Information for survivors and loved ones

Please accept our condolences on the loss of your loved one. The information provided below will help guide you through the process of reporting the death of a retiree, federal employee, or former federal employee and applying for any potential death benefits that may be payable.

How to report the death of a retiree

To report a death, you can do one of the following:

• Complete the online Report Annuitant Death form; or
• Call our Retirement Information Office at 888-767-6738 Monday through Friday during the hours of 7:40 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST/EDT.

What you need to report:

• Retiree’s name;
• Information about the retiree, to include date of birth, social security number, CSA claim number, and address; and
• Name and address of the survivor(s) so that we may send out information regarding potential death benefits that might be payable.

How to report the death of a current federal employee

If this is the death of a current federal employee, please contact the employing agency and report the death directly to them.

How to report the death of a former federal employee

Call our Retirement Information Office at 888-767-6738 Monday through Friday during the hours of 7:40 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST/EDT. You will need the former federal employee's name, personal identifying information, and contact information for any survivors.

After reporting the death

Documents to include with your Application for Death Benefits

To process an Application for Death Benefits, OPM must receive certain documents from the applicant. Providing these documents with your application will help to prevent delays in processing your application.

In addition to a complete application, you should submit the following:

• Proof of death that shows the date and cause/manner of death. We cannot accept a pending death certificate.
• If you are the widow/widower, include a copy of your marriage certificate.
• Proof of termination of any marriage(s). Submit a copy of any final divorce, annulment, or death certificates with your application.
• For a child of the deceased, include a copy of the child's birth certificate showing both parents' names.
• If a child of the deceased is a minor, a copy of the Social Security award determination.
• If you are a court-appointed administrator, executor, or other official of the estate of the deceased, include a copy of the appointment with a raised seal.

After submitting your application

Once OPM has received a complete application, the claim will be assigned to a specialist for processing in the order in which it was received. If the claim involves the death of an employee, it will be assigned to a specialist once OPM has received the death package from the employing agency and payroll office.

If additional information or documentation is needed to process the claim, the specialist will reach out directly to the survivor(s) and/or agency. Once the specialist has all documentation needed, they will process the claim accordingly.

Processing time

The current processing times for monthly survivor annuity claims and survivor lump sum claims are available on the Retirement Processing Times page.

Survivor benefit payments

If you are receiving a lump sum benefit, your payment will  be sent via electronic funds transfer (EFT). If you are receiving a monthly benefit (survivor annuity or Basic Employee Death Benefit), the Department of Treasury requires that federal payments be sent via EFT. There are four exemptions that would allow for a paper check (per Executive Order 14247):

• Individuals who do not have access to banking services or electronic payment systems,
• Certain emergency payments where electronic disbursement would cause undue hardship,
• National security or law enforcement activities, and
• Other circumstances as determined by the Secretary of Treasury.

For information about managing your survivor annuity, visit the My Annuity and Benefits section.

Types of survivor benefits that may be payable by OPM

Monthly survivor annuity

A monthly survivor annuity may be payable to a current spouse, former spouse (if a retiree elects this benefit or if it is awarded by court order), a minor child, or an adult child who is a disabled dependent and/or a full-time student. Creditable service and length of marriage requirements must also be met.

Lump sum benefit

If there is not and will not be anyone eligible for a monthly survivor annuity, a lump sum of any remaining retirement deductions may be payable. If a retiree has exhausted all their retirement deductions, then the accrued annuity for the number of days they lived in the month they passed may be payable.

Basic Employee Death Benefit (FERS only)

If a current federal employee dies with at least 18 months of creditable civilian service, a current spouse or former spouse (if awarded in a court order) may be entitled to the Basic Employee Death Benefit (BEDB).

Survivor annuity elections

If you are married at the time of retirement, you must provide a maximum survivor benefit to your spouse unless your spouse consents to an election of less than a maximum survivor annuity. A survivor annuity election for a spouse (or insurable interest survivor) is made at retirement on the retirement application. Electing to provide a survivor annuity results in a reduction to your monthly annuity.

FERS survivor annuity election options at retirement

Maximum Survivor Annuity

• Your spouse’s annuity upon your death will be 50% of the earned annuity. Your annuity will be reduced by 10%.

