Q. When I retire as a CSRS retiree, how can I assure myself that upon my death, my retirement annuity shall transfer over to my immediate spouse and continue to receive it?
A. When you fill out your Application for Immediate Retirement (Standard Form 2801), Section E, Marital Information, requires that you provide the name of your spouse and Section F, Annuity Election, requires that you check one of the boxes. By law, nearly everyone with a current spouse is required to check Box 1, which will result in your own annuity being reduced to provide a full survivor annuity for your spouse. There are only two exceptions to this rule. First, if there is a court order from a former spouse that would require all or a portion of the survivor annuity to provided to him or her. Second, if your own spouse elected in writing to a reduced survivor annuity or none at all.
