Household decision guide · Reviewed September 7, 2026
What income will your survivor have after you die?
Federal retirement survivor income is a stack, not one check. A surviving spouse may have a Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) survivor annuity, one Social Security benefit, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, and withdrawals from the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage is a separate eligibility question. Compare the stack with essential spending, then verify every benefit with its agency.
This worksheet is educational. It does not determine eligibility, taxes, benefit awards, healthcare enrollment, investment returns, or the best survivor election.
Income that changes
Your pension, two-person Social Security, and wages may shrink or stop.
Income that may continue
A survivor annuity, survivor Social Security, VA/DIC, and planned TSP withdrawals may remain.
Coverage to verify
FEHB continuation depends on the survivor and enrollment meeting OPM requirements.
What changes immediately after a federal retiree dies?
| Source | Planning treatment | Who controls it |
|---|---|---|
| FERS annuity | The retiree payment stops. An eligible survivor annuity is based on the election and OPM record. | Office of Personnel Management (OPM) |
| Social Security | Do not add both checks. SSA determines whether the survivor can receive a survivor benefit or their own benefit and the payable amount. | Social Security Administration (SSA) |
| FEHB | Coverage does not become cash income. Verify whether the survivor can continue enrollment and what premium applies. | OPM and the FEHB plan |
| VA or DIC | Do not assume the retiree’s VA payment transfers. VA determines any survivor Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) award. | Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) |
| TSP and other assets | Account ownership and beneficiary rules change; withdrawals are a planning choice, not an automatic monthly survivor benefit. | TSP, custodian, and beneficiary documents |
How do full, partial, and no FERS survivor elections change the risk?
For a regular FERS spouse election, the full survivor annuity is generally 50% of the unreduced annuity and the partial election is generally 25%; no election produces no spouse survivor annuity from that election. The existing FERS Survivor Benefit Options guide owns election mechanics, reductions, consent, and exceptions.
Full · 50%
Largest continuing FERS stream. Full and partial survivor annuities can each provide a path to FEHB continuation when OPM’s other requirements are met.
Partial · 25%
Smaller continuing FERS stream. It is still a survivor annuity for FEHB-continuation purposes when OPM’s other requirements are met.
None · 0%
No spouse annuity from the election. Do not assume assets or insurance reproduce OPM survivor-annuity or FEHB rights.
Illustrative household worksheet
What does the before-and-after monthly table show?
Enter monthly planning amounts from official estimates or your own spending record. “Other income” can combine sources for this quick comparison; the saved Survivor Shock model separates them by source, timing, taxes, and healthcare.
| View | FERS | Other income | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current household | $2,700/mo | $3,600/mo | $6,300/mo |
| Survivor household | $1,500/mo | $2,200/mo | $3,700/mo |
Entered income falls 41% from the current to survivor view. Values are monthly, before taxes and deductions unless your inputs are already net.
What may arrive later or require a separate claim?
OPM, SSA, and VA operate separate claims. A survivor should not treat an eligibility possibility as immediate cash. Keep a reserve for the interval between death, agency notification, completed applications, and payment. This page does not estimate processing time.
SSA says spouses and ex-spouses may qualify under age, marriage, disability, remarriage, or child-care rules. SSA determines the actual payable benefit. VA survivor benefits are also a separate award; the retiree’s disability compensation should not be copied into the survivor column.
Who is this for—and what can’t it determine?
This page is for FERS employees, retirees, spouses, and survivors who need to organize a post-death household budget. It is not a claims tool, election recommendation, estate plan, insurance comparison, tax return, or medical coverage determination.
It cannot determine OPM or SSA eligibility, a VA/DIC award, FEHB continuation, Medicare Part B or Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) premiums, taxes, TSP access, beneficiary rights, inflation, or longevity. Use official records and professional advice where appropriate.
Next step
Run the full Survivor Shock scenario
A saved scenario uses the canonical projection engine to separate FERS, Social Security, VA income, taxes, and healthcare before and after death. Open a scenario from My Plan, then choose Survivor Shock or Lifetime Income. Use Legacy Vault protection planning to organize the records behind the plan.
Related guides and primary sources
Last reviewed September 7, 2026. Agency records and current rules control.