Death and Survivor Benefits (Tier 2)

When Your Surviving Spouse Pension Starts for Tier 2

Your surviving spouse pension becomes payable on the first day of the month following your death. If we have not finished processing your benefit by this date, your spouse will receive your first payment after this date but it will include a retroactive payment back to the date your pension became payable.

Your surviving spouse may receive your first payment as a paper check. Following your first check your spouse will receive a direct deposit form.

Your surviving spouse will receive a $1,000 Death Benefit along with a lifetime pension annuity. Please note, your spouse will need to provide documentation for proof of marriage.

Pension for Your Spouse

You and your spouse must have been legally married at date of retirement and at date of your death to receive the surviving spouse pension.

Pension Refund

If you received a refund of the spouse contributions then you cannot receive a pension for your surviving spouse at the time of your death.

If your spouse contributions were previously refunded at retirement and then marriage occurred post-retirement for 12 months or more, the refunded spouse contributions may be paid back to establish the right to a spouse annuity. Please note, only a spouse may re-establish spouse benefits, contact our office for details.

Surviving Spouse Pension Amount

Your surviving spouse is entitled to 66.7% of your earned annuity. Your spouse's age does not matter.

Example: Surviving Spouse Pension Amount Calculation

You are a County employee and you die with 8 years of service. Your final average salary is $3,000 per month.

Calculation: 8 (years of service) X 2.4% (accrual rate) X 66.67% (spouse pension percent) = 12.80%
$3,000 (Final Average Salary) X 12.80% (percent of eligible spouse pension) = $384.00 per month
Your spouse will receive $384.00 per month for life

Child’s Pension

If you have four years of service credit, your children may be eligible for a child’s pension. The following conditions must be met:

A child is defined as the natural child or children of an employee or a legally adopted child.
You have at least four years of service
The child was born before you withdrew from service
You must have entered upon or you are eligible for an annuity at date of death.

The child annuity is 10% of your final monthly salary at death, payable until the attainment of age 18 provided that:

You have at least four years of service
The child was born before you withdrew from service
You must have entered upon or you are eligible for an annuity at date of death.