Q. Can a spouse receive two CSRS survivor annuities? My mother currently receives a CSRS survivor annuity from the death of her retired first husband. Her second husband recently died, and she applied for his CSRS survivor annuity. Yet the Office of Personnel Management declined to approve the payment of the second annuity because she is already receiving a survivor annuity from her first husband?
A. To find out if OPM is correct, you’ll have to go to www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/handbook.C052.pdf, scroll down to Part 52A7, and compare your mother’s situation to one in which she may only receive one survivor benefit or where she can receive both.
