To be eligible for a survivor benefit, your spouse must have been married to you:
There may be other circumstances in which a not eligible spouse may receive a survivor benefit. See “Benefit to not otherwise eligible spouse.”
If you die after you begin a service or disability retirement, your eligible surviving spouse will continue to receive the amount you were receiving at the time of death. The amount of your spouse’s benefit may be increased by 5 percent of your FAS for each eligible child, to a maximum of 60 percent of your FAS.
If your children have a legal guardian, the increase for the children will be paid to the guardian. If you have created a trust for the children’s benefit, the increase will be paid to the trust.
If there is no eligible surviving spouse, or the spouse receiving benefits dies, eligible children will receive benefits as follows:
Benefits will be paid to the children’s guardian until the children are age 18. If, at age 18, a child is still eligible (see definition of eligible child), benefits will be paid directly to the child.
If you have created a trust for your children, benefits attributable to the children may be paid to the trust.
If you die while you are an active employee or while on authorized disability leave, your eligible spouse will receive a benefit equal to 50 percent of your FAS. The increase attributable to your eligible children, and the children’s benefits if there is no spouse, are the same as the benefits for survivors of a retiree.
If an active member or disability retiree dies as a result of injuries sustained in the course of employment or if the death resulted from an occupational disease or infection that arose naturally and proximately out of their covered employment, and the Department of Labor and Industries has determined eligibility for the payment, DRS will pay a $150,000 death benefit to the member’s beneficiary.
If an active member or disability retiree dies as a result of injuries sustained in the line of duty as a public safety officer, ongoing benefits received by the member's survivors may qualify for non-taxable status under federal and state law. Eligibility to receive benefit tax exemption will be determined by DRS.
If you die after ending your employment with a covered employer, but before age 50, and you have 20 or more years of service credit, your eligible surviving spouse is entitled to a monthly benefit equal to the retirement allowance you would have received at age 50. Benefits for surviving children are the same as those described for survivors of a retiree.
If you have five or more years of service credit but fewer than 20 years, and you die after ending your employment with a covered employer, but before age 50, your eligible beneficiary will receive a refund of your accumulated contributions.
Survivor benefits are payable from the day after your death.
Retirees may provide a survivor benefit for a spouse who is not otherwise eligible, if they did not previously select a survivor option.
To add a surviving spouse benefit, you must:
You may select one of the following surviving spouse options:
If you choose an option, your monthly benefit will be actuarially reduced on the first of the month after the month DRS receives notification of the change. Selecting a surviving spouse option will not affect any benefit paid to surviving children.
Survivor benefits are payable from the day after your death.