Introduction
This booklet presents information that will help you when various circumstances in your life change. For example, you might move to another home, marry, or remarry. In each instance, we have presented the best way for you to keep your agency informed so they can help you more quickly and more effectively. Often, the information presented mentions related actions you might want to consider.
Note: This booklet covers all employees except reemployed annuitants. If you are retired under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees Retirement System, you should request a copy of the retiree version of this booklet, form number RI 38-126, from the U. S. Office of Personnel Management at (202) 606-0500 or TDD (202) 606-0551.
The following life-situation changes may happen to you or your family. The events are shown below along with information about who to contact. If you work in an agency that has Employee Express, you can take several of the actions discussed in this pamphlet by using it instead of going to your payroll or personnel office.
You Move
You need to give your agency your new address. This is vital if your payroll check is mailed and/or in case of an emergency. If your payments go to your financial institution, your agency will still need to have your current mailing address so they can send you important information.
If you are enrolled in a health benefits plan that serves a limited geographic area, contact your current plan to find out if you can remain with that particular plan. If you cannot remain with your current plan, contact your agency personnel office and complete Standard Form (SF) 2809 to change your health plan.
You may need to change State or local income tax withholding.
You change where your electronic payment goes
You need to give your agency payroll office the name, routing number and your account number at the new financial institution. You should leave the old account open until you know your payments are going into your new account.
You marry
If you want your name to be changed in the agency's official records, you will need to ask your agency personnel office to prepare the personnel action to do this.
You may want to change to a family health benefits enrollment. Contact your agency personnel office any time from 31 days before your marriage to 60 days afterward. Otherwise, you will have to wait until the next health benefits open season to make the change. You will need to complete an SF 2809 to make this change. If you already have a family plan, your personnel office can assist you in getting your spouse (and if appropriate, stepchildren) added to your enrollment.
You may want to add Option C - Family and/or Option B - Additional to your life insurance coverage. You must request this, in writing, within 60 days of your marriage. Contact your personnel office to complete a Standard Form (SF) 2817.
You may want to change your income tax withholdings. Contact your payroll office to tell them how much you want withheld.
You may want to change your designations of beneficiary for life insurance or for retirement. New designations must be in writing and witnessed. Your agency can provide you with the appropriate forms: the SF 2808 - Designation of Beneficiary (Civil Service Retirement System), the SF 3102 - Designation of Beneficiary (Federal Employees Retirement System), and/or the SF 2823 - Designation of Beneficiary (Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program). These forms are also available on OPM's Web Site http://www.opm.gov/forms. You may also wish to check OPM's "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQS) regarding designations of beneficiary.
You divorce
The divorce decree (court order) may say that you must provide a part of your future annuity, and/or a survivor annuity for your former spouse. An original certified copy of the entire court order and all attachments must be mailed to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), along with a cover letter that states who the Federal employee is and provides his or her Social Security Number and date of birth. A former spouse (personally or through a representative) must apply in writing to be eligible for a court-awarded portion of an employee annuity. No special form is required. Send the original certified copy of the divorce decree to:
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
P.O. Box 17
Washington, DC 20044-0017
When you divorce, your spouse is no longer a family member and cannot be covered under your family health benefits enrollment. Your children can continue to be covered. If there are no children, you should change to a self-only enrollment. If you lost health benefits coverage as a result of the divorce, you can enroll for health benefits within 60 days. You must complete an SF 2809 to make these changes.
Your court order may instruct you to continue to provide health benefits for your former spouse. Check with your benefits officer to find out how to arrange for this coverage. Your former spouse may qualify for temporary continuation of Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage for up to 36 months. If this temporary coverage is needed, you or your former spouse must apply through your agency within 60 days after the divorce.
You may want to change your designations of beneficiary for life insurance or for retirement. A divorce does not automatically affect any designations you made at an earlier date. If you previously designated the person who is now your ex-spouse and you now want payments to go to someone else, you need to file new designations. New designations must be in writing and witnessed. Your agency can provide you with the appropriate forms: the Standard Form (SF) 2808 - Designation of Beneficiary (Civil Service Retirement System), the SF 3102 - Designation of Beneficiary (Federal Employees Retirement System), and/or the SF 2823 - Designation of Beneficiary (Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance [FEGLI] Program). Note: A court order may require you to assign your life insurance to your ex-spouse. (Ask your agency for a copy of the pamphlet on Court-Ordered Benefits for Former Spouses, RI 84-2 and for an Assignment of FEGLI Insurance Form, RI 76-10.) A court order may also pre-empt the order of precedence in the payment of benefits.
