Information for 

Annuitants

Civil Service Retirement 

System (CSRS)

This pamphlet answers the questions most

frequently asked by Civil Service Retirement

System annuitants.
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General Information ........................

Payments ..........................

Address Changes......................

Survivor Elections At Retirement and Afterwards.....

Survivor Reductions Based on Court Orders .......

When Survivor Reductions Cease .............

How Annuity Affects Your Payments From Social Security 

Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) Offset Employee

Federal Income Tax and Your Annuity ..........

State Income Tax and Your Annuity............

Changing to Disability Retirement .............

Returning to Work in the Federal Government.......

Waiver of Annuity .....................

Government Claims.....................

Powers of Attorney .....................

Representative Payees ...................

Designations of Beneficiary ................

Actions Needed When You Die ..............

Survivor Annuities .....................

When Survivor Annuities Begin and End .........

Reinstatement of Terminated Survivor Annuities .....

Lump-sum Death Benefits .................

Your Heirs’ Health Benefits Coverage ...........

Related Information and Publications...............

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through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. eastern time. They are n

Federal holidays. If you use TTY equipment, call 1-855-887-4957.

Be sure to have your retirement claim number on hand when you co

Make use of Retirement Services Online. Log onto www.serviceso

your computer in a secure, password-protected environment at your 

access information about your annuity payment or to make changes 

direct deposit addresses, change your Federal and State income tax 

statement describing your annuity payment, and much more. This is 

you can use any time of the day or night. 

We provide retirement brochures, forms, and other information on t

www.opm.gov/retirement-services and respond to emails sent to reti

If you write to us, please be sure to state your questions clearly and 

retirement claim number (CSA number), and date of birth. This allo

proper records promptly. Our mailing address for general correspon

U.S. Office of Personnel Management


Retirement Operations Center


P.O. Box 45


Boyers, PA 16017-0045.


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make payments to you. Retirement law specifies annuities are payab

on the first business day of the month. Sundays and Federal holiday

days. Your payment covers the annuity due for the month before the 

payment is made. 

If we have a reason to pay you for less than a full month, we divide 

by 30 to compute a daily rate (even if there are not 30 days in that p

daily rate is multiplied by the number of days you were eligible for 

(up to 30 days). The resulting amount is your annuity for that part o

Cost-of-living adjustments allowed by law will increase your annuit

these annual adjustments depends on Consumer Price Index increas

received annuity for less than one year, you will get a percentage of 

cost-of-living adjustment. The percentage depends on how long you 

your annuity before the effective date of the increase. When we adju

will send you a statement showing the effect of the increase on your 

The U.S. Department of the Treasury will pay all federal benefits el

payments should be made by Direct Deposit into your checking or s

need to arrange for a debit card provided by the Department of the T

the Direct Deposit program, contact OPM or complete Standard For

Deposit Sign-Up Form, which you can get at your financial instituti

card, go to www.godirect.org. If your payments are not electronicall

account and you do not have a debit card, you must contact the Dep

Treasury at 1-800-333-1795 to discuss your options. If you do not ta

Department of the Treasury will contact you. This is authorized by 3

If you do not receive your payment on the first business day of the m

your financial institution first for information. If they cannot help, c

regular business hours or write to: 

U.S. Office of Personnel Management


Attn: Check Loss


P.O. Box 7815


Washington, DC 20044-7815.


Be sure to tell us your full name, retirement claim number (CSA nu

you expected to receive the payment. 

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ddess Cages 

Because we send information to you at the mailing address you prov

us quickly about changes in your mailing address or where your pay

To do this, contact us as described on page 1 or write to: 

U.S. Office of Personnel Management


Change-of-Address Section


P.O. Box 440


Boyers, PA 16017-0440.


Please provide your full name, your retirement claim number (CSA 

Security Number, and your new address when calling or writing. If 

financial institution, please ensure you have the institution’s correct 

number and the correct account number. Address changes processed 

of the month typically mean the next payment is sent to the new fin

To ensure no annuity payments are missed, we recommend you kee

open until the next payment is deposited in your new account. 

