CSRS Survivor Annuity Application: How to File SF 2800

What SF 2800 Does

Standard Form 2800 is the official application for death benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System. A surviving spouse, former spouse with a qualifying court order, or eligible child files this form with OPM to claim the monthly CSRS survivor annuity and any accrued unpaid annuity owed through the date of death.

OPM mails SF 2800 as part of the claims package after the death is reported. You can also download it from opm.gov/forms. File it with OPM's Survivor Processing Section at P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017-0045.

The 55% Benefit Calculation

The maximum CSRS spousal survivor annuity is 55% of the retiree's unreduced annuity. If the retiree elected a reduced survivor benefit at retirement, the percentage is lower — and if they elected zero survivor coverage (which required the spouse's written consent on SF 2801-2), no monthly annuity is payable.

OPM pays the survivor annuity retroactively to the date of death once the claim is processed. The processing window is typically 60 to 90 days. During that time, OPM issues interim "Quick Pay" payments so the survivor has income while the full adjudication is underway.

A portion of each survivor annuity payment is tax-free — it represents the return of the retiree's previously-taxed retirement contributions. The tax-free monthly amount is calculated using the Simplified Method Worksheet in IRS Publication 721, based on the unrecovered employee contributions divided by a factor tied to the survivor's age.

Required Documents

Attach the following to SF 2800:

• Certified death certificate — with a raised seal or stamp showing cause and manner of death
• Certified marriage certificate — establishing legal marriage to the deceased annuitant
• Proof of termination of prior marriages — for both spouses, if applicable (divorce decrees, death certificates of former spouses)
• Court orders — any COAP (Court Order Acceptable for Processing) or divorce decree under 5 U.S.C. § 8341(h) defining former spouse survivor rights

The marriage must have lasted at least nine months before the death. OPM waives this requirement if the death was accidental or if a child was born of the marriage.

Filing Tips to Avoid Delays

OPM returns incomplete applications, adding months to the timeline. Common mistakes:

• Submitting photocopies instead of certified originals — OPM requires raised-seal documents
• Leaving the CSA (Civil Service Annuity) claim number blank — find it on any OPM letter, the annual COLA notice, or Form CSA 1099-R
• Not including proof of prior marriage terminations — OPM verifies there are no competing claims

The surviving spouse should also file separately for FEGLI life insurance (Form FE-6, sent directly to OFEGLI) and TSP death benefits (through the TSP Life Events Hub or Form TSP-17). These are independent claims that don't wait for OPM's survivor annuity adjudication.

Social Security After GPO Repeal

CSRS retirees historically saw their Social Security survivor benefits reduced or eliminated by the Government Pension Offset. The Social Security Fairness Act (signed January 5, 2025) repealed the GPO for benefits payable from January 2024 onward. A CSRS surviving spouse can now collect full Social Security widow or widower benefits with no federal offset.

If you never applied for Social Security because the GPO would have zeroed out your benefit, you need to file a new claim with SSA — the adjustment isn't automatic for non-applicants.

The Federal Retiree Death Benefits Guide covers SF 2800 alongside every other claim — FEGLI, TSP, health insurance continuation, and Social Security — with the exact execution sequence and a document-gathering checklist.

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