Two federal retirees in one household
Two survivor elections, one FEHB plan or two — and a few choices that save real money.
The one to protect: a spouse who leaves with only a deferred annuity can’t carry FEHB in their own right and must stay on the other’s plan.
Jump to a section
1. The survivor elections
Each retiree makes a survivor election for the other. For most couples, a survivor annuity does two jobs: it provides income, and it keeps the surviving spouse on FEHB. In a dual-federal household, the second job may already be covered.
| Your spouse… | What the survivor annuity protects |
|---|---|
| Has an immediate annuity and meets the five-year rule | Income only — they keep FEHB on their own |
| Has only a deferred annuity | Income and FEHB — they can’t carry FEHB alone |
| Has a small annuity | Mostly income; consider the partial or full election |
So if both of you retire on immediate annuities and each qualifies for FEHB in your own right, declining the survivor annuity is a reasonable option to weigh — the 10% it costs buys income only. Declining requires your spouse's notarized consent. The trade-offs are in declining the survivor annuity and survivor benefit elections.
2. FEHB: one plan or two
You can keep one family enrollment covering both of you, or each hold a Self Only enrollment. Two annuitants who each qualify on their own can switch from one family plan to two Self Only plans by calling OPM.
The five-year rule is friendlier to couples than people expect: time covered as a family member under your spouse's enrollment counts toward your own five years. You also need to retire on an immediate annuity.
Two Self Only plans are sometimes cheaper than one family plan, and on some plans Self Plus One costs more than Self and Family. Price both ways at each Open Season. See the enrollment tier guide.
The exception is a spouse who separates with a deferred annuity. They can't carry FEHB in their own right, so they must stay on the other spouse's family enrollment. Never switch that household to two Self Only plans. See the five-year rule.
3. Whose enrollment to use
While one of you is still working, keep the family enrollment under the one who keeps working. Employees pay premiums before tax through premium conversion; retirees pay after tax. Keeping the enrollment with the working spouse preserves that tax break until they retire too.
Once both of you are retired, it no longer matters for tax purposes. The mechanics are in why FEHB costs more after you retire.
4. Social Security for two FERS retirees
You each have your own Social Security record. When one of you dies, the survivor keeps the larger of the two benefits — not both.
That makes the higher earner's claiming age a joint decision. Delaying the higher benefit to 70 raises what the survivor inherits for the rest of their life. For many dual-federal couples, the right move is for the lower earner to claim earlier and the higher earner to delay. See couples' claiming strategy.
5. Frequently asked questions
If both spouses are federal retirees, do they both need survivor annuities?
Not necessarily. Each retiree makes a separate survivor election for the other. If each spouse has an immediate annuity and can carry FEHB in their own right, the survivor annuity is purely an income decision rather than a way to protect health coverage. Declining it requires the other spouse’s notarized consent.
Can two federal retirees have one FEHB plan or two?
Either. A couple can keep one Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment, or each can hold a Self Only enrollment. Two annuitants who each qualify in their own right can switch from one family enrollment to two Self Only enrollments by calling OPM. Compare the premiums, since two Self Only plans are sometimes cheaper than one family plan.
Does time covered under my spouse’s FEHB count toward my five-year rule?
Yes. To carry FEHB into retirement in your own right, you must have been covered for the five years before retirement, and coverage as a family member under your spouse’s enrollment counts. You must also retire on an immediate annuity. A spouse who separates with only a deferred annuity cannot carry FEHB in their own right and must stay on the other spouse’s enrollment.
Whose enrollment should the family plan be under?
While one spouse is still working, under the one who keeps working. Employee premiums are paid before tax through premium conversion, and retirees pay with after-tax money, so keeping the enrollment with the working spouse preserves the tax break until they retire too.
How does Social Security fit in for two FERS retirees?
Both have their own Social Security records. When one dies, the survivor keeps the larger of the two Social Security benefits, not both. That makes the higher earner’s claiming age important, because delaying it increases the benefit the survivor inherits.