After a federal employee or retiree dies, several offices may be involved. Reporting the death is an important first action, but it is not proof that every possible benefit claim has been filed. Use a separate line for each program and retain the instructions each office provides.
Start with the person's status at death
OPM's survivor guidance directs reports about current federal employees to the employing agency. OPM handles reporting for retirees and former employees. It distinguishes the retirement claim packet from any applicable FEGLI claim. A former employee's service record must be reviewed to determine possible benefits; do not assume the same packet or entitlement applies to every family.
For retirement death benefits, SF 3104 identifies the FERS application, while SF 2800 identifies the CSRS application. Employment status and circumstances can require additional agency documentation. Obtain the current packet and its instructions from OPM or the employing agency rather than selecting forms from an old saved folder.
Keep a separate program log
| Program or office | Status to record | Next confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Employing agency or OPM | Death reported; contact date | Which retirement packet is required? |
| Retirement death benefits | Application prepared, submitted or received | What is still missing, if anything? |
| FEGLI/OFEGLI, if applicable | Separate claim instructions obtained | Correct recipient and evidence requirements |
| TSP, if applicable | Contact made through TSP's official channel | Its own death-benefit process |
| Social Security, if applicable | Contact or appointment recorded | Whether a separate application is needed |
| Other policies or accounts | Issuer identified | Its own claim and beneficiary process |
Use statuses you can support: “reported,” “submitted,” “receipt confirmed,” or “additional information requested.” Keep “approved” and “paid” for the actual determination and payment. One office's receipt does not establish another office's status.
Prepare a question list without duplicating private records
Keep the original documents in a controlled place and note which office requested which item. Ask whether an original, certified copy or other evidence is required before sending it. Record the verified destination and retain a submission receipt. Do not put Social Security numbers, bank details or full claim numbers in a public checklist or general inquiry form.
If a request is unclear, ask the issuing office what exact item is missing and which claim it belongs to. This is often more useful than resending a large package without knowing the gap.
The lump-sum credit guide helps distinguish contribution balances from other payments. The Social Security survivor timing guide covers a separate program. This checklist does not determine who is entitled, resolve competing claims or promise processing time.
A practical handoff log after a death
Use one row per office with five fields: the program, the last confirmed action, the next requested item, the verified recipient and the next follow-up date. Keep identifying documents in the secure claim file; a coordination list needs only enough detail to distinguish the tasks.
In an invented family example, the employing agency confirms a death report, a retirement application is still being prepared, and a life-insurance claim has a receipt. Those are three different statuses. Marking the whole checklist “submitted” would hide the unfinished retirement application and overstate what the first office confirmed.
Does reporting the death start every benefit automatically?
Do not assume it does. Ask each program what action is required and whether the office already has the appropriate claim. A report can be complete while a separate application or supporting record remains outstanding.
Should I send the same document package to every office?
First obtain that office's current instructions, including the form of evidence required. A certified copy, an original and a readable copy are not interchangeable merely because they show the same information. Record the requirement and receipt for each destination rather than creating unnecessary copies of private records.
What if two relatives receive different requests?
Identify which claim and office each request belongs to before treating them as contradictory. Confirm who is authorized to communicate or submit for the claim. A shared family checklist does not establish beneficiary rights, representation authority or entitlement.
Close a row with the actual determination or next action. Keep unresolved eligibility and competing-claim questions with the appropriate agency or chosen legal representative; a household organizer should not decide them.
Browse federal benefits, retirement and insurance topics or read how we prepare and check our guides.
Sources
- OPM: Survivor benefits, checked November 4, 2026
- OPM: SF 3104 FERS death benefits application, checked November 4, 2026
- OPM: SF 2800 CSRS death benefits application, checked November 4, 2026
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