Reporting the Death of an Employee
If you are a survivor and need to report a death, contact the following:
- Benefits Office at AskBenefits@nih.gov AND
- Locate the employing Institute or Center’s Administrative Officer (Servicing AO) in the NIH Enterprise Directory (NED).
You are encouraged to review the Task Support – Death in Service (Next of Kin) document for additional information.
General Survivor Benefits
If you pass away while employed, your surviving spouse and eligible children may be entitled to survivor benefits.
For your spouse to receive benefits, you generally need to have had at least 18 months of civilian service and have been married for at least 9 months. However, the 9-month requirement doesn't apply if your death was accidental or if you had a child together.
Unmarried dependent children can receive monthly benefits until they turn 18, or until they finish full-time schooling, up to age 22.
The specific benefits depend on the retirement system you're covered by:
FOR CSRS EMPLOYEES
- Your spouse may receive 55% of your earned annuity, based on your service length and salary at the time of your death.
- If you have a former spouse from whom you were divorced after May 6, 1985, they might receive part of the survivor annuity.
FOR FERS EMPLOYEES
- A lump sum payment plus 50% of your annual pay or average pay (whichever is higher) is given as a basic employee death benefit (BEDB).
- If you had at least 10 years of service, your spouse may also receive a survivor benefit equal to 50% of your earned annuity.
- Social Security survivor benefits may also be available to your spouse if you were covered under Social Security
Health Insurance (FEHB)
A surviving family member may be eligible to continue FEHB if a monthly or basic employee death benefit (BEDB) is payable AND the surviving family member was covered by the health insurance plan.
Life Insurance (OFEGLI)
Life insurance benefits are not taxable, but any accrued interest is taxable. Eligible claimants will receive payment upon claim approval. This means that complete documentation must be sent to MetLife and approved before payment is issued.
Claimants are responsible for sending the FE-6 Claim for Death Benefits and a certified death certificate to OFEGLI directly to ensure timely processing of the life insurance claim. Include any other supporting documents such as Divorce Decrees, Court Orders, Executor/Trustee documentation, guardianship papers, etc. as applicable.
Mail FEGLI claims to:
OFEGLI
10 E.D. Preate Drive
Moosic, PA 18507
If it has been 30 days since you mailed your claim to OFEGLI, you can call 1-800-633-4542 to check on the status.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
If you have a TSP Designation of Beneficiary Form on file, your TSP account balance will be paid to your beneficiary/beneficiaries in accordance with TSP death benefits requirements.
If you do not have a Designation of Beneficiary form on file for your TSP account before the date of your death, your entire account will be distributed according to the following order of precedence required by law:
- To your spouse; or
- If none, to your child or children equally, with the share due any deceased child divided equally among that child’s descendants; or
- If none, to your parents equally or to your surviving parent; or
- If none, to the appointed executor or administrator of your estate.
Unpaid Compensation
If you are a designated beneficiary or fall in the order of precedence and are entitled to unpaid compensation, then you need to complete the election regarding method of payment for unpaid compensation.