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Member death for Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP)

Processing benefits after PERS receives a death certificate can take an estimated one to two months, depending on how promptly PERS receives follow-up information and documentation from beneficiaries. Complex accounts can take longer to process.

When a member dies, a family member or representative must call PERS Member Services at 888-320-7377 to report it as soon as possible.

PERS will request a photocopy of the long-form death certificate, which lists the cause of death.

In the event of your death, PERS should be notified right away and will require a photocopy of the long-form death certificate, which lists the cause of death.

If you die before retirement, PERS will pay a death benefit to your spouse or to any other person who is constitutionally required to be treated in the same manner as a spouse for the purpose of retirement benefits. The death benefit will be for the life of your spouse.

If the monthly death benefit is less than $200, the benefit will be paid in a single lump-sum that represents the actuarial equivalent of the death benefit.

The following benefits are applicable when a member dies on or after January 1, 2022:

  • If your date of death is before your earliest retirement eligibility date, the death benefit will be the actuarial equivalent of 50% of the pension that you would have received in retirement, calculated as if you became inactive on the date of death and retired at the earliest retirement date allowed.
  • If your date of death is on or after your earliest retirement eligibility date, the death benefit will be the actuarial equivalent of 100% of the pension that you would have received in retirement, calculated as if you had retired as of the first of the month following the date of death.

Your surviving spouse’s death benefit effective date is the first of the month after your date of death — unless your spouse delays receiving benefits for a year or more after your date of death. Payments delayed by more than a year are actuarially adjusted based on the delayed benefit effective date; your spouse will not receive retroactive payments back to your date of death.

Delayed payments must start no later than December 31 of the year in which you would have reached age 70½ (if born before July 1, 1949), age 72 (if born after June 30, 1949), or age 73 (if born after December 31, 1950).

If your surviving spouse dies prior to benefits starting, a lump-sum payment equal to the sum of payments your spouse would have received had they not delayed distribution will be paid to your spouse’s designated beneficiary. If your spouse’s designated beneficiary is not on file, the benefit will be paid to your spouse’s estate.

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PERS should be notified immediately upon your death and will require a photocopy of your long-form death certificate, which lists the cause of death.

When you retire, you can elect to receive a monthly pension benefit that provides survivorship benefits.

You can choose from one of the following options for a monthly benefit payable for your lifetime:

  • Full Survivorship Option — If you die, this option will pay a pension benefit at the same amount to your beneficiary for their lifetime.
  • Full Survivorship with Increase Option — Under this option, your pension benefit may be converted to the higher paying Single Life Option if your beneficiary dies during your retirement or if you divorce your beneficiary after you retire. If neither of these events occur, this option will pay your beneficiary a pension benefit at the same amount for their lifetime.
  • Half Survivorship Option — If you die, this option will pay your beneficiary half the amount of your pension benefit for your beneficiary's lifetime.
    OR
  • Half Survivorship with Increase Option — Under this option, your pension benefit may be converted to the higher paying Single Life Option if your beneficiary dies during your retirement or if you divorce your beneficiary after you retire. If neither of these events occur, this option will pay your beneficiary half the amount of your pension benefit for your beneficiary’s lifetime.

If you chose a benefit option that is eligible to convert to the higher paying Single Life Option upon death or dissolution of marriage between you and your beneficiary, you must submit a request to convert your benefit before the benefit can be increased. The effective date of the adjusted benefit is the first day of the month following the date the qualifying event occurred.

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Before choosing a payment option, PERS recommends you obtain tax information from the Internal Revenue Service and the Oregon Department of Revenue, or a qualified tax advisor.

Required minimum distribution rules and restrictions may apply to death benefits.

Also, your surviving spouse beneficiary and/or nonspouse beneficiary are subject to different time frames in which they must begin receiving benefits.

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Any balance in your IAP account will be paid as a lump sum to your designated IAP beneficiaries or per statute in the event PERS does not have a valid IAP designation of beneficiary on file. Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 238A.410 (3) pays in the following order of priority:

  1. The member’s surviving spouse or other person who is constitutionally required to be treated in the same manner as a spouse.
  2. The member’s surviving children, in equal shares.
  3. The member’s estate.

To comply with required minimum distribution rules, the entire amount of your IAP must be distributed by December 31 of the fifth calendar year after the year of your death.

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The Employee Pension Stability Account (EPSA) is used to fund your retirement. As such, if you die after you retire, EPSA will already have been exhausted and will not be payable to a beneficiary.

If you die before retirement, any balance in your EPSA will first be applied to any OPSRP death pension benefit costs accrued after July 1, 2020. Any EPSA remaining will be paid as a lump sum to your designated IAP beneficiaries or per statute in the event PERS does not have a valid IAP designation of beneficiary on file.

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Unclaimed benefits

Do you have a deceased family member who may have unclaimed PERS benefits? Read our Unclaimed deceased member benefits webpage.