Former Spouse and Death

Death and Formal Spouse

You might say what does a former spouse have to do with the business of the deceased federal employee.  You might be surprised under certain circumstances, that the former spouse may have more to do with the business than you can imagine.

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Actually the Basic Employee Death Benefit (BEDB) may be payable to the former spouse in its entirety or partially, if a valid court order is on file at the Office of Personnel Management awarding the benefit to the former spouse.  In addition, the former spouse had to have been married to the deceased federal employee or retiree for a minimum of nine months and did not re-enter into matrimony before reaching age 55.

Families who must contend with the pain of making funeral arrangements for a loved one are often so inundated with the loss and the confusion that the very minute details might be overlooked.  Anger, arguments and temporary family discord often are the ingredients that make-up the discourse of funerals.  Surprises come up about things you thought you knew and you didn’t.  Nobody can agree on anything because the pain of loss is masking the entire ordeal.  Since we all know that losing a loved one is an indescribable pain, it is a good idea to prepare for the inevitable.

P. S.  Always Remember to Share What You Know.