If a vested member (a member with a minimum of five years of active service) dies before retirement, survivor benefits may be payable to qualified recipients (a surviving spouse, children, or dependent parents). All survivor benefits are effective the first of the month following the member’s death.

Surviving Spouse: To qualify for a surviving spouse annuity, the spouse must have been married to the member for at least six months prior to the member’s death. The spouse’s benefit will be the greater of Option B75 (explained in the retirement options section) or 10% of the member’s APERS-covered compensation.

If the deceased member had 20 years of actual service, the surviving spouse annuity is payable until death. If the deceased member had fewer than 20 years of actual service, the surviving spouse annuity is payable until death or remarriage. Even after remarriage, if the surviving spouse still has any of the member’s dependent children in his or her care, the annuity will continue if any dependent children are still receiving an annuity.

Surviving Children: A child is considered a dependent child until his or her death, marriage, or attainment of age 18, whichever comes first. The age 18 maximum shall be extended as long as the child continues uninterruptedly as a full-time student at an accredited secondary school, college, or university, but in no event beyond his or her attainment of age 23. The age 18 maximum will also be extended for any child who has been deemed physically or mentally incompetent by an Arkansas court of competent jurisdiction for as long as such incompetence exists.

If a member dies and has:

• One or two dependent children – each child will receive an annuity of the greater of:
  • 10% of the member’s APERS – covered compensation at the time of death.
  • an equal share of the $150 monthly minimum.
• Three or more dependent children – each child will receive an equal share of the greater of
  • 25% of the member’s APERS – covered compensation at the time of death.
  • An equal share of the $150 monthly minimum.

When a child ceases being a dependent child, his or her annuity will terminate, and there will be a re-determination of the amounts payable to any remaining dependent children.

Dependent Parents: If at the time of the member’s death, there is neither a surviving spouse nor surviving children, each parent dependent on the member for at least 50% support will receive an annuity the greater of:

• 10% of the member’s APERS-covered compensation at the time of death.
• An equal share of the $150 monthly minimum.

How-To

To apply for survivor benefits, you must first report the death of the member. Contact APERS at 501-682-7800. After you answer a few basic questions, a counselor will send out an eligibility questionnaire to determine if there are any qualifying survivors. Complete this questionnaire and return it to APERS. After the questionnaire is received, an application will be mailed to survivors identified by the questionnaire.

Frequently Asked Questions

• When are survivor benefits effective?
  Survivor benefits are effective the month after the member’s death. You will receive retroactive payment if you qualify for benefits.
• What happens if there are no qualifying survivors?
  If no one qualifies for a survivor annuity, then we will refund the member’s employee contributions to the named beneficiary. If no beneficiary has been named, we will refund the contributions to the member’s estate.