What to do when a OPERS account holder dies
Contact OPERS — 5-step process, 3 required documents, and a death can be reported immediately by phone. benefits are paid after opers receives the death certificate and the completed claim forms; timing depends on the benefits payable and the survivors involved.
OPERS Member Services
Phone1-800-222-7377
Mailing Address
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, 277 East Town Street, Columbus, OH 43215
WebsiteLearn more→
OPERS Member Services
Phone1-800-222-7377
Mailing Address
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, 277 East Town Street, Columbus, OH 43215
WebsiteLearn more→
OPERS Member Services (Report a Death)
Phone1-800-222-7377
Mailing Address
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, 277 East Town Street, Columbus, OH 43215
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
What happens to OPERS pension benefits after the account holder dies depends on how each account was titled. Beneficiary-designated and trust-owned accounts transfer directly. Accounts in the deceased's name alone go through the estate, and the executor or administrator works with OPERS's OPERS Member Services (Report a Death) (1-800-222-7377) to claim the funds.
OPERS offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.
Death claim process
The death claim process at OPERS works as follows:
Filing a claim
1
Notify OPERS of the death as soon as possible by calling 1-800-222-7377
2
Provide a copy of the death certificate; a certified copy is required to process benefits
3
OPERS reviews the member or benefit recipient's account and identifies the survivor benefits, account refund, continuing pension, and lump-sum death benefit that may be payable
4
OPERS sends the necessary claim forms to the beneficiary or survivor to complete and return
5
Qualified survivors receive monthly survivor benefits or a lump-sum refund of the member account, a continuing pension under the elected plan of payment, and the lump-sum death benefit as applicable
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- The deceased member or benefit recipient's OPERS account information (name and Social Security number)
- Completed OPERS claim forms provided after the death is reported
What to know at this institution
Report a death by calling OPERS at 1-800-222-7377. Beneficiaries provide a copy of the death certificate and complete the forms OPERS sends to process survivor benefits, a member-account refund, a continuing pension under the elected plan of payment, and the lump-sum death benefit.
Prepare your letter of instruction to OPERS
OPERS asks for a letter of instruction alongside its claim form. We prepare a transmittal cover letter and the enclosure checklist OPERS requires.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at OPERS: A death can be reported immediately by phone. Benefits are paid after OPERS receives the death certificate and the completed claim forms; timing depends on the benefits payable and the survivors involved. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
OPERS requires Certified copy of the death certificate, The deceased member or benefit recipient's OPERS account information (name and Social Security number), and Completed OPERS claim forms provided after the death is reported to process a death claim. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
Notify OPERS as soon as possible by calling 1-800-222-7377. You will be asked to provide a copy of the death certificate and to complete the forms OPERS sends so it can identify and pay the benefits due. OPERS reviews the account and mails the appropriate survivor and death benefit claim forms to the beneficiary or survivor.
If a Traditional Pension Plan or Combined Plan member dies before retiring, or while receiving a disability benefit, qualified survivors may receive a monthly benefit that is a percentage of the member's final average salary, provided the member had at least 18 months of contributing service at death. If the survivors do not qualify for monthly benefits, the member's account is paid to beneficiaries as a lump-sum refund. When a member is survived by a child or children qualified for monthly benefits, only monthly benefits can be paid.
The lump-sum death benefit is a one-time payment to the beneficiary of an age-and-service retiree or disability benefit recipient in the Traditional Pension or Combined plan, based on the member's years of service: $500 for less than 10 years, $1,000 for 10 to less than 15 years, $1,500 for 15 to less than 20 years, $2,000 for 20 to less than 25 years, and $2,500 for 25 or more years. It is paid to the beneficiary named on an approved Designation of Beneficiary for Lump Sum Death Benefit form.
Members can name and update beneficiaries at any time through their OPERS online account or by completing a Designation of Beneficiary form and returning it to OPERS. The lump-sum death benefit uses the Designation of Beneficiary for Lump Sum Death Benefit form (DBO-3T for the Traditional Pension Plan, DBO-3CO for the Combined Plan). If no valid designation is on file, benefits pass by automatic succession.
When no valid beneficiary designation is on file, OPERS pays the account and lump-sum death benefit by automatic succession in statutory order: first the surviving spouse, then the member's children sharing equally, then dependent parents, then parents sharing equally, and finally the member's estate.
It depends on the plan of payment the member elected at retirement. The Single Life Plan pays the largest monthly amount for the member's lifetime and stops at death, with any remaining guaranteed account balance paid to beneficiaries. The Joint Life Plan continues a reduced monthly payment to one beneficiary at 10 to 100 percent, and the Multiple Life Plan continues payments to two to four beneficiaries. A married member must elect at least a 50 percent Joint Life Plan for the spouse unless the spouse consents otherwise.
A certified copy of the death certificate is required to process any benefit. When you report the death by calling 1-800-222-7377, OPERS reviews the account and mails the specific claim forms the beneficiary or survivor needs to complete and return.
OPERS pays account refunds and the lump-sum death benefit to the beneficiary on file with OPERS, or by automatic succession when none is named, separate from the instructions in a will. Keeping the OPERS designation current through the online account or a Designation of Beneficiary form determines who receives those benefits. Monthly survivor benefits, by contrast, are paid to statutorily qualified survivors.
OPERS's OPERS Member Services (Report a Death) can be reached by phone at 1-800-222-7377 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple OPERS pension benefits, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The OPERS Member Services (Report a Death) can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Sources
Data sourced from OPERS primary sources (5 pages reviewed). How we research.
OPERS Member Services
Phone1-800-222-7377
Mailing Address
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, 277 East Town Street, Columbus, OH 43215
WebsiteLearn more→
OPERS Member Services
Phone1-800-222-7377
Mailing Address
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, 277 East Town Street, Columbus, OH 43215
WebsiteLearn more→
OPERS Member Services (Report a Death)
Phone1-800-222-7377
Mailing Address
Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, 277 East Town Street, Columbus, OH 43215
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
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