Survivor Elections At Retirement and Afterwards 

Survivor annuity benefits are monthly payments made after your de

from your Federal position, you were given the opportunity to elect 

your spouse, former spouse, or insurable interest survivor. Each yea

notice stating how your annuity is affected if you marry or divorce a

annual notice explains the effects of retirement law on your survivin

spouse and what actions you may want to take to protect your surviv

Under certain conditions, you can name a new survivor or change th

at retirement if you file a new election by writing to: 

U.S. Office of Personnel Management


Retirement Operations Center


P.O. Box 45


Boyers, PA 16017-0045


no later than 30 days after the date of your first regular monthly pay

include your retirement claim number (CSA number) in your reques

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descbed beow, subject to te estctos dscussed opage 6. t

to receive a survivor annuity dies or your current marriage ends thro

or annulment, you need to write to us immediately and provide proo

A. Change in Election to Provide or Increase a Surv

for the Spouse You Were Married to at Retiremen

If you were married at retirement and either did not provide or 

full survivor annuity for your spouse, you may, within 18 mont

elect an annuity reduction to provide or increase the survivor be

married to the same person. By law, you also must pay a depos

by which your annuity would have been reduced had the electio

retirement plus an amount equal to 24.5 percent of the increase 

designated for the survivor annuity. Interest is charged on the d

You must request the election change in writing and pay the de

later than 18 months after your annuity start date. Failure to pay 

within the deadline (or within 30 days after we notify you of th

will void the election. An election to provide or increase a surv

this 18-month period cancels any spousal consent to a less-than

However, if your current spouse was married to you when you 

to a survivor annuity benefit based on less than all of your annu

divorced and remarried that same person, you cannot elect a sur

than the amount provided in your original election for that spou

B. Election to Provide a Survivor Annuity Benefit fo

Marry After Retirement

If your annuity began on or after May 7, 1985, or if you marry 

27, 1986 (regardless of the date on which your annuity began), 

provide a survivor annuity for a spouse you marry after retirem

below. If you make this election, your monthly annuity will be 

send you detailed information about your reduced annuity when 

to make this election.

If you were unmarried at retirement and married afterward, you 

writing within two years after the marriage if you want to provi

benefit. The reduction in your annuity begins no earlier than the 

beginning nine months after the marriage date. 

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If your current spouse was married to you when you retired and 

survivor annuity benefit based on less than all of your annuity, 

survivor annuity greater than the amount provided in your origi

C. Election to Provide a Survivor Annuity for a Form

You may elect a reduction in your annuity to provide a survivor 

spouse as described below if: 

1) You were married to your former spouse for at least nine m

marriage terminated due to divorce or annulment;

2) You performed at least 18 months of civilian service subje

deductions; and

3) Your former spouse to whom you were married for less tha

remarried before reaching age 55.

We will send you information about your reduced annuity when 

this election. 

If your annuity reduction to provide a former spouse annuity en

elected a survivor annuity for your current spouse (or another fo

you retired, the annuity reduction will continue to provide the s

that person. However, if you have not previously made an elect

current spouse you married after retirement, you may, within tw

former spouse’s death or remarriage before age 55, elect a redu

provide a survivor annuity for your current spouse. You must m

election. Continuing the survivor reduction is not a survivor ele

you were married to your former spouse for 30 years or more, y

remarriage before age 55 does not terminate entitlement to a su

event you do not have another two-year period in which to elec

If your annuity began before May 7, 1985, you can elect to give 

survivor annuity if your election is filed within two years after 

terminates and (1) you had elected, while you were married, to 

annuity for that person prior to May 7, 1985, and (2) that marria

after May 7, 1985. In this instance, if you marry again before el

spouse survivor annuity, your spouse must consent to the electi

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yy , , yp

spouse (to whom you were married at retirement) with a surviv

cannot provide a survivor annuity that is inconsistent with any j

and your spouse made at that time. 

D.	 Converting an Insurable Interest Survivor Annuit

Survivor Annuity Benefit 

You cannot elect to provide an insurable interest survivor annu

However, you can change an insurable interest survivor annuity 

to a regular survivor annuity after retirement (without paying a 

below: 

1) If, at retirement, you received (by election or court order) a 

provide a survivor annuity for a former spouse and you ele

insurable interest survivor annuity for your current spouse, 

insurable interest election to a full regular current spouse s

requesting the change in writing within two years after you

entitlement; or

2) If, after retirement, you marry the person named to receive 

benefit, you can elect to provide a regular survivor annuity 

two years after the marriage. If you do so, the insurable int

canceled.

