Retiree Survivor Benefits

Survivor benefits may be payable following a retiree’s death if one of the options listed below was elected at time of retirement:

• Joint and Survivor Annuity - A reduced pension payable during the retiree’s lifetime and which continues to the spouse following the retiree’s death. Should the spouse die before the retiree, the reduced pension will continue for the life of the retiree. (“Spouse” refers to the person the retiree was legally married to at the time of retirement.)
  
• Ten (10) Year Certain and Life Annuity - A reduced pension payable during the retiree’s lifetime, but in no case less than 120 monthly payments. If the retiree dies before the guaranteed 120 monthly payments have been paid, the remaining monthly payments will continue to the retiree’s designated beneficiary until a total of 120 monthly payments have been made to the retiree and the beneficiary. For example, a retiree dies after 50 payments have been made, the remaining 70 payments will be paid to the beneficiary on a monthly basis.

A family member should contact the Retirement System as soon as possible after the death of a retiree and provide the Retirement System with a copy of the death certificate. Timely notification of a retiree’s death allows survivor benefits to be processed without delay.