You may want to change your income tax withholdings. Contact your payroll office to complete the necessary forms.
You have a baby (or adopt)
If you do not already have a family health benefits enrollment, contact your personnel office to change your enrollment to a family plan. You will need to complete an SF 2809 to do so. This change must occur within 60 days after the baby is born, or the child is added to your family through adoption.
You may want to add or increase Option C-Family and/or Option B-Additional to your life insurance. This must be in writing within 60 days after the baby is born, or the child is added to your family through adoption. Contact your agency personnel office to determine if you are eligible to make this change, and to obtain SF 2817.
Note: If you are already enrolled in Option C - Family, your new family member will be covered automatically, if otherwise eligible for coverage.
You may want to change your income tax withholdings. Contact your payroll office to complete the necessary forms.
You may want to change your designations of beneficiary for life insurance or for retirement. This must be in writing. Contact your agency personnel office for Standard Form SF 2808 (Civil Service Retirement System [CSRS]), or SF 3102 (Federal Employees Retirement System [FERS]), and SF 2823 (Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance [FEGLI] Program).
You acquire a step-child or a foster child under age 22
If the child lives with you in a regular parent-child relationship and is your dependent, you may want to cover the child under your family health benefits enrollment. You can do this within 60 days after the child joins your household. Contact your agency personnel office if you need to change to a family health benefits enrollment.
You may want to change your income tax withholdings. Contact your payroll office to complete the necessary forms.
If you have a new step-child or foster child, you may want to add or increase Option C - Family to your life insurance. This must be in writing within 60 days after the child joins your household. Contact your agency personnel office for SF 2817. You may also add or increase Option B for a new stepchild, but not for a foster child.
Note: If you are already enrolled in Option C - Family, your new step-child or foster child will be covered automatically as long as the child lives with you in a regular parent-child relationship and is your dependent.
You may want to change your designations of beneficiary for life insurance or for retirement. This must be in writing. Contact your agency personnel office for SF 2808 (Civil Service Retirement System [CSRS]), or SF 3102 (Federal Employees Retirement System [FERS]), and SF 2823 (FEGLI).
Your child reaches age 22
Your family health benefits coverage does not include children who are over age 22 (unless the child is disabled before turning age 22). However, temporary continuation of coverage may be available for up to 36 months. If this coverage is desired, you must contact your agency personnel office within 60 days after the child reaches age 22.
Your family life insurance coverage does not include children who are over age 22 (unless the child is disabled before turning age 22). If there are no other family members eligible for this coverage, you may want to cancel your Option C - Family coverage. This can be done at anytime; but it is not automatic. Contact your agency personnel office for Standard Form SF 2817 to cancel Option C C Family Coverage.
You reach age 65
You may be eligible for health benefits coverage under Medicare. Generally, employees age 65 and older can get Medicare Part A benefits based on their own or their spouse's employment. There is no premium for Medicare Part A; however, you must pay a premium for Medicare Part B.
If you are currently enrolled in a Federal health plan as an employee when you are first able to get Medicare, you may be able to delay enrollment in Part B without waiting for a general enrollment period to enroll. Contact your local Social Security Office or call Social Security (800-772-1213) for more information.
Your spouse dies
If your spouse is covered by Option C - Family coverage, contact your agency personnel office to ask for Form FE6-DEP to file a claim for benefits.
If there are no other family members eligible for this coverage, you should cancel your Option C C Family coverage. This can be done at anytime; but it is not automatic. Contact your agency personnel office for SF 2817 to cancel Option C - Family Coverage.
If there are no other family members, you should change your health benefits to a self-only enrollment. You can do this at any time. Contact your agency personnel office.
You may want to change your income tax withholdings. Contact your agency payroll office to complete the necessary forms.
