Retirement 101

Can my spouse get my pension if I die?

You and your spouse can choose if you’d like to have pension payments continue after your death. If you both agree to choose this option, your pension payments will continue through both your lifetimes but will be lower than what you would have received to make up for paying benefits longer. Federal law requires that the payment amount must be at least half of what you would have received if you had chosen payments only for your lifetime.

If you want to receive benefits for your lifetime only and not for the life of your spouse, your monthly benefit will be higher. You and your spouse must both sign a form that says you’re giving up your rights to benefits for your spouse and that you both understand your pension payments will end when you die.