When a retired member dies, two benefits are payable:

• a $3,000 lump sum death benefit is payable to the member’s beneficiary(ies)
• a surviving spouse pension is payable to the member’s spouse if the spouse is eligible.

If you were:

Not married or married less than one year when you retired

You received a refund of your surviving spouse contributions with interest when you retired. A surviving spouse pension is not payable.

Married when you retired, but you later divorce

If you were married when you retired and for at least one year before you stopped participating in IMRF but you divorce after your pension began, your former spouse remains eligible for a surviving spouse pension.

Example:

John and Jane were married in 1955. John stopped participating in IMRF in June 1990; his pension started July 1, 1994. John and Jane divorced later that same year.

John's first wife, Jane, is eligible to receive a surviving spouse pension.

Explanation: John and his first wife were married for more than a year prior to when he stopped participating in IMRF, which makes his first wife eligible for the surviving spouse pension.

Married when you retired, but you later divorce and remarry

If you were married when you retired and for at least one year before you stopped participating in IMRF but you divorce after your pension began, your former spouse remains eligible for a surviving spouse pension and your current spouse is eligible for the $3,000 lump sum.

Example:

John and Jane were married in 1955. John stopped participating in IMRF in June 1990; his pension started July 1, 1994. John and Jane divorced later that same year. John marries Sally two years later, in 1996. John dies one year later, in 1997.

John's first wife, Jane, is eligible to receive a surviving spouse pension, but not the $3,000 death benefit. His second wife is eligible to receive the $3,000 death benefit but not the surviving spouse pension.

Explanation:John and his first wife were married for more than a year prior to when he stopped participating in IMRF, which makes her eligible for the surviving spouse pension.

His second wife is the surviving spouse and therefore, entitled to the $3,000 death benefit. However, because she was not married to John for at least one year before he stopped participating in IMRF, she is not entitled to the surviving spouse pension.

Married when you retired, but your spouse predeceases you

If you were married when you retired and for at least one year before you stopped participating in IMRF but your spouse predeceases you, a surviving spouse pension is not payable.

However, if you remarry, your current spouse could be eligible for an IMRF spouse pension. Upon your death, IMRF will pay a spouse pension to your current spouse if:

• your previous eligible spouse is deceased and
• your current spouse was married to you for at least one year prior to your death and
• you must have terminated employment on or after March 26, 1992.

Example:

John and Jane were married in 1955. John stopped participating in IMRF in June 1992; his pension started July 1, 1994. Jane dies later that same year. John marries Sally two years later, in 1996. John dies one year later, in 1997.

Sally is eligible to receive a surviving spouse pension and the $3,000 death benefit.

Explanation: Because John and Jane were married for at least a year before he stopped participating in IMRF, Jane was an eligible spouse at the time of John's retirement. John could not take a refund of the funds designated for his surviving spouse pension because he had an eligible spouse.

Because he was married to Sally for at least a year before his death and Jane is deceased, this makes Sally eligible for the surviving spouse pension and the $3,000 death benefit.

Related Pages

Retired member death benefits.

Surviving Spouse Pension

Surviving Spouse Pension: How divorce and remarriage affect your pension.