Survivor pensions are plan specific, and in most cases a surviving spouse is eligible to collect a survivor pension for their lifetime, however there are exceptions. Please contact the Pension Office for information about survivor eligibility specific to the plan you are enrolled in.

If your spouse is eligible to collect a survivor pension and is under the age of 50 at the time of your death, the survivor’s pension will be actuarially reduced for each month they are under age 50. However, this reduction will not apply for any period during which your surviving spouse is caring for an unmarried child either under age 18 or between age 18 and 22 and attending school on a full-time basis, or over age 18 but permanently disabled before age 18.

The following priority of survivors is used unless you change the priority by filing a notarized Priority of Eligibility Survivors form. This form can be obtained from our website.

Eligible survivor in order of priority as established by law:

• Widow or widower (legally married)
• Dependent child(ren)
• Dependent parent(s)

Dependent child or children (Limited Term Benefit)
The child(ren) must be unmarried, have not attained age 18, or have attained age 18 but not age 22, and are attending school on a full-time basis, to qualify to receive a limited term pension benefit. They do not receive a lifetime pension benefit.

Disabled child (Lifetime Benefit)
A child that has attained age 18 and is permanently disabled as the result of a disability that began before the child attained age 18, is qualified to receive a survivor pension benefit. Disabled children receive a lifetime pension benefit.

If there is no eligible survivor(s), your beneficiary(ies), as named on the latest Contributory Designation/Change of Beneficiary form, will be paid a lump sum equal to the excess, if any, of your accumulated contributions with interest less all pension payments made, including survivor's benefits. If there is no designated beneficiary(ies), the sum will be paid to your estate. The accumulated contributions with interest is usually exhausted within the first 2 years of pension payments, leaving nothing to be paid out to the beneficiary upon the death of the pensioner.

Pensioners in eligible plans (State Employees’ Pension Plan, State Police Pension Plan, and Legislators’ Pension Plan) can name a beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive a $7,000 taxable burial benefit at the time of their death. This is available at no cost to the pensioner. This is not a life insurance policy. It has no policy number and no cash value during your lifetime. This benefit only applies to pensioners, not active employees.

The Burial Benefit Designation/Change of Beneficiary Form (GL) requires the name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number of the person or persons designated. The designated beneficiary or beneficiaries can be changed at any time by completing and submitting a new GL form. This form must be completed in its entirety; properly signed, dated, and notarized to be valid. The pensioner may choose to designate a funeral home or charity as a named beneficiary.