BEDB: Basic Employee Death Benefit

Mitul Patel
March 31, 2014

Basic Employee Death Benefit (BEDB)

Federal employees’ spouses may be entitled to a Basic Employee Death Benefit (BEDB) upon the death of the employee if the following conditions are met:

• You were married to the deceased employee for at least nine months. If the death occurred as a result of an accident, then the 9 month requirement does not apply.
• You were the parent of a child born out of the marriage even if the child was born after the death of the employee or retiree. You are also entitled if the child was born out of wedlock and you and the deceased federal employee later married.

Under these provisions as the spouse you may be eligible for the BEDB that is equal to 50% of the employee’s final salary or the employee’s average salary if it is higher than the final salary plus $15,000.
The $15,000 is increased by the Civil Service Retirement System’s cost-of-living adjustments.

The same benefit may be paid to a former spouse in whole or partially if there is a court order on file at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) qualifying the ex-spouse to receive the benefit. The former spouse must have been married to the deceased federal employee for at least nine months and did not remarry prior to reaching age 55.

It is important to know the facts so that important aspects of your federal retirement benefits and provisions can become part of your planning process to retire well. If there are details about your benefits that you need more clarity on, visit your human resources office if you are an active federal employee. If you are retired use your CSA number to contact the Office of Personnel Management so that you will know everything needed to live and retire in comfort and security.