FERS Survivor Benefits: What’s your Advice for Widows/Widowers?

Beneficiary Designations and Death Certificates

FERS Survivors will want to request multiple, certified copies of the death certificate. Anytime that you make a claim for the FERS Survivor Benefits you will need to enclose a certified copy of the death certificate.

We recommend that for simpler estates that have less than 6 financial accounts associated with them, that you request around 6 copies of the certificate. For estates that have more than 6 account(s) you will need 12 or more.

Assets transfer by Title first. This means that if the asset has a beneficiary listed, and they should, that your asset will transfer to that person first.

Even if you have a Will or Trust that states otherwise. Assets always transfer by title first.

There are several beneficiary designations that are applicable to just FERS Employees.

FERS Survivor Benefits: Beneficiary Designations

FERS Employees have four main beneficiary designations that as a survivor you are going to want to check.

If your spouse has passed while employed under the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) and has been employed, with creditable service, you will qualify for the basic employee death benefit. These benefits can also apply to natural or adopted children in some situations.

The basic benefit can provide as much as 50% of the deceased’s salary as well as a one-time payment.

FERS Survivor Benefits Applying for Benefits

As a widow(er) there are two forms that you will want to complete to start the process with the Office of Personnel Management as well as your spouse’s agency.

Standard Form 3104

Standard Form 3104(B)

If your spouse was a retiree at the time of their passing, The Standard Form 3104 will need to be completed.

If your spouse was employed with the Federal Government at the time of their passing a Standard Form 3104(B) is to be completed.

This form will begin the process of establishing your FERS Survivor Annuity. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is to process the form and they do a phenomenal job of helping Widow(er)’s through the process.

While OPM is great at providing assistance that doesn’t mean that you should forget to keep a detailed log of who you talked to, what they said, and when you spoke with them. In case your point of contact changes, you will want to have good notes. So much is confusing during times of grief that it is imperative to ensure that you help yourself by keeping a good log.

Once you complete the SF-3104 forms, whichever may apply, you will begin to receive a litany of paperwork.

At that time remember, decision free zone – if you are still in it then make sure you speak with an unbiased, third party that is preferably a Financial Professional who works with Federal Employees. You will want someone who understands the benefits, your options and how to help you navigate through making decisions if you have to.

Just keep in mind, above all else, no irreversible decisions during the first 12 months. Give yourself a moment to come through the fog, to have time and perspective.

Nothing magical occurs after 12 months when you lose someone you love. The pain of losing a loved one is still there.

Once you exit the decision free zone, you can then make decisions with a little more distance from the blunt trauma of loss that occurs. You can make your own decisions, better understand what is right for you versus someone else’s opinion of what they think you are going through.

So, I guess Valerie to answer your question – we do give advice to Widow(ers). We do help them through the most difficult stages of their lives and better understand how to make decisions and more importantly, recognize when they shouldn’t.

If you want to avoid some of the mistakes that you can make during the retirement process, check out our 7 Retirement Mistakes.