If you had elected to provide an insurable interest benefit when 

(1) you marry someone other than the person named to receive 

benefit and (2) you elect to provide a survivor annuity for your 

elect to cancel the insurable interest benefit. 

E.	 Restrictions

Your post-retirement survivor elections are subject to the follow

a) They cannot be honored if they conflict with the terms of a 

requires you to provide a survivor annuity for a former spo

b) They cannot be honored if they cause the combined curren

survivor annuities to exceed 55 percent of your unreduced 

retired before May 7, 1985, and elected to provide a surviv

former spouse by September 8, 1987).

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Be sure to include a copy of your marriage certificate, proof of 

prior marriage (if applicable), and your retirement claim numbe

Survivor Reductions Based On Court Orders 

Your annuity will be reduced if your former spouse was awarded a 

qualifying court order. If you retired on or after May 7, 1985, we wi

a court order that requires you to provide a survivor annuity for an e

for a marriage dissolved on or after May 7, 1985. If you are divorce

from a spouse to whom you were married at retirement, we will hon

qualifying court order for that person to the extent your annuity was 

retirement; if you did not elect to provide a survivor annuity for that 

the court order will not be honored. 

If you retired before May 7, 1985, we will honor the terms of a qual

requires you to provide a survivor annuity for an eligible former spo

with a marriage dissolved on or after May 7, 1985, but only if (1) yo

that person at retirement and elected to provide a survivor annuity a

married after retirement and elected to provide a survivor annuity fo

May 7, 1985. 

When Survivor Reductions Cease 

The survivor reduction for a spouse ends when your marriage ends b

divorce, or annulment. The former spouse survivor reduction ends i

dies, remarries before age 55, or loses entitlement to the annuity und

court order that required you to provide the benefit. The former spou

end if you and your former spouse were married for at least 30 year

spouse remarries before reaching age 55. When you make a post-ret

election, we send you detailed information describing when reductio

Please note that any pre-divorce survivor annuity election automatic

divorce. You must make a new election within two years if you wan

benefits for your former spouse or for any spouse you have not alrea

Continuing a survivor reduction is not a substitute for making a surv

have any questions about this, please contact us. 

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youspouse ad coose to caceyousuabe teest desgato

the person named to receive the insurable interest annuity and elect 

survivor annuity for him or her. 

You need to notify us immediately if your marriage ends, your form

married to you for less than 30 years remarries before age 55, your f

the person you named to receive an insurable interest survivor annu

submit evidence (such as a divorce decree or death or marriage certi

eliminate the survivor reduction and increase your annuity to the “se

applicable. 

How Annuity Affects Your Payments From Social Se

The Social Security law’s “windfall elimination provision” may affe

Social Security Administration (SSA) can pay you. This provision a

spent part of their careers working for a Government agency (where

taxes were not withheld) and part working at private-sector jobs wh

Security taxes long enough to qualify for SSA payments. Under this 

modified formula to calculate your payment, resulting in a lower be

formula applies to you if you reach age 62 after 1985 and first becom

monthly pension after 1985 based in whole or in part on work wher

Social Security taxes. The “windfall” provision does not affect the a

you. 

Please contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-12

information about how this provision affects you. 

Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) Offset Emp

Federal employees hired or rehired on or after January 1, 1984, who 

both the CSRS and Social Security at the same time are called CSR

CSRS offset employment time is used to compute the annuity we pa

law imposes a reduction (or offset) in the amount of CSRS annuity 

the same employment time is also used in computing a Social Secur

CSRS annuity for offset employees will be reduced when the person 

Social Security retirement benefits, usually at age 62. We contact th

offset employee is 62 to ask how much SSA would pay figuring the

without the CSRS offset service. Based on their reply, we make the 

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) y 

fraction where the numerator is the employee’s total CSRS offs

the nearest whole number of years and the denominator is 40.

The CSRS offset reduction will begin the first day of the month in w

eligible for both Civil Service annuity and a Social Security benefit

employee is already age 62 at retirement, the reduction will start on 

payments. 

