My ex spouse committed suicide 1 year ago. He was in law enforcement We were married 11 years and divorced in 1997 so we have been divorced for 11 years when he died. While married, I was permanently injured in a mva and have been on and receiving social security disability since 1992, He was 49 at the time of his death and working and I am 55 years old. Neither of us had remarried. Am I entitled to any survivor benefits as a surviving divorced and disabled ex spouse? Being disabled I am having a very difficult time living on disability only. I tried to work but am unable to and now need several surgeries. Am I entitled to anything on his behalf since his death?

Death and survivor benefits
IMRF pays a survivor pension to a qualified surviving spouse on the death of an IMRF member with at least eight years of service. If a member does not have a qualified surviving spouse, no survivor pension is payable.

Divorce after retirement does not change the status of the ex-spouse as the qualified surviving spouse. However, divorce before retirement precludes that ex-spouse from attaining qualified survivor status. The parties cannot change this feature of the IMRF plan in their divorce settlement.

The alternate payee may receive a share of any lump sum death benefit that would be payable upon the member's death.

It is possible to include a provision in a QDRO that states that the ex-spouse is to be considered the "surviving spouse" for purposes of all or a portion of the Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity payable on behalf of the Participant in the event he/she should die prior to commencement of benefits. The ex-spouse can be the surviving spouse for all of this death benefit or for just the portion of the death benefit attributable to the portion of the pension awarded in the QDRO.

What country do you live in?

State Of Missouri, Usa

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