Survivor Benefits
& your family's future.
When a federal retiree or employee passes away, their surviving spouse and family face both grief and urgent paperwork. This guide walks survivors through what needs to happen, what benefits continue, and how to protect them — without the jargon.
What survivors
need to know first.
Proper planning before retirement dramatically reduces the burden on survivors. For those dealing with a loss now, this page focuses on the essential steps — what to report, to whom, and in what order — so that benefits continue and the estate is settled correctly.
Survivors must report deaths to OPM to continue their survivor annuity after a retiree passes, or to stop the annuity for a surviving spouse when he or she dies. You must also process survivor benefit changes, file insurance claims, and update asset registrations.
The survivor's checklist on this page captures the key information your heirs will need at a critical and stressful time. All federal employees and retirees should complete this information in advance and file it with their estate plans — it helps loved ones focus on what matters and ensures benefits continue without unnecessary delay.
Proper planning can dramatically reduce estate costs and benefit delays. Don't leave your family to figure this out alone.
Report the death to OPM
File the death benefits application
File FEGLI life insurance claim
Reporting the death
of an annuitant or employee.
You can report the death of a retiree, survivor annuitant, or active federal employee to OPM by phone or online. OPM must be notified promptly — both to start survivor benefits and to stop payments to the deceased to avoid overpayment issues.
Contact OPM by phone or online
Call OPM at 1-888-767-6738 to report the death and initiate the survivor benefit process. Alternatively, complete the online reporting form at servicesonline.opm.gov. Have the deceased's CSA or CSF retirement claim number available if possible.
Complete and submit the death benefits application
Complete the correct application form for the retirement system and mail it with supporting documents to the OPM Survivor Processing Section:
Office of Personnel ManagementRetirement Operations Center
ATTN: Survivor Processing Section
Post Office Box 45
Boyers, Pennsylvania 16017-0045
Required attachments: A copy of the death certificate and a copy of the marriage certificate (for widow/widower claims). A widow or widower claiming on behalf of children should file one application covering all.
File the FEGLI life insurance claim
Life insurance claims are handled separately by OFEGLI — they are not processed through OPM's retirement benefits. Contact OFEGLI at 1-800-633-4542 to report the death and initiate the claim. Survivors can also use this number to follow up on submitted claims.
Contact TSP for inherited account guidance
If the deceased had a Thrift Savings Plan account, the TSP must be notified separately. Inherited TSP accounts have specific withdrawal rules that differ from regular TSP accounts. Contact TSP at 1-877-968-3778 or visit tsp.gov for guidance on inherited account options.
| Form | System | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| SF 2800 | CSRS | Application for Death Benefits — primary form for CSRS survivors |
| SF 3104 | FERS | Application for Death Benefits — primary form for FERS survivors |
| SF 3104B | FERS | Documentation of Survivor Annuity Election — filed alongside SF 3104 |
| SF 2823 | Both | FEGLI Designation of Beneficiary — verify on file before death occurs |
| Form FE-8 | FEGLI | Application for FEGLI Life Insurance Death Benefits — filed with OFEGLI |
The Survivor's Checklist
This four-page checklist guides survivors through reporting a death, continuing benefits, and ensuring essential forms are submitted so that the spouse's annuity and health insurance coverage continue without interruption.
What the Survivor's Checklist covers
Reporting the death to OPM, FEGLI, TSP, Social Security, and financial institutions. Verifying that annuity, FEHB health coverage, and FEGLI insurance continue correctly. Identifying which accounts and registrations need to be updated. Essential contact numbers, retirement claim numbers, and benefit election records.
Every federal employee and retiree should complete this in advance and store it with their estate plan — including the retirement claim number (CSA/CSF), insurance policy details, TSP account information, and beneficiary designations.
Remarriage and survivor benefit impact
Remarriage before age 55 generally terminates the survivor annuity — but there is an important exception that surviving spouses should know.
The remarriage rule
A survivor annuity continues until the surviving spouse dies — or until the spouse remarries before age 55. If remarriage occurs before age 55, the annuity terminates.
Exception: If the widow or widower remarries before age 55 but was married to the original annuitant for at least 30 years, the survivor annuity is not terminated by the remarriage. This exception must be reported to OPM, but the benefit continues.
If the second marriage ends (by death or divorce), the survivor may apply to have the original survivor annuity reinstated — contact OPM at 1-888-767-6738 for guidance.
OPM guides
& helpful resources.
Official OPM survivor guides, death benefits forms, TSP inherited account guidance, and FEGLI claims information.