Remarriage & Surviving Spouse Pensions

for Active IMRF Members
Forest pathway

Illinois law defines who is eligible for an IMRF surviving spouse pension—a QILDRO has no effect on who can receive a surviving spouse pension.

Active members

If you are an active member and you remarry, your new spouse may be eligible for a surviving spouse pension. Your new spouse will be eligible if:

If your QILDRO states that your alternate payee must receive a portion of your IMRF lump sum death benefits, the amount the alternate payee receives will depend upon what type of payment your eligible surviving spouse chooses for the death benefit.

If your eligible surviving spouse chooses:

Retired Members

If you divorce after you retire and were married for at least one year before you terminated IMRF participation (and were still married on the effective date of your retirement), your ex-spouse remains eligible for your surviving spouse pension, even if you remarry.

For more information about death benefits and the surviving spouse pension, please review the benefit information for your IMRF plan and tier at www.imrf.org.