Skip to main content
SimplyTrust
SimplyTrust
Create a TrustSettle an EstateForms & ToolsFreeResources
OverviewEstate Law
OverviewEstate Law
Attorneys
All Pennsylvania Attorneys
Forms
Revocable Living Trust for Pennsylvania ResidentsPennsylvania Last Will and TestamentPennsylvania Pour-Over WillPennsylvania Healthcare Power of AttorneyPennsylvania Financial Power of AttorneyPennsylvania Transfer on Death DeedVehicle Transfer on DeathPennsylvania EIN ApplicationPennsylvania Petition for Probate and LettersPennsylvania Notice to CreditorsPennsylvania Small Estate AffidavitLetter of InstructionDigital Assets Recovery Letter
Getting Prepared
Pennsylvania Estate Planning Cost CalculatorPennsylvania Revocable Living Trust Cost CalculatorPennsylvania Will Cost CalculatorPennsylvania Life Insurance CalculatorPennsylvania Beneficiary Designation CheckerPennsylvania Name a Guardian GuidePennsylvania Burial & Cremation Law GuidePennsylvania Signing Requirements CheckerPennsylvania Document Portability CheckerPennsylvania Trust Need AssessmentPennsylvania TOD Deed AssessmentPennsylvania Vehicle TOD AssessmentPennsylvania Trust or Will Decision Tool
Someone Just Passed Away
Pennsylvania Death Certificate CalculatorPennsylvania Probate Decision ToolPennsylvania Estate Settlement Plan
I'm an Executor
Pennsylvania Probate Cost CalculatorPennsylvania Executor Fee CalculatorPennsylvania Self-File Probate AssessmentPennsylvania Executor Appointment GuidePennsylvania Creditor Claims DeadlinesPennsylvania Personal Property Value Estimator
I'm a Trustee
Pennsylvania Trustee Compensation CalculatorPennsylvania Trust Settlement Plan
Taxes & Inheritance
Pennsylvania Who Inherits CalculatorPennsylvania Estate & Inheritance Tax CalculatorPennsylvania Inheritance Tax GuidePennsylvania Step-Up Basis CalculatorPennsylvania Post-Death Tax Filing Guide
Pennsylvania Agencies
Medicaid Estate RecoveryUnclaimed PropertyUnemployment BenefitsPublic Pensions
Federal Agencies
Administration for Community Living (ACL)Black Lung Benefits ProgramBureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)Defense Health Agency (DHA)Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)DOD Casualty Assistance ProgramDrug Enforcement Administration (DEA)Energy Employees Occupational Illness Program (EEOICPA)Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)Federal Communications Commission (FCC)Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)Federal Election Commission (FEC)Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)Federal Student Aid (FSA)Federal Trade Commission (FTC)Indian Health Service (IHS)Internal Revenue Service (IRS)National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)NOAA Commissioned Officer CorpsOffice of Personnel Management (OPM)Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)Radiation Exposure Compensation Program (RECA)Railroad Retirement Board (RRB)September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (9/11 VCF)Social Security Administration (SSA)Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)Transportation Security Administration (TSA)U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)U.S. Coast Guard Casualty Assistance ProgramU.S. Copyright OfficeU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)U.S. Department of StateU.S. Department of the TreasuryU.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHS)U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)United States Postal Service (USPS)USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Home→Agencies→Public Pensions→Pennsylvania

State Public Pensions in Pennsylvania

Two systems cover Pennsylvania public-employee pensions: the State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) for state government workers and the Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) for public educators. Survivor and death benefits depend on whether the member was active or retired and the payment option they elected.

OverviewWhen someone dies

Public Pensions

Pennsylvania

sers.pa.gov→

Administering agency

Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) and Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS)

Phone800-633-5461
WebsiteVisit website →
Verified Jul 2026

State Public Pensions in Pennsylvania: key facts

Systems
State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) for state workers; Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) for public-school employees.
SERS contact
800-633-5461; members.sers.pa.gov.
PSERS contact
888-773-7748; ContactPSERS@pa.gov.
Death benefit
A continuing survivor annuity if the retiree elected a survivor payment option; otherwise the death benefit is paid to the named beneficiary, or to the estate if no beneficiary nomination is on file. SERS must receive a certified death certificate listing the cause and manner of death before paying any death benefit; PSERS accepts a certified death certificate or a court order declaring the death.

When someone dies

Steps after a death in Pennsylvania

4-step process for Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) and Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS).

View details →
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 14, 2026

Sources

  • pa.gov
  • sers.pa.gov

Data sourced from State Public Pensions in Pennsylvania primary sources (4 pages reviewed). How we research.

Public Pensions

Pennsylvania

sers.pa.gov→

Administering agency

Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) and Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS)

Phone800-633-5461
WebsiteVisit website →
Verified Jul 2026
SimplyTrust Logo

Every family deserves a plan. We'll help.

Get startedApp StoreGoogle Play

Forms

  • Revocable Living Trust
  • Last Will and Testament
  • Pour-Over Will
  • Healthcare Power of Attorney
  • Financial Power of Attorney
  • Transfer on Death Deed
  • Vehicle Transfer on Death

Tools

  • Trust vs Will
  • Probate Calculator
  • Who Inherits
  • Estate Settlement
  • Death Tax Calculator
  • Life Insurance

Compare

  • Compare Services
  • vs LegalZoom
  • vs Trust & Will
  • vs Rocket Lawyer
  • vs Quicken WillMaker

Learn

  • Revocable Living Trusts
  • Last Will and Testaments
  • Articles
  • State Guides
  • Estate Law
  • Life Events

Directories

  • Law Firms
  • Financial Assets
  • Digital Assets
  • Government Agencies

Company

  • About
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Create a Trust

SimplyTrust is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal counsel, or attorney review. Information on this platform is for general informational purposes only. Use of SimplyTrust does not create an attorney-client relationship. You are solely responsible for all documents you create. For advice tailored to your circumstances, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

© 2026 SimplyTrust Software Inc. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy·Terms of Service·Security··AI Access

All content, data, and calculations are proprietary. Automated scraping, systematic downloading, or data extraction is prohibited under our Terms of Service. Product visuals are simulated for illustrative purposes and may differ from actual experience. Logos provided by Logo.dev.