SF 3107-2 Spousal Consent Form: Notarization Requirements for FERS Retirement

When SF 3107-2 Is Required

SF 3107-2 — Spouse's Consent to Survivor Election — is required whenever a married FERS employee elects anything less than the full 50% survivor annuity on their retirement application. The full survivor annuity is the default, and it reduces your monthly annuity by 10% to provide your surviving spouse with 50% of your unreduced benefit after your death.

If you choose the partial survivor annuity (25% to your spouse, 5% reduction to yours) or no survivor annuity at all, your spouse must acknowledge that choice in writing, under notarization. The rationale is straightforward: OPM wants documented proof that your spouse understands they're giving up — fully or partially — a benefit they would otherwise receive automatically.

If you elect the full 50% survivor annuity, you do not need SF 3107-2 at all.

The Notarization Rules That Trip People Up

SF 3107-2 is the single most rejected form in the FERS retirement package, and nearly every rejection comes down to notarization errors. OPM's requirements are strict and specific:

Date Matching

The spouse's signature and the notary's signature must bear the exact same date. Not one day apart. Not "signed Tuesday, notarized Wednesday." The same calendar date on both lines. If you drive to the notary's office and your spouse signs the form at home the night before, the form is invalid.

No Corrections of Any Kind

No white-out. No cross-outs. No initials next to a correction. No strikethroughs with a new entry above. If your spouse makes any error — a wrong date, a misspelled name, a stray mark — you must start over with a fresh, blank SF 3107-2. OPM will reject a form with visible alterations regardless of how minor they appear.

Consistency with Section D

The survivor election marked on SF 3107-2 must match Section D of the main SF 3107 application exactly. If Section D says "partial survivor annuity" but the consent form says "no survivor annuity," OPM will return both forms for correction — adding weeks or months to your processing timeline.

Notary Seal and Commission

The notary must affix their official seal and their commission expiration date. Some states allow electronic notarization; whether OPM accepts remote online notarization varies by the specific state's authorization and how the digital seal is transmitted. If there's any doubt, use an in-person notary.

Step-by-Step Completion

1. Download a fresh copy of SF 3107-2 from OPM's Standard Forms Directory. Don't use a photocopy or a version pulled from a third-party website.
2. Decide on the election before visiting the notary. Both you and your spouse should understand whether you're electing the partial (25%) or no survivor annuity, and why.
3. Go together to the notary. Your spouse signs the form in the notary's presence. The notary witnesses the signature, signs, dates, and applies their seal — all in the same sitting.
4. Verify before leaving that the date your spouse wrote matches the date the notary wrote. Check that the notary's seal is legible and their commission expiration is visible.
5. Keep the original for your retirement package. Make a personal copy for your records, but submit the original to your agency HR office.

What If Your Spouse Won't Sign?

If your spouse refuses to sign SF 3107-2, you cannot elect less than the full survivor annuity. OPM will default to the full 50% survivor election, which means the 10% reduction to your monthly annuity applies whether or not you wanted it.

Limited exceptions or waiver procedures may apply in particular circumstances, but do not assume that unknown whereabouts or separation removes the consent requirement. Confirm the applicable procedure with your agency HR office or OPM before filing.

In cases of separation (but not yet divorced), your spouse's consent is still required. The legal marital status on the date of your retirement application governs, not your living arrangement.

The Financial Stakes

The difference between the full and no survivor election is significant. For a retiree with a $4,000 monthly annuity:

• Full survivor (default): You receive $3,600/month (10% reduction). Your surviving spouse receives $2,000/month after your death.
• Partial survivor: You receive $3,800/month (5% reduction). Your surviving spouse receives $1,000/month.
• No survivor: You receive the full $4,000/month. Your spouse receives nothing from your FERS annuity after your death.

That 10% reduction might feel steep while you're both alive, but it can represent hundreds of thousands of dollars in total survivor benefits over your spouse's remaining lifetime. This is a decision worth working through carefully before you sit down with the notary.

Get the Full Filing Walkthrough

The FERS Retirement Application Guide includes a pre-notarization checklist for SF 3107-2 alongside the survivor benefit comparison worksheet, so you can model the financial impact of each election before making it permanent.

See more United States guides →