Partial Survivor Annuity

• Your spouse’s annuity upon your death will be 25% of the unreduced earned annuity. Your annuity will be reduced by 5%.
• Your spouse must consent to an election of a partial survivor benefit.

No Survivor Annuity

• No survivor annuity will be paid to your spouse upon your death, and any health benefits will cease. There will be no reduction to your annuity.
• If you are married at retirement, your spouse must consent to an election of no survivor annuity benefit.

Insurable Interest Annuity

• You may elect an insurable interest annuity for anyone who can show they have a financial interest in your continued life.
• If you elect this option, you must be healthy and willing to provide medical evidence. This option is not available to disability retirement applicants.
• Your annuity will be reduced based on the age difference between you (the retiree) and the person who has an insurable interest in you – the reduction ranges from 10% to 40%. Upon your death, this person will receive 55% of your reduced annual annuity.

Former Spouse Survivor Annuity

• You may choose to elect to provide a former spouse survivor annuity if you were married for a total of at least 9 months. You may elect to provide either a partial (25%) or maximum (50%) survivor annuity to your former spouse, and your annuity would be reduced accordingly (5% or 10%) to pay for the cost of this benefit.
• If you are married at retirement, your current spouse must consent to a former spouse election because any benefit elected for a former spouse limits what can be elected for your current spouse. The maximum combined survivor benefits that can be elected for your current and former spouse is 50%.
• A court order may also award a former spouse a survivor annuity benefit. If a court order has given a survivor annuity to a former spouse, you may still make your election concerning a survivor annuity for your current spouse as if there was no court ordered former spouse survivor annuity. This protects your current spouse’s rights in case your former spouse loses entitlement in the future (because of remarriage before age 55, death, or under the terms of the court order).
• If a court order gives a survivor annuity to a former spouse, your annuity will be reduced to provide it. If you elect a survivor annuity for your current spouse (or another former spouse), your annuity will be reduced no more than it would be to provide a maximum survivor benefit. Your current spouse will be eligible for any portion of the benefit not ordered for the former spouse.
• If a former spouse’s court ordered survivor annuity will prevent your current spouse from receiving a survivor annuity, you may want to elect an insurable interest annuity for your current spouse. Your current spouse must consent to this election.
• If you elect an insurable interest survivor annuity for your current spouse and your former spouse loses entitlement before you die, you may request that the reduction in your annuity to provide the insurable interest annuity be converted to the regular survivor annuity reduction. Your current spouse would then be entitled to the regular survivor annuity.
• If your former spouse loses entitlement after you die, your surviving spouse can substitute the regular survivor annuity for the insurable interest survivor annuity.

CSRS survivor annuity election options at retirement

Maximum Survivor Annuity

• Your spouse’s annuity upon your death will be 55% of the unreduced earned annuity. Your annual annuity will be reduced by 2.5% of the first $3,600, plus 10% of the annuity over $3,600.

Partial Survivor Annuity

• You may elect 55% of any base amount that is less than your unreduced earned annuity. Your annuity will be reduced according to the amount elected. The smallest base amount  you can elect is 55% of $22.00, which will leave a survivor annuity of $1.00 per month.
• Your spouse must consent to an election of a partial survivor benefit.

No Survivor Annuity

• No survivor annuity will be paid to your spouse upon your death, and any health benefits will cease. There will be no reduction to your annuity.
• If you are married at retirement, your spouse must consent to an election of no survivor annuity benefit.

Insurable Interest Annuity

• You may elect an insurable interest annuity for anyone who can show they have a financial interest in your continued life.
• If you elect this option, you must be healthy and willing to provide medical evidence. This option is not available to disability retirement applicants.
• Your annuity will be reduced based on the age difference between you (the retiree) and the person who has an insurable interest in you – the reduction ranges from 10% to 40%. Upon your death, this person would receive 55% of your reduced annual annuity.

