If I were to die while an employee, what are the qualifications that would allow my same sex spouse to receive survivor benefits?
If
a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) employee dies, recurring monthly
payments may be made to the surviving spouse if the employee completed at least
18 months of creditable service and was covered under CSRS at the time of
death.
- To qualify
for the monthly benefit, the surviving spouse must have been married to the
employee for at least nine months prior to death.
- If
the death occurred before nine months, a survivor annuity may still be payable
if the employee’s death was accidental or there was a child born of the
marriage.
If
a Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employee dies with at least 18
months of creditable civilian service under FERS, the Basic Employee Death
Benefit may be available for the surviving spouse. Additionally, if a FERS employee dies,
recurring monthly payments may be made to the surviving spouse if the deceased
employee completed at least 10 years of creditable service (18 months of which
must be civilian service). The same nine-month marriage requirement exists for
establishing entitlement to the FERS Basic Employee Death Benefit and the FERS spousal survivor annuity , and the same
exceptions to the 9-month marriage requirement apply (i.e., the 9-month
marriage requirement will not apply if the employee’s death was accidental or
there was a child born of the marriage).
You
can go to the Life
Event webpage for Death/Survivors to learn more.