Payment Options > Survivor Options

If you elect a survivor option when you retire, you receive a reduced pension throughout your lifetime; however, upon your death your pension and insurances continue for the lifetime of your survivor pension beneficiary. You can name your spouse, child (including your adopted child), sibling, or parent as your survivor pension beneficiary. If you are married and do not name your spouse as beneficiary, he or she must sign off on the survivor benefit when you apply for retirement.

If you elect the 100 percent survivor option, upon your death your survivor will receive the same monthly benefit you received (before any tax, insurance premium, or other deductions). If you elect the 75 percent option, your survivor receives 75 percent of your pension amount; with the 50 percent option your survivor will be paid half of your monthly pension payment.

The monthly pension amount for a survivor option is based on actuarial tables that factor in life expectancies for you and your beneficiary. These tables can be found in Retirement Readiness - A Two-Year Countdown .

Note: Actuarial tables only provide estimates. Percentages are rounded and are subject to change.

Insurance: Ordinarily, insurance continues for the lifetime of your survivor pension beneficiary. However, certain restrictions apply to a survivor pension beneficiary named after you retire.

Additional notes about the survivor options.

• You cannot change your option or your survivor pension beneficiary after your retirement effective date unless you marry after you retire. See the last bullet in this section for more information.
• If you elect one of the survivor options but your pension beneficiary dies before you, your pension payment will increase to the straight life amount (either full or early reduced). 
• Upon your death, insurance benefits continue for your designated survivor pension beneficiary. Your eligible dependents who were covered at the time of your death may also continue to receive insurance benefits if you have chosen the survivor option and designated your spouse as your survivor pension beneficiary. However, certain restrictions regarding continued insurances apply to a survivor pension beneficiary named after you retire. 
• Your survivor option choice has no bearing on insurance coverage for your dependents. If they are eligible, they have full coverage (not 75 percent or 50 percent coverage). 
• If you get divorced after your pension begins, and your spouse is your pension beneficiary, the court could order that your pension election be changed from a survivor option to the straight life option.
• If you take the early reduced pension and also choose a survivor option, your early reduced pension is calculated first. This amount then becomes the basis for figuring your survivor option payment.
• If you marry after retirement you may be able to name a new survivor pension beneficiary. Certain conditions and restrictions apply.