State Public Pensions in Michigan
The Michigan Office of Retirement Services administers the state's public retirement programs — for state employees, public school employees, judges, state police, and National Guard members. Whether a survivor benefit continues depends on the payment option the retiree elected and on whether the member was active, deferred, or retired at death.
Administering agency
Michigan Office of Retirement Services (ORS)
Authority
MCL 38.1 et seq. (State Employees' Retirement Act, Act 240 of 1943); MCL 38.1301 et seq. (Public School Employees Retirement Act of 1979, Act 300 of 1980)
State Public Pensions in Michigan: key facts
- Systems
- State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) and Public School Employees' Retirement System (MPSERS) are the two large systems; ORS also administers the State Police Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System, and the Michigan Military Retirement Provisions.
- Retiree death
- A straight life option provides no ongoing benefit after the retiree's death, though any contributions remaining on deposit are paid to the refund beneficiary in a lump sum. A 100%, 75%, or 50% survivor option continues that share of the pension for the lifetime of the named survivor pension beneficiary, along with continued group insurance.
- Pre-retirement death
- Under SERS, a vested member's survivor may receive a monthly benefit calculated as if the member had retired on the date of death and elected the 100% survivor option; on a duty death, a surviving spouse and children under 21 are eligible regardless of the member's age or years of service. Under MPSERS, a nonduty-death survivor pension requires 10 years of service (5 at age 60 or older) for MIP members, or 15 years (10 at age 60 or older) for Basic Plan members; a duty-death survivor pension is payable regardless of age or service if a workers' compensation benefit is awarded.
- Member services
- 800-381-5111 (Lansing area 517-284-4400), 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays except state holidays; report a death so pension payments stop and the record is reviewed.
Governing law: MCL 38.1 et seq. (State Employees' Retirement Act, Act 240 of 1943); MCL 38.1301 et seq. (Public School Employees Retirement Act of 1979, Act 300 of 1980)
Steps to take when someone dies
- Identify which ORS system the deceased belonged to — most often SERS (state employees) or MPSERS (public school employees).
- Contact ORS at 800-381-5111 and provide the member's Social Security number so pension payments stop and the record is reviewed.
- Confirm the payment option the retiree elected, or the beneficiary designation for an active member.
- File the survivor or death-benefit claim with the documents ORS requires.
Frequently asked questions
Contact the Michigan Office of Retirement Services at 800-381-5111, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ORS administers Michigan's retirement programs for state employees, public school employees, judges, state police, and National Guard members. ORS asks for the member's Social Security number so it can stop pension payments and review the record to see whether anything more is payable.
It depends on the option the retiree elected. A straight life option provides no ongoing benefit after death, though contributions still on deposit go to the refund beneficiary in a lump sum. A 100%, 75%, or 50% survivor option pays that share of the pension for the lifetime of the named survivor pension beneficiary and keeps group insurance in place for an eligible survivor.
It depends on the system and the service credit. Under SERS, a vested member's survivor may receive a monthly benefit calculated as if the member had retired on the date of death and elected the 100% survivor option, and on a work-related (duty) death a surviving spouse and children under 21 are eligible regardless of the member's age or years of service. Under MPSERS, a nonduty-death survivor pension requires 10 years of service (5 at age 60 or older) for MIP members or 15 years (10 at age 60 or older) for Basic Plan members, while a duty-death survivor pension is payable regardless of age or service if a workers' compensation benefit is awarded.
Sources
Data sourced from State Public Pensions in Michigan primary sources (7 pages reviewed). How we research.
Administering agency
Michigan Office of Retirement Services (ORS)
Authority
MCL 38.1 et seq. (State Employees' Retirement Act, Act 240 of 1943); MCL 38.1301 et seq. (Public School Employees Retirement Act of 1979, Act 300 of 1980)