Retiring with a much younger spouse
The same survivor election buys far more when your spouse will outlive you by decades.
Married after retiring? You have two years from the wedding to elect a survivor annuity. Miss it and you can’t add it later.
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1. Why the survivor annuity is worth more
A full FERS survivor annuity costs 10% of your annuity and pays your spouse 50% of your unreduced annuity after your death. The cost is the same whether your spouse is two years younger or twenty.
What changes is how long your spouse is likely to collect it. A spouse fifteen or twenty years younger may receive the survivor annuity for decades — so the same fixed cost buys a far longer stream of income.
| Spouse age gap | Likely years collecting | Value of the same 10% cost |
|---|---|---|
| About the same age | Fewer | Moderate |
| 10 years younger | More | High |
| 20+ years younger | Many | Very high |
That's the opposite of the insurable interest annuity, where the cost rises with the age gap. For a spouse, it doesn't. The full election is covered in survivor benefit elections.
2. FEHB when you reach Medicare first
You'll likely reach 65 and Medicare years before your spouse. As long as you keep a Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment, your FEHB plan keeps covering your spouse as their primary insurance until they're eligible for Medicare themselves.
Some retirees move to a cheaper Self Only plan once they have Medicare. With a younger spouse, that drops them from coverage. Keep the family enrollment. And the survivor annuity is what lets your spouse keep FEHB after your death — see survivor FEHB.
Your own Part B decision doesn't affect your spouse's coverage. See the Part B decision.
3. Social Security
When you die, your spouse can take your Social Security benefit as a survivor benefit if it's larger than their own. Delaying your claim to 70 raises that benefit permanently.
With a much younger spouse, that larger benefit may be paid for decades. It's one of the strongest reasons to delay, and it pairs well with using the TSP to cover the gap. See bridging to Social Security at 70 and spousal and survivor benefits.
4. Marrying after retirement, and the 55 rule
- Married after you retired? Elect a survivor annuity within two years of the marriage. After that, you can't add it.
- Update beneficiaries. TSP and FEGLI beneficiary forms override your will. See TSP death benefits.
- Know the 55 rule. A surviving spouse who remarries before 55 loses the survivor annuity unless married to you 30 years. A spouse widowed young is more likely to face it. See remarriage before 55.
5. Frequently asked questions
Is the survivor annuity worth more if my spouse is much younger?
Usually, yes. A full FERS survivor annuity costs 10 percent of your annuity no matter how old your spouse is, but a younger spouse is likely to collect it for many more years. The same fixed cost buys a much longer stream of income, and it is also what keeps your spouse on FEHB after your death.
What happens to my younger spouse’s health coverage when I go on Medicare?
Nothing changes as long as you keep a Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment. Your FEHB plan continues to cover your spouse as primary insurance until they become eligible for Medicare themselves. Switching yourself to Self Only when you turn 65 would drop your spouse from coverage.
Should I delay Social Security if my spouse is much younger?
It is often worth considering. When you die, your spouse can receive your Social Security benefit as a survivor benefit if it is larger than their own. Delaying your claim to 70 increases that benefit, and a younger spouse may receive it for decades.
What if I marry a younger spouse after I retire?
You can elect a survivor annuity for a spouse you marry after retirement, but you must do it within two years of the marriage. The election reduces your annuity going forward. If you miss the window, you cannot add the benefit later.
Can my younger spouse lose the survivor annuity?
Yes, if they remarry before age 55, unless they had been married to you for at least 30 years. A spouse who is widowed young is more likely to face that rule, so it is worth understanding as part of the plan.