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Will Your Spouse Get a Survivor's Benefit?

CSRS Annuity benefits for spouses

Management Assistant
Internal Revenue Service
Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:03 PM

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I am still working, but this reads as if I die while still working my spouse would not receive the annuity that I have set aside for him.

Is it true that I have to begin to draw my annuity, then when I die he will be able to draw his spousal annuity.

I thought as long as I had it allocated for him to receive he would be able to receive it when something happened to me if it be while I am working or if I leave before retirement age or years and take a defered retirement, and begin to collect later.

Please clarify. We all need to know if we don't retire and begin drawing our annuity (spouses will or will not get out alloted amount for them.)

Those of un under CSRS are already penalized on our social security. The last time I had it figured, I will not draw enough from mine and my husbands upon retirement to pay the part B medicare.

Tell me this is right. With the cost of utilities, etc going up we don't think we could make it on my retirement and his soc sec income

Re: CSRS Annuity benefits for spouses

Former HR Guy
DOD
Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:36 AM
This section is referring to someone who leaves the retirement system before they are eligible to receive an immediate annuity. (Usually - quitting - but would also include being fired.) Your choice when you are in this category is to either take a lump sum refund of what you have paid into the retirement system, or take a deferred retirement at age 62. At age 62 you would be paid the retirement you had earned at the time of separation. This clause points out that if you die prior to age 62 - your surviving spouse is not entitled to a survivor's annuity.

This clause has nothing to do with someone who dies while still working within the retirement system. If otherwise eligible, that person's survivor will receive a survivor's annuity.

Yes - under CSRS and FERS - a survivor who is receiving a survivor's annuity - who re-marries prior to age 55 will lose their survivor benefit.

No survivor after death

GERRI
RETIRED OPM
Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:54 AM

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What kind a retirement program is CSRS when it won't even provide for such basic benefits? Then too it won't matter what laws Congress passes if there is no enforcement and oversight. And the Court Ordered Benefits Branch at OPM is just going to require a $2000.00 court order that must have language that the beneficiary is not informed of until presenting it. And first stike you'll out!!! No modifications after death.

I say place some advocacy to watch over OPM for these former spouses and Congress needs to listen to these former spouses if they are not already homeless, destitute or dead. I.m sorry but it's gotten just that bad at OPM. They are of the opinion that if you didn't work for it you don't deserve it. They have actually stolen money from these needed, mostly black and destitute women with no where to turn, not even Social Security. Congress gives it and OPM takes it away.

OPM

Secretary
Zarcone Associates
Thu May 7, 2009 3:26 PM

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Our law office has sent several "Orders Acceptable for Processing" to the OPM and have gotten HORRIBLE service. One of the Orders was received by the OPM on 5/8/2007. That's two years ago! Our clients ex-husband retired over a year ago and the OPM has not done a thing about processing that Court Order. Our client is very poor and really needs her share of her ex-husbands pension. I just checked today and on a different Order that was sent in September 2008 was "sent back". When I asked who they sent it back to, they did not know. They said the reason was that the Order was a TSP Order, which it was NOT! We never got that paperwork back (and neither did our client).

I don't know how the OPM can be allowed to do SUCH shoddy work. That paperwork that was sent back to God knows who had the personal information (name, address, date of birth, social security number) of both our client and her ex-husband.

So, I wouldn't count on the OPM doing ANYTHING even if you do pay $2000.

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