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Death of Spouse

Death of Spouse

If Your Current Spouse Dies and You Are Retired Under CSRS or FERS

Send a copy of your spouse’s death certificate to OPM.

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

If we are paying you a reduced annuity to provide a survivor annuity for your spouse, we may be able to increase your annuity after we have proof of the death.

If your spouse is covered by Option C-Family Life Insurance, contact OPM for a life insurance claim form.

If there are no other eligible family members, you should ask us to change your health benefits to a self-only enrollment.  You can do this at any time.

You may want to change your Federal or state income tax withholding.  Call OPM to make this change.

You may want to change your designations of beneficiary for life insurance or retirement.  The designations must be in writing on the forms we provide. You can print copies of these designation forms from our website, or call us or send an email to ask for the forms.

Life Insurance designation form

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

Retirement System designation forms (for any money in the retirement fund remaining upon your death and any unpaid annuity)

  • SF 2808, Designation of Beneficiary/Civil Service Retirement System
  • SF 3102, Designation of Beneficiary/Federal Employees Retirement System

If Your Former Spouse Dies and You Are Retired Under CSRS or FERS

Call OPM to report the death of your former spouse.  If we are paying you a reduced annuity to provide a survivor annuity for your former spouse, we may be able to increase your annuity after we have proof of the death.

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