Federal Employee Retirement System Survivor Benefits: Guide for FERS Survivor Annuity Options
This article explores aspects of FERS survivor benefits, the various options available to federal employees and their families.
Understanding Survivor Benefits and Options
Survivor elections within the FERS retirement system determine the type and level of survivor benefit your spouse and eligible dependents will receive.
Full Survivor Annuity (50%)
The full survivor annuity offers the surviving spouse 50% of the federal employee's FERS annuity for the remainder of their life. In exchange, the federal employee's annuity is permanently reduced by 10%.
Partial Survivor Annuity (25%)
The partial survivor annuity provides the surviving spouse with 25% of the FERS annuity for life. This option reduces the employee's annuity by 5%.
No Survivor Annuity Election
Electing no survivor annuity means the surviving spouse will not receive ongoing annuity payments. This requires notarized spousal consent.
Survivor Annuity and FEHB Eligibility
The election of a FERS survivor benefit is intrinsically linked to the surviving spouse's eligibility to continue FEHB coverage.
