The Death Benefit Fact Sheet provides a summary of the benefits available to a member's spouse or designated beneficiary under certain terms and conditions in accordance with Chapter 78 of the Code of the City of Richmond. The Death Benefit Claimant Form must be completed to receive the one time lump sum benefit payment.

Death Benefits Before Retirement (Non-Job Related)

• If you are eligible for retirement at the time of your death, your surviving spouse will receive a monthly 100 percent survivor allowance for life.  This benefit cannot be paid to any other survivor.

• If you die while in service within three years of being eligible for early service retirement, based upon years of service, your surviving spouse may purchase service credit up to a maximum of three years to attain your retirement eligibility and receive a monthly allowance in accordance with Section 78-314 of the City Code.

• Your beneficiary will receive a one-time, lump-sum payment up to a maximum of $1,000 upon your death from the Retirement Office if you were employed before June 13, 1988.

Death Benefits Before Retirement (Job-Related)

• If you die prior to retirement from a cause that is compensable under the Workers’ Compensation Act, your spouse, if any, will receive a monthly benefit as though you had worked to age 65, retired and elected for your spouse to receive a 100 percent survivor allowance.

• The monthly survivor allowance will be offset by receipt of Workers’ Compensation benefits, with the balance, if any, paid to the surviving spouse.

• If the surviving spouse remarries, a monthly benefit is paid only if you died after reaching early retirement age.

• If there is no spouse, or if the spouse dies or remarries and your child or children, if any, is under the age of 18, then a monthly benefit will be paid to the child/children until age 18.

• Your beneficiary will receive a one-time, lump-sum payment up to a maximum of $1,000 upon your death from the Retirement Office if you were employed before June 13, 1988.

Death Benefits After Retirement

• Death benefits are governed by the type of benefit payment option selected at retirement.

• Your beneficiary will receive a one-time, lump-sum payment up to a maximum of $1,000 upon your death from the Retirement Office if you were employed before June 13, 1988.

Death Benefits After Disability Retirement

• The surviving spouse is automatically entitled to a 100 percent survivor benefit if the retiree was eligible for Early Service retirement at the time of disability retirement and dies prior to reaching his/her normal retirement age (general employee – age 65; police officer or firefighter – age 60).

• The automatic coverage for the spouse ends at the retiree’s normal retirement age.  Therefore, to continue coverage for the spouse, the retiree must select a survivor option prior to reaching his/her normal retirement age.

• If  a disabled retiree was not eligible for an early service retirement at the time of disability retirement, the retiree must select a survivor option prior to reaching his/her normal retirement age.

• Your beneficiary will receive a one-time, lump-sum payment up to a maximum of $1,000 upon your death from the Retirement Office if you were employed before June 13, 1988.

Payment of Claims

Upon notification of a member’s death (active or retired), the member’s file is reviewed to determine if death benefits are due to a surviving spouse and/or beneficiary.  The applicable forms must be completed and a certified death certificate must be submitted to the Retirement Office for payment of the funds.