State Public Pensions in South Carolina

Member portal

Members manage their account through Member Access at online.retirement.sc.gov.¹

Reporting a death

PEBA directs the family of a deceased active employee, or of a retiree of an optional employer or charter school that participates in insurance only, to contact the deceased's employer.¹

The family of a retiree of a state agency, higher education institution, public school district, or charter school participating in both insurance and retirement contacts PEBA directly.¹

Death after retirement

Under SCRS and PORS, what a beneficiary receives depends on the option elected: Option A pays the remaining member contributions and interest as a lump sum, Option B continues the same monthly benefit for life, and Option C continues one-half of the benefit for life. A period-certain option may also have been elected.¹

Where the employer elected incidental death benefit coverage, which is not automatic, the payment for a working retiree equals the member's current annual earnable compensation.²

With that coverage, a non-working retiree's incidental death benefit is set by years of service credit: SCRS $2,000 (10-19), $4,000 (20-27), $6,000 (28+); PORS $4,000 (Class Two 20-24, Class Three 20-26), $6,000 (Class Two 25+, Class Three 27+); GARS and JSRS $1,000 (10-19), $2,000 (20-29), $3,000 (30+).¹

Death before retirement

The beneficiary of a member who dies in service receives a refund of the member's contributions plus interest, regardless of the member's age or service credit.²

Under SCRS, a lifetime monthly benefit may be chosen instead where the member was Class Two with at least 5 years of earned service, or Class Three with at least 8 years, and either had 15 or more years of total service or had reached age 60 at death.²

Under PORS, a lifetime monthly benefit may be chosen instead where the member was Class Two with at least 5 years of earned service, or Class Three with at least 8 years, and either had 15 or more years of total service or had reached age 55 at death.³

Where the employer participates in incidental death benefit coverage (not automatic), the designated beneficiary of an active member with at least one year of earned service receives the member's current annual earnable compensation. The one-year requirement is waived where death results from a job-related injury.^{1, 4, 5}

The State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP) is a defined-contribution plan whose death benefit is the account balance remaining with the service provider.¹

Who receives the benefit

The beneficiary of a member who dies in service may instead, or in addition, be entitled to a refund of the member's contributions and interest or to a monthly survivor benefit.¹

If there is no spouse, or the spouse dies before the youngest child turns 18, the PORS Accidental Death Program pension is divided among the children until each turns 18; failing that, it is paid to surviving parents for life.^{5, 3}

If none of those survive, nothing is payable under the PORS Accidental Death Program.^{5, 3}

Line-of-duty death

Where the employer participates in the incidental death benefit program, the beneficiary of a first responder (police, fire, EMS) who dies from an on-duty injury by external accident or violence receives a one-time lump sum of $75,000. The benefit is effective May 11, 2023.^{4, 5, 3}

The lump sum increases to $150,000 where the member is killed in the line of duty by another person's unlawful and intentional act, or by an accident in fresh pursuit, in response to a believed emergency, at a traffic-accident scene, or while enforcing a traffic law.⁴

Where a PORS employer elected the separate Accidental Death Program and a member dies from an injury by external accident or violence incurred in the actual performance of duty, the surviving spouse receives a pension of 50% of the member's compensation at the time of death, for life.^{5, 3}

Health coverage and life insurance

Survivors continuing State Health Plan, dental, or vision coverage complete a Survivor Notice of Election within 31 days of the date of death.¹

Governing law: S.C. Code Title 9 (Ch. 1 SCRS, Ch. 11 PORS); 9-1-1770 and 9-11-120 (preretirement and first responder death benefits); 9-11-140 (PORS Accidental Death Program)

Survivor Notice of Election to continue State Health Plan, dental, or vision coverage

within 31 days of the date of death¹

South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS)

Police Officers Retirement System (PORS)

Retirement System for Members of the General Assembly (GARS)

members of the General Assembly¹

Retirement System for Judges and Solicitors (JSRS)

judges and solicitors¹

State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)

1. 1.Survivor benefits (South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority)
2. 2.SCRS Member Handbook (FY2027)
3. 3.PORS Member Handbook (FY2027)
4. 4.S.C. Code Title 9, Chapter 1 (South Carolina Retirement System)
5. 5.S.C. Code Title 9, Chapter 11 (Police Officers Retirement System)