Q. My ex-husband and I had four children. One child is in college part time. My ex-husband passed away in 2012. I have gone to all avenues to get survivor benefits to no avail. What can I do?
Browsing: Death benefits
Q. If I remarry at age 66 as a retired federal employee, will I have an option to leave my partner any portion of income upon my death without penalty? She will be turning 60 this year.
Q. My sister’s husband passed away in December last year, and she received his CSRS benefits at 55 percent. She was told she is not entitled to any pay raises sense he retired, which was in 1996. But if she is entitled, who would she contact?
Q. My mom just passed on. She was receiving a disability annuity. When we checked with OPM, we were shocked to find out they had taken all of her retirement contributions and used it for her disability payments. Is this really what happened? A. In all likelihood, yes. Annuity payments to retirees — whether regular or disability — initially come from the contributions employees made to the retirement system while they were working. Only when that money runs out does the government begin making those payments out of the retirement fund. A retiree who worked full time for an entire…
Q. I am 55 years old with 35 years of civil service under CSRS retirement. Do I need to take survivors benefits to be able to have health benefits for my husband and myself?
Q. Why can’t you choose a non-family member as a beneficiary to your life insurance? Human resources said the life insurance beneficiary can only be a spouse or children.
Q. My husband died suddenly. He had been away from work because of an illness for three weeks. Had he lived, which we expected, he would have gone on disability like his doctor recommended. He did not apply for that as his death came so suddenly — a week after he was told this. I am receiving a CSRS survivor benefit from his pension. However, if he had received it, it would be double. If he paid in all those years (37 at the U.S. Postal Service and three in the military), shouldn’t they be paying all of it out? Do they just get to keep half of…
Q. My CSRS is $60,000. My wife receives $15,000 in Social Security. If she dies, would I receive $5,000 in Social Security benefits?
Q. My late husband worked for the government and was receiving his pension before he died at the age of 59. We were married for almost 32 years. I am receiving survivor benefits. I am worried that if I do remarry, for whatever reason I might not get my survivor benefits. Without this money I could not afford to live. Is there a way that I can get a written confirmation from the government that this wont happen?
Q. My spouse gets a FERS pension of $3000 per month in FERS pension, but only $100 in Social Security. I get $1000 per month in Social Security. If he passes way, I understand that I would get half of his pension, but how much of my social security would I get?