Former Spouse Survivor Annuity

• You may choose to elect to provide a former spouse survivor annuity if you were married for a total of at least 9 months. With this election, you can elect a survivor annuity up to 55% of your unreduced annuity. Your annuity would be reduced accordingly to pay for the cost of this benefit.
• If you are married at retirement, your current spouse must consent to a former spouse election because any benefit elected for a former spouse limits what can be elected for your current spouse. The maximum combined survivor benefits that can be elected for your current and former spouse is 55%.
• A court order may also award a former spouse a survivor annuity benefit. If a court order has given a survivor annuity to a former spouse, you may still make your election concerning a survivor annuity for your current spouse as if there was no court ordered former spouse survivor annuity. This protects your current spouse’s rights in case your former spouse loses entitlement in the future (because of remarriage before age 55, death, or under the terms of the court order).
• If a court order gives a survivor annuity to a former spouse, your annuity will be reduced to provide it. If you elect a survivor annuity for your current spouse (or another former spouse), your annuity will be reduced no more than it would be to provide a maximum survivor benefit. Your current spouse will be eligible for any portion of the benefit not ordered for the former spouse.
• If a former spouse’s court ordered survivor annuity will prevent your current spouse from receiving a survivor annuity, you may want to elect an insurable interest annuity for your current spouse. Your current spouse must consent to this election.
  • If you elect an insurable interest survivor annuity for your current spouse and your former spouse loses entitlement before you die, you may request that the reduction in your annuity to provide the insurable interest annuity be converted to the regular survivor annuity reduction. Your current spouse would then be entitled to the regular survivor annuity.
  • If your former spouse loses entitlement after you die, your surviving spouse can substitute the regular survivor annuity for the insurable interest survivor annuity.

Time limits for changing a survivor annuity election made at retirement

Within 30 days after your first regular annuity payment

You may submit a written request to reduce or cancel your current spouse survivor annuity election within 30 days after the date of your first regular annuity payment (the first payment issued after your annuity has been finalized).

• You may reduce a maximum or partial survivor annuity election.
• You may cancel a survivor annuity election entirely.

Within 18 months of your annuity commencing date

You may submit a written request to add or increase a current spouse survivor annuity election no later than 18 months after your annuity commencing date.

• If you elected no survivor annuity for your spouse at retirement, you may elect to provide one.
• If you elected less than the maximum survivor annuity, you may increase your election. Under FERS, this election would be to provide a maximum survivor annuity.

Electing a survivor annuity for a new spouse after retirement

If you marry after retirement and have been married for at least 9 months, you can elect to provide a survivor annuity for your new spouse. You must make this post retirement marriage survivor annuity election within 2 years of the date of your marriage.

To make this election, you must write to OPM and provide a copy of your marriage certificate. After your request is received, we will provide you with a statement explaining the reductions for the post retirement marriage survivor annuity election and ask you to confirm your election.

Electing a survivor annuity for a spouse you marry after retirement will result in two reductions to your annuity:

• The survivor benefit reduction, which begins when your election becomes effective and pays for the survivor benefit. Under FERS, this reduction would be either 10% or 5%.
• The deposit reduction, which repays the amount your annuity would have been reduced from your annuity commencing date through the effective date of your election, plus interest. By law, OPM collects this deposit by applying a permanent actuarial reduction to your annuity. This actuarial reduction continues even if the marriage ends.

Designation of beneficiary forms

It is important to update your designation of beneficiary forms whenever your personal circumstances change to ensure your benefits are paid according to your wishes.

To be valid, each form must be:

• Signed and dated by you,
• Signed by two witnesses who are not named as beneficiaries, and
• Free of corrections, erasures, or alterations.

Retirees mail completed CSRS/FERS and FEGLI designation of beneficiary forms to:

U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Retirement Operations Center
P.O. Box 45
Boyers, PA 16017

Note: If you’re a current federal employee, you will need to provide your completed designation of beneficiary form(s) to your employing agency’s human resources office.

Below are the applicable designation of beneficiary forms for retirees:

• SF 3102 – Designation of Beneficiary Form for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) / Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

• SF 2823 – Designation of Beneficiary, Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program

To review and update your designation of beneficiaries with the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), you will need to log into your TSP account through tsp.gov.

For survivor benefit purposes, an employee is anyone who was still on the agency’s employment rolls at the time of death, even if they had applied for disability retirement and their pay had already stopped. This also includes an employee who has applied for retirement under FERS but has not yet been separated from the agency’s rolls prior to their death, even if the person’s retirement would have taken effect retroactively upon separation.

Basic Employee Death Benefit (BEDB) – FERS only

If the deceased employee had at least 18 months of creditable civilian service and is survived by a spouse who was:

• Married to the deceased for an aggregate of at least 9 months (the 9-month requirement does not apply if the death was accidental), or
• The parent of a child born of the marriage (including one born posthumously or out of wedlock if the parties later married).

