State Public Pensions in Washington
The Washington Department of Retirement Systems runs the state's public retirement plans — PERS, TRS, SERS, LEOFF, WSPRS, PSERS, and the closed judicial plans — for state and local government workers, teachers, law enforcement officers, and fire fighters. Survivor and death benefits depend on whether the member was active or retired and the payment option they elected at retirement.
Administering agency
Washington Department of Retirement Systems (DRS)
State Public Pensions in Washington: key facts
- Systems
- PERS, TRS, SERS, LEOFF, WSPRS, PSERS, and the closed judicial plans (JRS, JRF, and the Judicial Retirement Account), plus the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP).
- Death of a retiree
- The continuing benefit depends on the option the member elected at retirement: Option 2 (100% Survivor), Option 4 (66.67% Survivor), or Option 3 (50% Survivor). Under Option 1 (Single Life) there is no continuing survivor benefit; the named beneficiaries receive a lump-sum payment of any remaining account balance.
- Pre-retirement death
- The member's contribution balance plus interest is paid to the named beneficiaries. If the member worked at least ten years, or reached vested status in Plan 3, a surviving spouse or partner may instead have the option to inherit the account as monthly pension payments.
- Report a death
- Online at drs.wa.gov/reportadeath; by phone at 360-664-7081, Option 1; by email to drs.moddnd@drs.wa.gov — DRS asks that email include only the last 4 digits of the deceased's SSN; or by mailing the DRS Notification of Death form.
- Death of a named survivor
- If a retiree's named survivor dies first, the retiree can have the pension changed to the single-life option with no survivor reduction, after reporting the death to DRS. This applies to all DRS plans except LEOFF and WSPRS Plan 1.
Steps to take when someone dies
- Identify the deceased's plan (PERS, TRS, SERS, LEOFF, WSPRS, PSERS, or Judicial) and whether they were active or retired.
- Report the death to DRS online at drs.wa.gov/reportadeath, by phone at 360-664-7081 (Option 1), by email to drs.moddnd@drs.wa.gov, or by mailing the DRS Notification of Death form.
- Provide the deceased's full name, Social Security number, and date of death, and tell DRS if the death may be work-related.
- For retirees, confirm whether a survivor option was elected so DRS can either continue the survivor benefit or stop monthly payments to avoid an overpayment.
- For active or vested members who died before retiring, file the beneficiary or survivor claim with the documents DRS requests; DCP and Plan 3 investment-account balances are handled through the DRS record keeper.
Washington Department of Retirement Systems (DRS)
Phone: 360-664-7081 (Option 1)
Visit the agency website →Frequently asked questions
Contact the Washington Department of Retirement Systems at 360-664-7081, Option 1, or drs.moddnd@drs.wa.gov. DRS runs PERS, TRS, SERS, LEOFF, WSPRS, PSERS, and the closed judicial plans, and handles survivor and beneficiary claims.
The continuing benefit depends on the option the retiree elected at retirement. A named survivor receives 100% (Option 2), 66.67% (Option 4), or 50% (Option 3) of the member's monthly benefit for life. If the retiree chose Option 1, Single Life, there is no continuing benefit for a survivor; the named beneficiaries receive a lump-sum payment of any remaining account balance.
Yes. The member's contribution balance plus interest is paid to the named beneficiaries. If the member worked at least ten years, or reached vested status in Plan 3, the surviving spouse or partner may instead have the option to inherit the account as monthly pension payments. Contact DRS about eligibility and retirement timing.
Sources
Data sourced from State Public Pensions in Washington primary sources (6 pages reviewed). How we research.
Administering agency
Washington Department of Retirement Systems (DRS)