FERS Survivor Annuity 50 Percent: Eligibility and How to Apply

The 50% Benefit

Under FERS, a full spousal survivor annuity pays 50% of the retiree's unreduced annuity every month for the surviving spouse's lifetime. This is the default election — unless the retiree chose otherwise at retirement, the full survivor benefit applies automatically.

A partial election reduces this to 25% of the unreduced annuity. The partial election requires the spouse's written consent at retirement (on SF 3107-2). If the retiree elected zero survivor coverage, no monthly annuity is payable — and the spouse also loses eligibility for continued FEHB or PSHB health coverage.

The survivor annuity is paid retroactively to the date of death once OPM finishes processing the claim.

The 9-Month Marriage Rule

OPM requires the marriage to have lasted at least nine months before the date of death. Two exceptions apply:

• The death was accidental
• A child was born of the marriage

If you married the retiree less than nine months before the death and neither exception applies, the spousal survivor annuity is not payable. The retiree's unexpended retirement contributions may still be refunded to the estate or named beneficiary.

The FERS Survivor Supplement

A surviving spouse under age 60 who qualifies for the survivor annuity may also receive the FERS Survivor Supplement. This bridge payment approximates the Social Security survivor benefit the spouse would eventually receive based on the retiree's FERS service. It stops at age 60, when actual Social Security widow or widower benefits become available.

The supplement is subject to the Social Security earnings test — if the spouse earns more than $24,480 per year (2026 threshold), $1 is withheld for every $2 over the limit. The supplement also stops if the surviving spouse becomes eligible for Social Security mother, father, or disability benefits on the retiree's record.

How to File

The surviving spouse files SF 3104 (Application for Death Benefits — FERS) along with SF 3104B (Documentation in Support of Application for Death Benefits). Required attachments:

• Certified death certificate with raised seal
• Certified marriage certificate
• Proof of termination of any prior marriages (both spouses)
• The retiree's CSA claim number

Submit to OPM's Survivor Processing Section, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017-0045. OPM typically processes claims in 60 to 90 days, issuing interim "Quick Pay" payments during that window.

Children's Survivor Benefits

Unmarried children under 18 (or full-time students under 22, or disabled children whose disability began before age 18) qualify for a children's survivor annuity independently of the spousal benefit. For the December 2025 through November 2026 rate year, single orphans receive $635 per month and double orphans receive $763 per month. However, FERS children's annuities are reduced dollar-for-dollar by Social Security child survivor benefits, which often brings the net FERS payment to zero.

What Else to File

The survivor annuity is one piece of the claims picture. A surviving spouse should also file for FEGLI life insurance (Form FE-6 to OFEGLI), TSP account balance (through tsp.gov's Life Events Hub), and Social Security survivor benefits — now payable without any GPO or WEP reduction since the Social Security Fairness Act repealed both provisions.

The Federal Retiree Death Benefits Guide covers the full claims sequence with worked dollar examples, a document-gathering checklist, and a timeline tracker.

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