If you die after you begin receiving a service retirement, your survivors may be eligible to receive benefits according to the retirement option you choose.
If you die prior to retirement, your designated beneficiary (as listed with WSPRS) may be eligible for benefits. These benefits also apply to survivors of members who leave WSPRS-covered employment and do not withdraw their contributions.
Fewer than 10 years of service and ineligible to retire. If you die before you have 10 service credit years and before becoming eligible for retirement, your beneficiary(ies) receives all of your accumulated contributions. If you have no living beneficiary(ies), your contributions are paid to your surviving spouse, or if none, to your legal representatives (your estate).
Ten or more years of service or eligible to retire. If you die with 10 or more service credit years or after becoming eligible to retire, your surviving spouse, or if none, the guardian of your minor children, may choose one of the following benefits:
If your spouse dies while receiving a survivor’s retirement benefit and leaves a minor child or children, the children will continue to receive the benefit, which was being paid to your surviving spouse. The benefit will be shared equally among the children and paid until they reach the age of majority.
If there is no surviving spouse at the time of your death, and you have minor children, the children are eligible to receive a benefit calculated the same as a retirement benefit, but with the assumption that the ages of you and your spouse were the same at the time of your death.
Survivor benefits are payable from the first day of the calendar month following the month in which a member dies.
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.
You should keep your beneficiary designation in your WSPRS record up-to-date. The Beneficiary Designation form, which is available from your employer and DRS, should be mailed to DRS.
As an active WSPRS member or as a retiree who chooses an Option 1 benefit payment, you may name a trust, your estate, an organization, or a person as your beneficiary. If you chose a survivor benefit option at retirement, you must select a person as your beneficiary.
If you marry, divorce or remarry prior to retirement, you should file a new Beneficiary Designation form, even if your beneficiary remains the same. However, you should be aware that an ex-spouse may be able to attach your benefits under certain circumstances. See “Taxation and assignment of benefits." To change a beneficiary after retirement, see "Changing a benefit option after retirement."