Federal Income Tax and Your Annuity 

Your annuity payments are subject to Internal Revenue Service (IRS

your payments to the IRS. If you do not file the required tax returns

to penalties, interest, and potentially a levy against your annuity. Fo

explanation about Federal tax and your annuity, request IRS Publica

to U.S. Civil Service Retirement Benefits.” We do not provide detai

supply IRS publications. 

If we do not have information about your Federal tax withholding ra

as if you are a married person claiming three allowances. You can c

tax withholding at any time by using Retirement Services Online or 

toll-free number at 1-888-767-6738. Or write to: 

U.S. Office of Personnel Management


Retirement Operations Center


P.O. Box 45


Boyers, PA 16017-0045.


State Income Tax and Your Annuity 

To start, stop, or change the amount of state income tax we withhold 

payments, use Retirement Services Online, call us, or write to the ad

Federal tax changes. If your state does not participate in our State T

Program, the computer system will not accept a request to withhold 

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were unable to perform useful and efficient service because of disea

position from which you retired. Your former agency will have to c

reasonably accommodate your condition, and you must not have de

reassignment to a vacant position in the commuting area at the same 

and tenure. We must receive your application within the one-year fi

The one-year filing limitation can be waived only if you were menta

the time of separation or became so within one year thereafter. In su

application for disability retirement may be filed within one year fro

restored to competency or a guardian or fiduciary is appointed, whic

If you met the age and service requirements for an immediate volun

you separated from the service, there may not be any advantage to y

disability retirement. Additionally, your annuity rate would generall

amount payable had you retired due to disability. 

There are some disadvantages, however. If you are under age 60, it 

you have recovered from your disability or you can earn a living - in 

annuity could be terminated or recomputed at a lower rate. 

There is no risk of this when you receive a non-disability retirement

for the cost of obtaining the medical evidence we require in connect

application or in connection with periodic reviews conducted to det

recovered from your disability. Any questions concerning the tax im

changing to a disability retirement should be addressed to the Intern

If we have approved a disability retirement and you have separated 

you cannot change to a non-disability retirement. If you are later fou

recovered or restored to earning capacity, you may be entitled to an

Returning to Work in the Federal Government 

You have the same rights as anyone else seeking a Federal job. If yo

the Federal Government, you and your agency must notify us in wri

One of the following situations will apply to you:

a) If your retirement was based on an involuntary separation (exce

retirement because of age in certain positions), the separation w

misconduct or delinquency, and the job is covered by a Federal 

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g jg) 

separation you caused due to misconduct or delinquency, or if y

mandatory age provision, your annuity continues while you wo

reduced by the amount of the annuity you receive; or 

c) If you retired for disability, see RI 30-13, Information for Disab

full explanation of the effect of Federal reemployment on your 

Note: To address their manpower shortages, a few agencies have o

pay reemployed retired Federal employees the full salary for some p

reduction. Ask the employing agency about this if you are consideri

in the Federal Government. If you accept Federal employment unde

you will not be permitted to make retirement contributions and the s

cannot be used to compute a supplemental or a recomputed annuity

After you quit working, the following applies: 

If your annuity stopped because you took the Federal job, your futu

are normally controlled by the law in effect when you leave your ne

from the Federal service more than one year after your date of reem

the same retirement rights as any other Federal employee with the s

service, and kind of separation. 

If your annuity continues while you work and you work full-time fo

equivalent of one year on a part-time basis), you may be eligible for 

annuity after you leave the job or move to another job that requires 

work. To obtain a supplemental annuity, you must apply to us. You 

deposit (unless you elected to have retirement deductions withheld f

cover the reemployment service. 

After completing at least five years of continuous service (or part-ti

equivalent to five years of full-time service), you may have your en

recomputed under the law in effect at the time you leave the job if y

(unless retirement deductions were withheld from your salary) to co

service. The amount of the deposit will equal the amount of the retir

that would have been withheld from the full salary of your position, 

If you are reemployed on a part-time rather than full-time basis and 

continues, your annual annuity is converted to an hourly rate used to 

For example, if you receive a gross annuity of $750 per month and y

hours per week, the offset is computed as follows: 

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Waiver of Annuity 

You can waive all or part of your benefit by writing to:

U.S. Office of Personnel Management


Retirement Inspection Branch


1900 E St., NW, Room 2309


Washington, DC 20415-3564.


