Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Retirement and Benefits
Alaska · Public Pensions
drb.alaska.govState Public Pensions in Alaska
The Alaska Division of Retirement and Benefits runs the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) and the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) for state and local government workers and public educators. Survivor and death benefits depend on whether the member was active or retired, whether the death was occupational, and the payment option elected.
Steps to take when someone dies
Required Documents
- Original certified death certificate: Most benefits cannot be paid without one.
- Acceptance of Duties by Personal Representative: if an executor, rather than a designated beneficiary, asks about benefits
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration: if an executor, rather than a designated beneficiary, asks about benefits. Issued by the court.
Timeline
The Division mails information on benefits payable to beneficiaries within 4-6 weeks of a death report.
State Public Pensions in Alaska: key facts
What Alaska says7
- Reporting a death
The Division takes the death report for all its plans on its Death Notification Form and handles survivor and death-benefit claims.1
- Death after retirement
The continuing benefit depends on the option elected: the 75% and 50% joint-and-survivor options pay a surviving spouse that percentage of the reduced benefit for life, and the 66-2/3% last survivor option pays that share.1
With no joint-and-survivor election, the beneficiary receives any balance left in the employee contribution account or the member's last check.1
- Payments after the date of death
A benefit check payable to a deceased member must be returned to the Division and reissued in the beneficiary's name.1
Survivor enrollment is not automatic; survivor benefits accrue back to the first day of the month after the death.1
- Death before retirement
A non-occupational death pays the balance of the employee contribution account; for a vested member the beneficiary also receives a lump-sum death benefit of $1,000 plus $100 for each year of credited service.1
After a non-occupational death, a spouse may instead take a monthly 50% joint-and-survivor benefit; one year of marriage is required, waived if the death is accidental or occupational.1
- Line-of-duty death
An occupational death pays a monthly survivor pension with no vesting requirement: 40% of the member's gross salary at death for most PERS members, and for a peace officer or fire fighter the greater of 50% of gross salary or 75% of the normal retirement benefit.1
- Who receives the benefit
Payment follows the last designation received by the Division or Empower Retirement.1
With no designation, or a deceased beneficiary, benefits are paid to the surviving spouse; if none, in equal parts to the surviving children; if none, in equal parts to the surviving parents; if none, to the member's estate.1
- Documents to claim
The Division cannot pay most benefits until it has an original certified death certificate.1
Governing law: Alaska Stat. 39.35 (PERS); Alaska Stat. 14.25 (TRS)
Forms Alaska uses1
- Death Notification Form
Reporting a death to the Division of Retirement and Benefits by fax, email or mail, with the name, date of death, date of birth, the surviving spouse's contact information and a contact for the person reporting.1
Retirement systems7
- Judicial Retirement System (JRS)
- Elected Public Officers Retirement System (EPORS)
- National Guard and Naval Militia Retirement System (NGNMRS)
- Supplemental Annuity Plan (SBS)
- Deferred Compensation Plan (DCP)
Other offices involved1
- Empower Retirement
Receives beneficiary designations; payment follows the last designation received1
Alaska public pension benefits
Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Retirement and Benefits
Phone
Juneau
Fax
Mailing address
Website