The BEDB is equal to 50% of the employee’s final salary (or average salary, if higher), plus $15,000 (increased by CSRS cost-of-living adjustments beginning December 1, 1987). The $15,000 has increased to $43,800.53 for deaths after December 1, 2025.

Spousal survivor annuity

A monthly survivor annuity may be payable to a spouse if the deceased employee was:

• Covered by FERS on the date of death, and had at least 10 years of creditable service (18 months of which must be civilian service); or
• Covered by CSRS on the date of death, and had at least 18 months of creditable civilian service.

If the deceased employee had the minimum service requirement, then a monthly survivor annuity is payable to:

• A surviving spouse, who at the time of death, was:

• married to the employee for an aggregate of at least 9 months (the 9-month requirement does not apply if the death was accidental), or
• the parent of a child born of the marriage (including one born posthumously or out of wedlock if the parties later married).
• A former spouse, if a qualifying court order expressly awards a survivor annuity to the former spouse prior to the employee’s death and the former spouse was married to the employee for an aggregate of at least 9 months.

Child's survivor annuity

If the deceased employee had at least 18 months of creditable civilian service and is survived by a dependent child, then a monthly child's survivor annuity may be payable.

Lump sum benefit

If an employee dies and there is no possible spouse or child survivor annuity payable, the retirement deductions remaining to the deceased employee’s credit in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, plus any applicable interest, are payable.

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

1. The beneficiary designated by the deceased in writing which is signed and witnessed and received at their employing agency prior to death.
2. The spouse of the deceased employee.
3. Children of the deceased employee (or descendants of deceased children).
4. Parents of the deceased employee.
5. Court appointed executor or administrator of the deceased employee’s estate.
6. Next of kin of the deceased according to the laws in the deceased person’s state of domicile at death.

A former employee is anyone who was no longer on an agency’s employment rolls at the time of death and had not yet qualified for retirement benefits.

Under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), the deceased former employee’s retirement deductions are payable as a lump sum. There is no monthly survivor annuity payable to a surviving spouse upon the death of a former CSRS employee.

Spousal survivor annuity – FERS only

A monthly survivor annuity may be payable to a surviving spouse if the former employee dies with at least 10 years of creditable service (5 years of which must be creditable civilian service), and the surviving spouse was married to the deceased former employee at the time of their separation from federal civilian service, and:

• Was married to the deceased for a total period of at least 9 months (9-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).

A monthly survivor annuity may be payable to a former spouse, if a qualifying court order expressly awards a survivor annuity to the former spouse prior to the former employee’s death and the former spouse was married to the deceased for an aggregate of at least 9 months.

Lump sum benefit – CSRS and FERS

If a former employee dies and no spouse survivor annuity is payable (or will become payable) based on the former employee's death, any retirement deductions remaining to the former employee's credit in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, plus any applicable interest, is payable.

If a lump sum benefit is payable, it is paid according to the following order of precedence:

1. The beneficiary designated by the deceased in writing which is signed and witnessed and received at the former employee’s employing agency or OPM prior to death.
2. The spouse of the deceased.
3. Children of the deceased former employee (or descendants of deceased children)
4. Parents of the deceased former employee.
5. Court appointed executor or administrator of the deceased former employee’s estate.
6. Next of kin of the deceased according to the laws in the deceased person’s state of domicile at death.

A retiree is anyone who has been separated from an agency’s employment rolls and has met all the requirements for retirement (including having filed an application for retirement benefits).

A FERS former employee who was eligible for an immediate MRA + 10 retirement when they separated from federal service but postponed applying for an annuity to avoid an age reduction, is deemed to have applied for retirement beginning the first of the month after death. Benefits due, in this instance, are those based on the death of a retiree.

Monthly survivor annuity

A monthly survivor annuity may be payable if a retiree elected to provide a monthly survivor annuity for:

• A surviving spouse and/or former spouse,
• A person having an insurable interest in the retiree,
• A spouse acquired after retirement, and/or
• A former spouse for which a qualifying court order expressly awards a survivor annuity.