No special form is necessary. You merely state in dollars the portion 

annuity you want to waive and the effective date, which cannot be e

the month following the month in which we receive your letter. You 

for annuity you already received to make a waiver take effect earlie

your waiver at any time by writing to the above address, but only fo

due after you write to cancel the waiver. You will not be able to rec

amounts previously waived. 

Government Claims 

Your annuity may be subject to legal process to enforce any obligat

pay, e.g., alimony, child support, or separate maintenance. Also, you

reduced to comply with a state court order, decree, or community pr

dealing with apportionment of retirement benefits in connection wit

annulment, or legal separation. We will also honor an attachment of 

trustee in bankruptcy. Except in these circumstances, the annuity is 

assignable either in law or equity, or subject to execution, attachmen

other legal process. 

If you owe money to the U.S. Government, we can settle by withho

annuity. If you owe the Civil Service Retirement System due to an o

benefits, we will send you an explanation of the amount you owe, th

how much we will withhold from your monthly annuity payments u

the overpayment. We will also give you specific information about 

connection with this collection. If you owe another Federal agency, 

you an explanation of the amount and any rights available to you be

withhold it from your annuity payments. 

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used to authorize an annuity check endorsement. However, you can 

Deposit Program to have your payments deposited in your account. 

bank, you must complete SF 233, Power of Attorney by Individual t

Collection of Checks Drawn on the United States Treasury. (Both fo

at your bank.) 

Representative Payees 

If you ever are unable to take care of your own financial affairs, no 

cash or deposit your check. In the event of your incapacitation, a fam

individual should call us or write to: 

U.S. Office of Personnel Management


Retirement Operations Center


P.O. Box 45


Boyers, PA 16017-0045.


He or she should give your full name, retirement claim (CSA) numb

We will send instructions to either your mailing address or the perso

behalf explaining how to have your annuity paid to a person who ac

representative. 

If a court has appointed a guardian or conservator to be your represe

individual should return any annuity checks made out to you to the 

Treasury at the address shown on page 15, with an explanation of w

returned. In addition, he or she should write to us, provide a copy of 

ask to be made the payee. This person must give us a correspondenc

information we need to pay by Direct Deposit. We will pay all retur

annuities to the court-appointed payee. 

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a) Your widow or widower,

b) Your child or children (descendants of a deceased child may qu

c) Your parents in equal shares or all to the surviving parent,

d) The administrator or executor of your estate (a court order nam

or executor of the estate must be sent with the application), or

e) If none of the above, your next of kin as determined under the l

which you live.

If you are satisfied with the payment order shown above, there is no 

a Designation of Beneficiary. Remember, unless you change or canc

the person named - such as a former spouse - will receive the lump-

SF 2808, Designation of Beneficiary (CSRS), visit our website, call, 

U.S. Office of Personnel Management


Retirement Operations Center


P.O. Box 45


Boyers, PA 16017-0045.


After you complete and return this form in duplicate to the above ad

it and return the duplicate copy to you. 

Actions Needed When You Die 

Your survivors should contact us as described on page 1 immediate

death. The person who reports the death should be prepared to give 

retirement claim number (CSA number), and date of death. We ask 

his name, address, and telephone number so we can call back if we 

To report a death in writing, your survivors should address correspo

U.S. Office of Personnel Management


Retirement Operations Center


P.O. Box 45


Boyers, PA 16017-0045.


The letter should include your full name, retirement claim number (

death, and a death certificate, if possible. The letter also should inclu

address, and telephone number. 

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To avoid any violation of law, all checks not cashed before you died 

to the: 

Department of the Treasury


Post Office Box 7509-0209


Kansas City, MO 64116-0209


A statement reporting the date of your death should be included or w

returned checks. If your annuity payments are being deposited direc

institution, your survivors should immediately notify the institution 

violation of law for anyone to withdraw any payments deposited aft

Survivor Annuities 

Generally, your spouse will receive a survivor annuity if you elected 

receive a reduced annuity with survivor benefits and your spouse w

at least 9 months preceding your death. If your spouse is the parent 

death is accidental, the 9-month marriage requirement does not appl

former spouse who is entitled to a full survivor annuity based on a c

election you made, your current spouse will be eligible, but no paym

long as your former spouse is receiving the survivor annuity. 

