Family member is responsible for notifying the Public Pensions — Varies by system
State Retirement Systems
When someone dies, the State Public Pensions (Public Pensions) must be notified. The family member is responsible for notifying the Public Pensions.
Notification deadline: As soon as possible after death.
Steps for notifying the Public Pensions and applying for survivor benefits:
Varies by system
The retirement system stops the retiree's monthly pension and pays whatever continuing benefit the member elected at retirement. Depending on the option chosen, a surviving spouse or beneficiary may receive a continuing monthly survivor annuity, a lump-sum payment, or nothing if a single-life option was elected.
Benefits go to the beneficiary the member designated with the retirement system, or to the survivor under the payment option elected at retirement. Reviewing and keeping the beneficiary designation current with the system is what controls who receives the benefit.
Contact the specific state or local retirement system the person belonged to — such as the state employees' system, the teachers' retirement system, or a police and fire system — report the death so payments stop, and ask what is required to file a survivor or death-benefit claim.
Many state retirement systems pay a death benefit or survivor annuity to the designated beneficiary when an active member dies before retirement. The benefit and eligibility are set by each system.
Check the deceased person's pay stubs, annual retirement statements, or the W-2 issued by their public employer, which identify the plan. Public employees are usually covered by a statewide system for general employees or teachers, or by a separate police and fire or municipal system. If you are unsure, contact the employer's human resources or payroll office, or use the state government directory at usa.gov/state-governments to reach the correct agency.
If no valid beneficiary designation is on file, most systems pay any death benefit according to their default order of priority set by statute or plan rules — often the surviving spouse first, then children, then the member's estate. Confirming and keeping the beneficiary designation current with the system is what controls who receives the benefit and avoids this default process.
When the member named a beneficiary with the retirement system, the death or survivor benefit is generally paid directly to that beneficiary and does not pass through the probate estate. If no beneficiary is named and the benefit defaults to the estate, it is handled through the estate. The rules are set by each system.
Survivor annuity payments and death benefits from a public retirement system are generally treated as taxable income to the recipient for federal purposes, though the taxable portion can depend on the member's after-tax contributions. State tax treatment varies. The retirement system issues a Form 1099-R reporting the payments. Consult a tax professional for questions about a specific benefit.
Keep copies of all documents submitted to the Public Pensions. Original documents submitted for verification are typically returned after processing.
State Retirement Systems