In general, a recurring monthly survivor annuity paid to a surviving spouse or former spouse terminates on the last day of the month before the month in which the surviving spouse or former spouse remarries before age 55 (unless they were married to the deceased for at least 30 years) or dies. Remarriage at age 55 or older will not affect the spousal survivor annuity.

If a surviving spouse’s survivor annuity is terminated due to remarriage prior to age 55, and the remarriage ends due to death, annulment, or divorce, and the surviving spouse pays back any lump sum OPM paid to them or anyone else entitled to the lump sum when the survivor annuity stopped, the surviving spouse’s survivor annuity will be restored effective the date the remarriage ends.

Note: A surviving spouse cannot receive both the restored survivor annuity and another survivor annuity from the federal government based on the later marriage (except Social Security or a survivor annuity based on military service). The surviving spouse must choose one annuity or the other.

If a former spouse’s survivor annuity is terminated due to remarriage prior to age 55, the annuity cannot be reinstated in the future if the remarriage ends (even if the remarriage is annulled).

Employment in the federal government will not affect a survivor annuity.

Child's survivor annuity

A monthly child’s survivor annuity may be payable to a dependent child of the deceased retiree.

A retiree does not have to elect a child’s benefit at retirement since survivor benefits are provided to eligible children automatically by law.

Lump sum benefit

If a retiree dies, a lump sum benefit equal to the accrued annuity due the deceased but not paid before death may be payable.

If no survivor annuity is payable based on the retiree’s death, the balance of any retirement deductions remaining to the deceased retiree’s credit in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, plus any applicable interest, may also be payable.

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

1. The beneficiary designated by the deceased in writing which is signed and witnessed and received at their former employing agency or OPM prior to death.
2. The spouse of the deceased.
3. Children of the deceased (or descendants of deceased children).
4. Parents of the deceased.
5. Court appointed executor or administrator of the deceased person’s estate.
6. Next of kin of the deceased according to the laws in the deceased person’s state of domicile at death.

When a federal employee or retiree dies while enrolled in a Self and Family or Self Plus One health insurance plan in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, survivors may be eligible to continue the FEHB enrollment if specific requirements are met.

Surviving spouse

A surviving spouse can continue health benefits coverage if:

• A monthly survivor annuity or a Basic Employee Death Benefit (BEDB) is payable to the surviving spouse;
• The deceased employee or retiree was enrolled in a Self and Family or Self Plus One health insurance plan on the date of death; and
• The surviving spouse was a covered family member under that health benefits enrollment.

OPM will withhold the health insurance premiums from your survivor annuity. If your survivor annuity doesn’t cover the premium, you can enroll in a lower cost plan or choose to make direct premium payments.

Children

A child of a deceased employee or retiree can continue health benefits coverage if:

• At least one family member is eligible for a survivor annuity (or the BEDB) of the deceased employee or retiree;
• The deceased employee or retiree was enrolled in a Self and Family or Self Plus One health insurance plan on the date of death;
• The child was a covered family member when the employee or retiree died; and
• The child is under age 26 (unless the child is incapable of self-support because of a disability that occurred before age 26).

Child incapable of self-support

To apply for health benefits on behalf of a disabled child over the age of 26, the form RI 30-10 must be completed. Please note that section B on the back of the form must be completed and signed by a physician. The form should be returned to the address on the top of the form. Also, if you are a representative payee for a disabled child, you may receive a periodic survey regarding the benefits that are being paid. This survey must be completed and returned for the benefits for the disabled child to continue.

If you have a disabled child who receives benefits as a minor, you should send a letter asking us to continue benefits after the child reaches 26 because of incapacity for self-support. You should send the letter about 90 days before your child reaches age 26.

You should include a doctor’s statement that includes the child’s name, the CSF survivor claim number, and a full report of the disability which includes the date it started, the degree of impairment, and probable length of the disability. The statement should cover a brief educational and employment history, if any, and provide the name, address, telephone number, and signature of the physician.

Children who lose health benefits coverage

Generally, a child who loses eligibility for coverage may qualify for Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) under the FEHB Program. TCC is also available to children who do not qualify for a survivor annuity. The temporary coverage would continue for up to 36 months after the regular health benefits coverage ends. The cost of the enrollment is the total premium plus 2% of the total premium for administrative expenses. There is no government contribution toward the cost of the coverage.

