Am I entitled to ex husband's retirement benefits?
Full Question:
Answer:
Typically, upon the death of the divorced spouse, all withholdings mandated under a matrimonial order cease. In those retirement systems that permit a member to select a survivor's benefit option at the time of retirement (i.e., PERS, TPAF), court ordered withholding terminates upon the death of the retirant; but, if the divorced spouse is designated the beneficiary under the survivor's option, the surviving divorced spouse is then entitled to the survivor's benefit in their own right for as long as s/he lives. If another person is designated beneficiary of the survivor's benefit, the divorced spouse cannot receive any equitable distributions from the survivor's benefit paid to that other person.