Q: When I contacted my U.S. Postal Service personnel office and asked them whether I could name my partner as an insurable interest, I was told that I could not. What must I do to make this happen? We have been together over 11 years now and we own property together.
A: Your personnel office contact was mistaken. You can elect an insurable interest annuity for your partner. The way to do that is spelled out in Chapter 52, Survivor Benefit Elections, of the Office of Personnel Management’s CSRS and FERS Handbook for Personnel and Payroll Offices. Just go to this section of the handbook online and scroll down to Part 52A3, “Electing to Provide a Survivor Annuity to Someone with an Insurable Interest.”