When the temporary coverage ends, the child enrollee would be entitled to a 31-day extension of coverage and an opportunity to convert to a health benefits contract that is not part of the FEHB group insurance, unless the temporary coverage ends because of cancellation or nonpayment of premiums.

Former spouse

A former spouse of a deceased federal employee or retiree may be eligible for health benefits coverage under the Spouse Equity Act if the following conditions are met:

• You currently receive or have future entitlement to a former spouse survivor annuity or a portion of the former employee’s retirement benefits;
• You were covered as a family member in a Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plan at any time during the 18 months preceding the termination of your marriage;
• Your marriage ended while your former spouse was employed by or retired from the federal government; and
• You have not remarried before age 55.

Former spouses must apply for health benefits coverage within 60 days after either the marriage terminates or OPM’s notification of your entitlement to an annuity or apportionment.

If you receive a former spouse survivor annuity or your marriage terminated after the employee retired, you must apply with OPM for health benefits coverage.

If your marriage ended while your former spouse was an employee, you must apply to the agency where the employee worked at the time your marriage ended.

If you receive survivor annuity benefits, OPM will withhold the full cost of the enrollment from your annuity. If your annuity doesn’t cover the full cost, you can enroll in a lower cost plan or choose to make direct premium payments.

The Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pays monthly survivor annuity benefits to eligible children of deceased federal employees or retirees. When a federal employee or retiree dies, the surviving parent or other person responsible for the eligible child must apply on behalf of the child.

Child’s survivor annuity

A child’s survivor annuity may be payable if the deceased federal employee or retiree is survived by a child who is an:

• Unmarried dependent under age 18;
• Unmarried dependent between age 18 to 22 and attending an accredited educational institution full-time; or
• Unmarried, disabled dependent age of 18 or older and the disability occurred before age 18 (certified as such by the Social Security Administration). Benefits continue if the condition continues and the child does not become capable of self-support.

Determination of dependence

We consider the child dependent if there is proof that the deceased made regular and substantial contributions to the child’s support. 

We consider a child dependent if they were:

• Born of a marriage to the deceased employee or retiree;
• Adopted by the deceased employee or retiree prior to their death;
• Is an adopted child who meets all of the following conditions-
• The child lived with the deceased,
• A petition was filed by the deceased to adopt the child, and
• The child was adopted by the surviving spouse before/after the employee or retiree died;
• Is a stepchild or recognized child born out of wedlock who was living with the deceased employee or retiree in a parent/child relationship when the employee or retiree died; or
• Is a recognized child born out of wedlock for whom a judicial determination of support has been obtained.

Termination

A child’s survivor annuity stops at the end of the month before the month in which one of the following events occurs:

• Child reaches age 18,
• Marries, or
• Dies.

Annuity benefits can continue after age 18 if the child is incapable of self-support because of a disability that was incurred before age 18 or is a full-time student.

Annuity benefits that terminate because the child attained age 18 can be resumed if the child is unmarried and becomes a full-time student before age 22.

Annuity benefits that terminate because the child married can be resumed if the marriage later ends and the child still meets the requirements to receive a child’s survivor annuity. If a child’s marriage ends, contact OPM and provide a copy of the divorce decree, annulment papers, or death certificate of the child’s spouse. OPM will determine if the benefit can be reinstated.

When a student is no longer eligible, the payee (the person who receives the payments for the student) is responsible for notifying OPM at once. It is not the responsibility of the school officials.

Note: If an error is made incorrectly paying benefits to a child who is not eligible, we must recover the amount paid in error.

Full-time students

Monthly survivor annuity payments for a child can continue after age 18 if the child is a full-time student attending a recognized school. Benefits can continue until age 22.

A recognized educational institution is one that has a faculty and requires study to be done at the school. High schools must be licensed by the state.  All other schools must be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Examples of educational institutions include:

• High schools
• Technical or vocational institutes
• Business schools
• Colleges
• Junior or community colleges
• Universities

Student benefits are not payable to students enrolled in correspondence schools, elementary schools, home schools, Job Corps, U.S. military service academies, or any training programs where the trainee receives pay primarily as an employee.

The student must be attending day or evening classes at the school, with enough course work each semester or term to finish their education with the length of time generally considered normal by the school for a full-time student. Full-time students must have a sufficient subject load to allow them to graduate within the minimum time which is considered normal for a full-time student of the school.

