Q: My father is 78. He served in the Korean War, worked for the postal service for more than 30 years (letter carrier and postmaster) and retired from the postal service at 58. He receives an annual annuity and social security but is now in failing health and recently expressed concerns that my mother may not receive his annuity upon his death. I have searched the Internet and can find information about survivor benefits for current employees, but cannot find a section on survivor benefits for spouses after the death of a retiree. Can you help me understand the survivor benefits my mother would be eligible for so I can put my father’s mind to rest?
A: You’ll find what you are looking for at http://www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/handbook/C071.pdf and http://ssa.gov/pgm/survivors.htm.