You may want to change your designations of beneficiary for life insurance or for retirement. This must be in writing. Contact your agency personnel office for Standard Form (SF) 2808 (Civil Service Retirement System [CSRS]), or SF 3102 (Federal Employees Retirement System [FERS]), and SF 2823 (Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance [FEGLI] Program).
Your former spouse dies or marries before age 55
If your former spouse filed a court order with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), you will need to update your records. For example, if you were required to provide a survivor annuity for your former spouse and your former spouse either dies or marries, OPM would need proof of the death or marriage. Send your proof along with a letter that provides your date of birth and social security number to:
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
P. O. Box 45
Boyers, PA 16017-0045
You may want to change your designations of beneficiary for life insurance or for retirement. This must be in writing. Contact your agency personnel office for SF 2808 (Civil Service Retirement System [CSRS]), or SF 3102 (Federal Employees Retirement System [FERS]), and SF 2823 (Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance [FEGLI] Program).
Your child dies
If your child is covered by Option C C Family coverage, contact your agency personnel office to ask for Form FE-6 DEP to file a claim for benefits.
If there are no other family members eligible for this coverage, you should cancel your Option C C Family coverage. This can be done at anytime; but it is not automatic. Contact your agency personnel office for SF 2817 to cancel Option C - Family Coverage.
You may want to change your income tax withholdings. Contact your agency payroll office to complete the necessary forms.
You may want to change your designations of beneficiary for life insurance or for retirement. This must be in writing. Contact your agency personnel office for SF 2808 (Civil Service Retirement System [CSRS]), or SF 3102 (Federal Employees Retirement System [FERS]), and SF 2823 (Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance [FEGLI] Program).
You want to change your designations of beneficiary
From time to time, you may want to change your designations of beneficiary for life insurance or for retirement. It is important that your designation forms contain current addresses for your beneficiaries. If addresses change, if someone you have designated should predecease
you or you change your mind about whom you wish to designate, contact your agency
personnel office for new forms. Also, designation forms are available on OPM's Web Site (http://www.opm.gov/forms). You must use the forms provided by your personnel office. They must receive the new designation forms, Standard Form (SF) 3102 (Federal Employees Retirement System [FERS]), and SF 2823 (Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance [FEGLI] Program), before your death.
Note: If you are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System, your retirement designation form, SF 2808, must be received by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management before your death. Send the completed, witnessed form to the address provided.
You want to assign your life insurance
You may make an irrevocable assignment of your FEGLI coverage to another person, or corporation, or to a trust. If you make an assignment, you must assign all of your insurance except Family Optional and accidental dismemberment insurance (which cannot be assigned).
If you assign your coverage, you will not be able to change the designation of beneficiary or cancel your coverage at a later date.
If you would like to assign your FEGLI coverage, or need more information on assignments, contact your agency benefits officer for the assignment form, RI 76-10.
You become disabled
You may be entitled a disability annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Benefit System (FERS). However -
- you must have completed at least 5 years of Federal civilian service for CSRS, or 18 months for FERS;
- you must have become disabled for "useful and efficient service" in both your current position and any other vacant position at the same grade or pay level for which you are qualified, while employed in a position covered under CSRS or FERS; and
- your disabling condition must be expected to last at least 1 year.
If you think you need to apply for this benefit, contact your personnel office for assistance.
You are terminally ill
You may be entitled to a disability annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System or Federal Employees Retirement System.
Check with your benefits officer to determine if you qualify for an immediate annuity, other than for disability. If so, you may be eligible to elect the Alternative Form of Annuity, which provides a lump-sum payment of the money to your credit in the retirement system and a reduced monthly annuity.
You may be eligible to elect "Living Benefits" under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program.
You may wish to consider assignment of your FEGLI policy to a viatical settlement firm to obtain life insurance funds while you are still living.
You should carefully consider the consequences of separating or retiring from Federal employment:
- If you meet the criteria to continue your FEGLI enrollment as a retiree, your enrollment will be continued unless you choose to convert all or part of your coverage to an individual policy or you choose to cancel your coverage.
- If you leave Federal service (and are not retiring) your Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) enrollment automatically terminates. You may wish to convert all or part of your coverage to an individual policy.