To be considered a full-time student, high schools, trade schools, and vocational schools generally require 25 or more actual clock hours of classroom attendance each week.  Colleges and universities generally require enrollment for a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester or quarter to be considered full-time. Being designated full-time for tuition purposes does not necessarily establish eligibility for adult student benefits. There are no payments available for part-time school attendance.

Note: OPM may request periodic certification that the student continues to meet the eligibility requirements and may also request proof of the school enrollment.

Annuity benefits continue between school years unless the break is longer than 5 months or the student does not plan to continue full-time school attendance. If the student plans to be out of school for more than 5 months, benefits are not paid during the break. If the student plans to return to school within 5 months, but does not do so, benefits stop at the end of the month before the change of plans. Evidence of a change of plans includes entry into military service and failure to return to school on the date the new term begins.

Annuity benefits stop for the student at the end of the month before the month in which the student:

• Turns age 22,
• Marries,
• Dies,
• Stops attending school,
• Transfer to a non-recognized school,
• Changes to less than full-time school attendance,
• Enters military service or a U.S. military service academy (such as the U.S. Naval Academy), or
• Fails to submit proof that they are attending school full-time when requested by OPM.

If the student’s 22^nd birthday occurs on or after September 1 and before July 1 of the following year, and the death of the employee or retiree occurs during the same period, the student may be eligible for a monthly annuity.

Except when the student reaches age 22 (or fails to submit proof that they are a student), you must notify OPM immediately when any of the events listed above occurs. If benefits are paid after one of these events, the person who received the payment will be indebted to the retirement fund and repayment will be required.

Child incapable of self-support

Monthly child’s survivor annuity payments can continue if a child is incapable of self-support due to a physical or mental disability which began before age 18.

You will need to provide enough information about the disabled child’s condition to permit a determination whether the annuity payments can continue. If the disabled child is under age 18 when you apply for death benefits, we do not need information about the disability until about 90 days before the child’s 18^th birthday. However, if the disability exists and the child is age 18 (or within 3 months of age 18) at the time you apply for death benefits, indicate on the application that the child is disabled and we will send you instructions on how to apply for disabled child’s benefits.

In either instance, you will need a doctor’s statement. You are responsible for any costs incurred in getting the information required and sending it to OPM.

If a disabled child age 18 or older is eligible for benefits, the payments will be in the same amount as for a child under age 18. Annuity benefits for a disabled child age 18 or older will continue until they:

• Recover from the disability,
• Become capable of self-support,
• Marry, or
• Die.

Notify OPM promptly if any of these events occur. If a child who recovers from disability or becomes capable of self-support is a full-time student (or later becomes one), the benefits can be continued (or reinstated) if the student is under age 22.

Computation of children’s survivor annuity

The children’s survivor annuity is a specific dollar amount established by a formula in the governing United States Code and is increased by cost-of-living-adjustments. Below are the rates a child would receive if the death of the parent occurred in 2026. For a child on the annuity roll prior to 2026, we will apply the  12/01/2025 CSRS COLA rate of 2.8% to the child’s current annuity. Each child’s rate is determined individually based on the circumstances described below.

When the child has a living parent who was married to the employee or retiree, the survivor annuity payable to the child is the lesser of:

• $692 per month per child; or
• $2,076 per month divided by the number of eligible children (if over 3).

When the child does not have a living parent who was married to the employee or retiree, the survivor annuity payable to the child is the lesser of:

• $830 per month per child; or
• $2,492 per month divided by the number of eligible children.

These rates are payable from December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2026. They will be increased by future cost-of-living adjustments.

Note: Under FERS, the combined benefit of all children is reduced by the total amount of child’s insurance benefits that are 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.

Payment of children’s survivor annuity

Annuities are not usually paid directly to children. A child’s annuity is paid to their parent or legal guardian, if one has been appointed. If there is no legal guardian, payments will be made, at OPM’s discretion, to the person who is responsible for the child.

OPM pays annuity benefits to adult children as follows:

• To a student beneficiary who is age 18 or older, if the student requests that the payments be made directly to them.
• To a disabled, adult child who is competent to handle their own affairs.
• To the representative payee of a disabled, adult child who is not able to handle their own affairs.

Note: If the surviving parent also qualifies for a monthly survivor annuity, both benefits will be included in the monthly payment the parent receives.