# 2026-12581: OPM Tweaks Survivor Annuity Math for Former Feds

2026-12581, Federal Employees' Retirement System; Present Value Conversion Factors for Spouses of Deceased Separated Employees, is a Federal Register rule from Personnel Management Office published 2026-06-23, effective 2026-08-24; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-30).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12581
- As of: 2026-06-30
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-12581
- Title: Federal Employees' Retirement System; Present Value Conversion Factors for Spouses of Deceased Separated Employees
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Personnel Management Office
- Citation: 91 FR 37307
- Published: 2026-06-23
- Effective: 2026-08-24
- Comments close: 2026-07-23
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 3206-AP12
- Last updated: 2026-06-30

## In one line

OPM Tweaks Survivor Annuity Math for Former Feds

## Summary

The Office of Personnel Management is updating how they calculate survivor annuities for spouses of federal employees who left their jobs and then passed away before qualifying for full retirement benefits. This change affects those spouses by adjusting the reduction factors for early payments, starting August 24, 2026. If you’re a spouse in this situation, this update could impact the money you receive from the retirement system.

## Abstract

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is revising the table of reduction factors for early commencing dates of survivor annuities for spouses of separated employees who die before the date on which they would be eligible for unreduced deferred annuities. The annuity factor for spouses of deceased employees who die in service when those spouses elect to receive the basic employee death benefit in 36 installments under the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) Act of 1986 remains unchanged.

## Effects PRIA read

- Revised Survivor Annuity Reduction Factors: mixed, low. If you are the current or former spouse of a federal employee who had separated from service and then died before becoming eligible for an unreduced deferred annuity, the tables used to reduce an earlier-starting survivor annuity have been revised and will take effect August 24, 2026. OPM expects t…
- 36-Installment Death Benefit Factors Unchanged: benefit, low. If you are a surviving spouse who elects to receive the basic employee death benefit as 36 installment payments, the factors used to convert the lump sum into 36 installments remain unchanged based on the Board’s June 16, 2025 review. That treatment remains in place when this rule takes effect Augu…
- Removed Table Column for 1950–1966 Birth Years: benefit, low. OPM removed the column of factors that applied to individuals born from 1950 through 1966 because those individuals have already reached minimum retirement age; this edit appears in the revised appendix effective August 24, 2026. If you were born between 1950 and 1966 inclusive, the removed column…

## Related documents

- [2026-19222](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19222): Employment in the Excepted Service, 2026-09-18
- [2026-18828](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18828): Shared Certificates and Pooled Hiring Actions, 2026-09-15
- [2026-18800](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18800): Reduction in Force; Correction, 2026-09-15
- [2026-16687](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16687): Differential Pay for Prescribed Wildland Fire Activities, 2026-08-14
- [2026-15650](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15650): Suitability Action Appeals, 2026-08-03
- [2026-15666](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15666): Reduction in Force Appeals, 2026-08-03

## Sources
- [2026-12581 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/23/2026-12581/federal-employees-retirement-system-present-value-conversion-factors-for-spouses-of-deceased)
- [2026-12581 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-23/pdf/2026-12581.pdf)

## Related
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12581 (as of 2026-06-30).