualifying court order is on file at OPM and the former spouse was married to the deceased for a total period of at least nine months and did not remarry before reaching age 55.
Survivor Annuity
In addition to the basic death benefit, the spouse of an employee who dies with at least 10 years of creditable service (18 months of which must be civilian service) is also eligible for a monthly benefit if the spouse:
– was married to the deceased for a total period of at least nine months (the nine month requirement does not apply if the death was accidental); or
– was the parent of a child born of the marriage (including one born posthumously, or out of wedlock if the parties later married).
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See also,
Legal: How to Challenge a Federal Reduction in Force (RIF) in 2025
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The Best Ages for Federal Employees to Retire
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