Original ECO Death and Survivor Benefits

for Inactive IMRF Members
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IMRF Death Benefits Protect Your Survivors

As an IMRF member, you are not only earning an IMRF pension—you also have important death benefits you should know about.

The amount and type of your IMRF death benefits depends upon your:

To view a current estimate of your IMRF death benefits, sign into your Member Access account.

Death and Survivor Benefits

If you die while not participating in ECO but have ECO contributions on deposit with IMRF and you have:
Less than eight years of (any combination of) service credit or are under age 55 Any balance in your member account (member contributions plus interest less any benefit prepayments) is paid to your beneficiary(ies).
Eight or more years of (any combination of) service credit and are age 55 or over Your eligible spouse or other beneficiary(ies) will receive a lump sum death benefit of $3,000 plus any balance in your member account (member contributions plus interest less any benefit prepayments). However, instead of a refund of member contributions, your spouse may wish to receive a monthly surviving spouse pension plus the $3,000.

When is a Surviving Spouse Eligible?

For your spouse to be eligible for inactive member death benefits:

  1. You must have named your spouse as your only primary beneficiary on your IMRF Designation of Beneficiary form.
  2. The date of your marriage or civil union must be at least one year before you stopped participating in IMRF.

What is the Balance in Your Member Account?

The balance in your member account is the accumulation of your member contributions, plus any interest earned on your contributions and less any benefit prepayments.

What is a benefit prepayment?

Any time a benefit is paid out of your account using estimated payments, we may initially pay out a higher payment than you or your beneficiary(ies) is entitled to. This is called a “prepayment.” IMRF is required by law to recover prepayments, typically through reductions from future benefit payments.

Surviving Spouse with Child Pension

If your spouse is eligible for a surviving spouse pension and your spouse is caring for your minor, unmarried children, your spouse will receive:

The maximum total monthly benefit payable to spouse and children cannot exceed 50% of your ECO salary at time of death.

Child’s Pension

If you have eight or more years of service credit your children may be eligible for a child's pension. The following conditions must be met: