Your Survivor Benefits

Your spouse, children, and other loved ones may be eligible for survivor benefits after your death. Depending on your coverage and member status at the time of your death, your beneficiaries may be eligible for three types of benefits.

CalSTRS Disability and Survivor Benefits

Your disability and survivor benefits are a package—you have CalSTRS coverage that includes both.

If you become an inactive member—you have not worked in four months and you are not retired—you and your survivors are not eligible for disability or survivor benefits except under limited circumstances.

Go to CalSTRS.com to view more on Disability Benefits or in the Member Handbook.

Your Survivor Benefits

Your spouse, children and other loved ones may be eligible for survivor benefits when you die. The type and amount of benefits depend on:

• Your years of service credit
• Your choices for survivor benefits
• Your membership status—active or retired

Depending on your coverage and member status at the time of your death, your beneficiaries may be eligible for three types of benefits:

• One-time death benefit
• Monthly benefit
• Defined Benefit Supplement distribution

One-Time Death Benefit

When you die, those you designated on the Recipient Designation form will receive a one-time death benefit if eligibility requirements are met. This benefit is separate from the lifetime monthly benefit your option beneficiaries could receive when you die.

Name your one-time death recipient on myCalSTRS. Remember, you can change your death benefit recipient any time, with no financial penalty. Be sure to keep your recipient information current.

Monthly Benefit

If you die before retirement, your survivors, including your spouse or registered domestic partner and dependent children, may be eligible for a monthly survivor benefit.

You may choose to provide a lifetime monthly benefit to your option beneficiaries in exchange for a reduced retirement benefit:

• When you are eligible to retire
• Under disability retirement
• When you retire

Video: Beneficiary Options

Defined Benefit Supplement Distribution

Your membership status when you die—active or retired—determines how the balance in your Defined Benefit Supplement account will be distributed.

If you die before retirement, your Defined Benefit Supplement account balance will be distributed to those you name on the Recipient Designation form. If you do not name your beneficiaries, your Defined Benefit Supplement balance will be paid in a lump sum to your estate regardless of when you die.

Videos: Defined Benefit Supplement Program

Part 1: What is the DBS account and how is it funded?

Part 2: Choices for receiving funds

Part 3: Tax considerations

To learn more, view CalSTRS Member Handbook.