- If you retire without being eligible to continue some or all of your FEGLI coverage as an annuitant, the coverage that you are not eligible to continue automatically terminates. You may wish to convert all or part of your coverage to an individual policy.
- Check with your benefits officer for information about continuing enrollment in retirement, or converting your insurance.
- For Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employees, the Basic Employee Death Benefit is payable only in the event that you die as an employee, not as a retiree.
- For Civil Service Retirement System and FERS employees, the Alternative Form of Annuity is only payable if you retire from Federal service.
 You are injured on the job
You may be entitled to benefits from the Office of Workers Compensation Programs (OWCP).
On-the-job Injury Compensation Questions? -- Check to see if the Department of Labor has your ANSWERS
HERE. You can also jump to the DOL's Division
of Federal Employees Compensation complete page. There you
will find a treasury of information including Forms, Pamphlets, Laws &
Regulations, and Decisions of the Employee Compensation Appeals Board.
Quick
Jump to these other great Workers' Comp Resources:
If the disabling condition is expected to last at least 1 year and you are being separated, you may want to apply for disability retirement to protect your benefits.
If you are covered by Federal life insurance as an employee and you lose a limb or your eyesight, in one or both eyes, because of an accidental injury, you may be eligible for Accidental Dismemberment benefits. If you need to apply for this benefit, contact your personnel office for assistance. Accidental dismemberment benefits are not available to enrollees continuing life insurance coverage as compensationers.
You die
Your family should contact your agency immediately. When your agency hears of your death from your family, designated beneficiary, or other representative, they will be able to supply any forms your survivors need and will give them full instructions about how to proceed.
If you have a family health benefits enrollment and any of your survivors are eligible for a monthly survivor annuity from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the family coverage can be continued after your death. If only one survivor is eligible for health benefits coverage, OPM will change the enrollment from family to self-only. If you have self-only coverage at death, your survivors cannot be enrolled for health benefits coverage based on your Federal employment.
Information
This pamphlet briefly addresses actions you may need to take with regard to your retirement and insurance benefits. However, if you need information on your specific situation, please contact your agency benefits officer. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management does not maintain your personnel files.
Various life events also may cause you to want to take actions concerning your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account and your Social Security benefits (based on your own work or your spouse's work.)
Many of your questions may be answered in the booklet, Summary of Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) for Federal Employees, TSP BK08, July 1995 edition, which may be obtained from the TSP Web Site - http://www.tsp.gov or your servicing personnel office. If you have additional questions, please see the TSP Coordinator at your servicing personnel office.
If you have questions about Social Security, please call the toll-free number (800) 772-1213. The lines are busiest early in the week and early in the month, so if your business can wait, it's best to call at other times. You can speak to a service representative between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern Time on business days. Recorded information and services are available 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays. Information is also available on Social Security's Web Site - http://www.ssa.gov
Additional information
You may obtain copies of the pamphlets listed below from your personnel office, or from OPM's Web Site (http://www.opm.gov/asd).
Pamphlets applicable to employees in both the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are:
- Court-Ordered Benefits for Former Spouses (RI 84-1)
- Work-Related Injuries and Fatalities C What You and Your Family Need to Know About Your Benefits (RI 84-2)
- Life Events and Your Retirement and Insurance Benefits (For Employees) (RI 84-3)
- Thinking About Retirement (RI 83-11)
The pamphlets in the CSRS Retirement Facts Series are:
Publications for employees who are under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are:
- FERS Brochure (An Overview of Your Benefits) (RI 90-1)
- FERS Facts #1 - Information for Separating FERS Employees Who Are Not Eligible for an Immediate Annuity (RI 90-11)
- FERS Facts #2 - Information About Reemployment for FERS Annuitants (RI 90-18)
For employees who are eligible to transfer to FERS:
Pamphlets on the Federal Employees Health and Life Insurance Programs are:
- Federal Employees Health Benefits Guide (RI 70-1)
- Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (RI 79-27)
- Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Booklet (RI 76-21)
RI 84-3
Revised February 1999
Previous edition is not usable
Office of Personnel Management
Retirement and Insurance Service
Life Events and Your Retirement and Insurance Benefits (for employees)
Additional retirement information and all publications of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management listed in this pamphlet are available on the Internet.
OPM Web Site - http://www.opm.gov/asd
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