FERS Survivor Benefit Election and FEHB in Retirement
When you retire under FERS, you decide how much of your annuity should continue to a surviving spouse after your death. The choice reduces your monthly check now, but it protects your spouse’s income later — and it is closely tied to keeping federal health insurance.
- You can elect a full (50%) or partial (25%) survivor annuity, or none.
- The full election reduces your annuity by about 10%; the partial by about 5%.
- A survivor annuity election is what lets your spouse keep FEHB after you die.
- Declining or reducing the election usually requires spousal consent.
The FERS survivor options
| Election | Survivor receives | Your annuity reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Full survivor benefit | 50% of your annuity | ~10% |
| Partial survivor benefit | 25% of your annuity | ~5% |
| No survivor benefit | Nothing | None |
The reduction is taken from your gross annuity for life. In exchange, your surviving spouse receives the elected percentage of your unreduced annuity after your death, and that survivor annuity itself receives cost-of-living adjustments.
The critical link to FEHB
Spousal consent
Because the decision affects your spouse directly, federal rules require your spouse’s notarized consent if you want to elect less than the full survivor annuity (or none). This protects spouses from being left without income or coverage.
How to weigh the decision
- Consider your spouse’s own pension, Social Security, and savings — and their life expectancy.
- Factor in FEHB: the survivor annuity is the gateway to lifetime federal health coverage for your spouse.
- Compare the lifetime cost of the reduction against the protection it provides; for many couples the full election is worth it.
- Remember the survivor annuity receives COLAs, so its real value grows over time.
See how each election changes your net annuity with the FERS calculator, and view the household picture in the full analysis.
Can I change my survivor election after I retire?
Generally only in narrow circumstances (for example, a marriage after retirement, within a deadline). Most elections are locked in at retirement, so choose carefully.
Does the survivor annuity get COLAs?
Yes. The survivor annuity receives the same cost-of-living adjustments as the regular FERS annuity.
What if my spouse has their own strong pension?
Some couples elect a partial or no survivor benefit when the surviving spouse is already well covered — but weigh the FEHB consequences before declining entirely.
Authoritative reference: OPM — FERS survivor benefits. This site is not affiliated with the U.S. government.