Information Center

Civil Service Survivor Annuities Protected

01/13/11
Bill
Request for Information

The Restoring Pension Promises to Workers Act of 2007 would ensure that surviving spouses of former federal employees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) would receive their survivor benefits regardless of when the worker left employment.

Under current law widows and widowers of federal employees under CSRS receive survivor annuities if the employee dies while still employed or if the employee had retired and commenced receiving pension benefits. However surviving spouses do not receive survivor benefits in situations where a CSRS employee leaves work with the government and then dies before collecting pension benefits. The current law applies the same rules to both surviving spouses and to divorced widows and widowers who have been awarded survivor annuities by courts.

Section 201 of the Restoring Pension Promises to Workers Act of 2007 would require that both surviving spouses and surviving former spouses receive their survivor benefits even if the employee died after leaving employment and before taking pension benefits.

Read Section 201 of The Restoring Pension Promises to Workers Act of 2007 [PDF].

Read the letter the PRC sent requesting that OPM should notify federal employees of the current law.

< Back

Sign up to receive updates from us:

Do you want to stay up to date on the latest retirement news and recent happenings at PRC?

Sign up to receive emails from us:

Click here >

Support the Pension Rights Center:

In today’s challenging pension environment, our work is more important than ever. Your contribution will help make it possible for the Center to continue its crucial role as a national consumer organization committed to protecting and promoting retirement security.

Donate >