Any spouse you married after retirement may not simultaneously re

annuity based on your Federal service and another under the Civil S

Federal employee retirement system. (This does not apply to Social 

benefits based solely on military service.) We will allow your spou

benefit to receive. 

A survivor annuity is payable to each of your children, as long as th

under age 18, and were dependent on you when you died. Unmarrie

over age 18 may also receive an annuity if they (1) are incapable of 

of a disability that began before age 18, or (2) are under age 22 and 

recognized educational institution. Your stepchildren or adopted chi

an annuity if they meet the conditions stated above. In addition, you

must be living with you in a regular parent-child relationship at the 

If a child born out of wedlock meets the conditions stated above and 

child as your own, the child is eligible for an annuity. (Proof that yo

child as your own will be required.) 

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When Survivor Annuities Begin and End 

A survivor annuity to a widow or widower starts (1) the day after yo

day after the entitlement of any former spouse ends if that entitleme

widow(er) from receiving the survivor annuity. It continues to the e

before the one in which he or she remarries before age 55 or dies. If 

not remarry before age 55 or was married to you for at least 30 year

continues for life. (Before November 8, 1984, the survivor annuity t

widow[er] remarried before age 60.) 

A survivor annuity to a former spouse starts on whichever day is lat

your death, or (2) the first day of the second month after we receive 

the entire qualifying court order (and whatever supporting documen

If the survivor annuity is based on your election, it begins on (1) the 

or (2) the day after the entitlement of any other former spouse ends 

prevented him or her from receiving the survivor annuity. The annu

end of the month before the one in which the former spouse dies, re

and was not married to you for at least 30 years, or the terms of the 

satisfied. 

A survivor annuity to a person with an insurable interest begins on t

death and continues to the end of the month before the one in which 

A survivor annuity to a child begins on the day after your death and 

end of the month before the month in which the child turns age 18, m

son or daughter incapable of self-support because of a disability exi

the annuity continues (regardless of his or her age) through the end 

the month in which the person becomes capable of self-support, ma

son or daughter is receiving an annuity as an adult student, the annu

the end of the month before the month in which he or she is no long

turns age 22, marries, or dies. A student who reaches age 22 during 

(September 1 through June 30) continues to receive an annuity until

the month in which full-time school attendance ends, or (b) July 1, w

If the annuity has stopped because full-time schooling ended, the an

if the unmarried person returns to school full-time before age 22, an

certification of full-time school attendance. 

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based on the remarriage. He or she must choose only one survivor a

A former spouse whose annuity ended because of remarriage before 

have a reinstated annuity. 

Lump-sum Death Benefits 

Lump-sum death payments include: 

a) Any amount by which your contributions to the retirement fund

due, exceed the total amount of the annuity we paid you and all 

survivors (unexpended balance), or

b) Any annuity we owe you at the time of your death.

If you elected an alternative annuity at retirement and an amount eq

contributions was paid to you, there is no unexpended balance as de

We pay an unexpended balance only after there is no longer a surviv

monthly payment. Any annuity we would have paid you had you liv

b) above, will be paid soon after your death. Lump sums are paid to 

page 14.

Your Heirs’ Health Benefits Coverage 

If you are enrolled in a self and family health benefits plan at death, 

continue for all covered family members as long as at least one fam

for a monthly survivor annuity. 

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Retirement Operations Center


P.O. Box 45


Boyers, PA 16017-0045.


When writing, please provide your retirement claim number (CSA n

birth to allow us to identify your records promptly. 

The booklets listed below offer more detailed information about the

than is possible here. If you wish to request one or more of these bo

the Retirement Information Office or write to us at the address show

Title Pu

Information for Survivor Annuitants 

Information for Disability Annuitants 

Information for Retirees About the Federal Employees’ 

Group Life Insurance Program 

Information for Retirees and Survivor Annuitants About 

the Federal Employees’ Health Benefits Program 

We provide retirement brochures, forms, and other information on t

www.opm.gov/retirement-services and respond to e-mails sent to us 

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United State

Office f Per nnel Manage ent

1900 E Street, NW

Washington, DC 20415

www.opm.gov/retirement-services

RI 20-59

Revised June 2013

Previous editions are usable.