Last verified 2026-10-29; facts checked against the primary sources below
How to report a federal retiree's or employee's death to OPM and claim survivor benefits
Last verified: October 29, 2026
The short answer: For a federal retiree, report the death to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) online at rsreporting.opm.gov/AnnuitantDeath or by calling 1-888-767-6738 (TTY 711), weekdays 7:40 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET (OPM). For a current federal employee, the family reports the death to the agency's human resources office; only a surviving spouse can report it to OPM directly (OPM). OPM then sends the survivors an Application for Death Benefits: SF 3104 for FERS or SF 2800 for CSRS (OPM).
Any annuity payment that arrives after the date of death must go back to the Treasury Department (OPM). Do not spend it.
Who do you tell, and how?
| Who died | Report it to | How | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| A federal retiree or survivor annuitant | OPM Retirement Services | Online at rsreporting.opm.gov/AnnuitantDeath; phone 1-888-767-6738 (TTY 711), Monday to Friday 7:40 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, closed federal holidays; or mail to Retirement Operations Center, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017 | OPM |
| A current federal employee | The human resources office of the employing agency. A surviving spouse may also report online at rsreporting.opm.gov/EmployeeDeath | The agency gives the survivors an information packet and works with them on the OPM application | OPM; OPM survivor benefits |
| A former federal employee who had not retired | OPM | Call 1-888-767-6738. OPM reviews the service record and sends an application if any benefit is payable | OPM survivor benefits |
| Anyone with a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account | The TSP | Online through the TSP Life Events Hub, or the ThriftLine at 1-877-968-3778, Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET. Anyone can report the death | TSP; TSP contact |
Family members, caregivers or friends can report a retiree's death. After an online report, OPM sends a confirmation email and usually responds within 3 to 5 business days (OPM). Have the retirement claim number ready if you can find it. It starts with "CSA" or "CSF" and is printed on the retiree's Form 1099-R, annual cost-of-living notice or benefits booklet (OPM).
If the retiree's payments went by direct deposit, also tell the bank about the death. Paper checks dated after the death go back to the Treasury Department at the address on the envelope, with the date of death written on the check (OPM).
What happens after you report the death?
For a retiree, OPM creates a "CSF" claim number and mails the survivors a packet (OPM):
| In the packet | What it is for |
|---|---|
| SF 3104, Application for Death Benefits (FERS), with a pink return envelope | Survivor annuity or lump sum under the Federal Employees Retirement System |
| SF 2800, Application for Death Benefits (CSRS), with a pink return envelope | Survivor annuity or lump sum under the Civil Service Retirement System |
| FE-6, Claim for Death Benefits, with a blue return envelope, if the person had federal life insurance | Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) |
Once OPM has a complete application, a specialist processes claims in the order received. OPM posts current processing times on its retirement processing times page (OPM).
What survivor benefits can the family claim?
| Benefit | Who may get it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly survivor annuity | A current spouse; a former spouse if the retiree elected it or a qualifying court order awards it; a minor child; or an adult child who is a disabled dependent or a full-time student. Service and length-of-marriage rules apply | OPM |
| Lump sum | When no one is or will be eligible for a monthly annuity: the retirement deductions left in the fund. If a retiree used them up, the annuity owed for the days they lived in the month of death may be payable | OPM |
| Basic Employee Death Benefit (FERS only) | A current spouse, or a former spouse named in a qualifying court order, when a current employee dies with at least 18 months of civilian service. OPM says it equals 50% of the final salary (or average salary, if higher) plus a fixed amount that rises with cost-of-living adjustments | OPM |
| Insurable interest annuity | A person the retiree chose at retirement because they had a financial interest in the retiree's life. They receive 55% of the retiree's reduced annuity | OPM |
When a lump sum is payable, OPM pays the first eligible person in a set order: a beneficiary the person named in writing (signed, witnessed and received by the agency or OPM before death), then the spouse, then the children, and on through OPM's order of precedence (OPM). The will does not decide who gets it.
A surviving spouse who receives a monthly survivor annuity or the Basic Employee Death Benefit can usually keep the federal health insurance if the person who died had a Self and Family or Self Plus One plan on the date of death and the spouse was covered under it (OPM).
Which documents does OPM need?
Send these with the Application for Death Benefits to avoid delays (OPM):
| Applicant | Documents |
|---|---|
| Everyone | Proof of death showing the date and the cause or manner of death. OPM does not accept a pending death certificate |
| Widow or widower | A copy of the marriage certificate, plus proof that any earlier marriage ended (final divorce decree, annulment or death certificate) |
| Child of the person who died | A copy of the child's birth certificate showing both parents' names. For a minor child, a copy of the Social Security award determination |
| Executor, administrator or other estate official | A copy of the court appointment with a raised seal |
How do you claim federal life insurance (FEGLI)?
| Step | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Get the form | For a retiree, OPM sends Form FE-6 after the death is reported. For a current employee, the agency's human resources office sends it | OPM FEGLI |
| Send it | Mail the printed FE-6 with a certified copy of the death certificate to the Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI), P.O. Box 6080, Scranton, PA 18505-6080. The form cannot be filed online | OPM FEGLI |
| Questions | OFEGLI at 1-800-633-4542, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET (overseas 212-578-2975). Wait at least 30 days after sending the form before asking about status | OPM FEGLI |
What about the Thrift Savings Plan?
The TSP is separate from the OPM annuity. Report the death to the TSP too, through its Life Events Hub or the ThriftLine at 1-877-968-3778. Whoever opens the online report becomes the only person with access to that claim and receives all claim messages (TSP). Who receives the account depends on the beneficiary designation on file, or the order set by law when there is none (TSP). For how inherited retirement accounts are taxed and withdrawn, ask a tax professional; the inherited IRA rules cover IRAs, not the TSP.
If the person also received Social Security, report the death there as well: see how to report a death to Social Security. State and local pensions have their own process, such as CalPERS and CalSTRS in California.
The Estate Desk helps families settle estates. theestatedesk.com
Primary sources
- https://www.opm.gov/support/retirement/how-to/report-an-annuitant-death
- https://www.opm.gov/support/retirement/how-to/report-a-federal-employee-death/
- https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/survivor-benefits/tabs/overview/
- https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/my-annuity-and-benefits/life-events/death/special-notice-regarding-death-of-annuitants/
- https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/life-insurance/death-claims/
- https://www.tsp.gov/death-beneficiary-support/
- https://www.tsp.gov/contact/