The death of a spouse or a loved one is a very traumatic event. Dealing with your own feelings as well as those of the family in addition to making all the necessary arrangements can result in overlooked details and additional confusion.
NJEA/NJREA has created a checklist designed to help you make sense of your rights and responsibilities during this difficult time. The suggestions are general and should be adapted to your particular situation through family conversations and conferences with legal and/or financial advisors.
Many retirees and beneficiaries also inquire about the steps that should be taken to expedite the processing of the death benefits. Upon the death of a retired member or his or her beneficiary, the New Jersey Division of Pensions should be notified as soon as possible by calling the Office of Client Services at 609-292-7524. The individual reporting the death should be able to provide the following:
- the full name of the deceased;
- the deceased’s Social Security, pension membership, or retirement number;
- date of death; and
- the name, mailing address, and telephone number of the person handling the deceased’s affairs.
Once a member’s death is reported, the Division of Pensions reviews the member’s account to determine what benefits, if any, are due. The Division of Pensions informs the named beneficiary or beneficiaries by letter of the benefits payable and sends the necessary claim forms.
The processing time for paying a claim depends entirely upon when the Division of Pensions receives the following items from the beneficiary:
- a certified death certificate; a photocopy is not acceptable;
- all claim forms, properly completed; and
- any uncashed pension checks sent to a deceased retiree (any monies due will be reissued to the beneficiaries or the estate).
Please note these suggestions are general and should be adapted to your particular situation through family conversations and conferences with legal and/or financial advisors.
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■ For Members Retired at Time of Death
1. Pensions.
Contact the New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits (NJDPB) at 609-292-7524 and choose Option 2. See
NJDPB Fact Sheet #10 at https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/documents/factsheets/fact10.pdf
for further information on what to provide.
a. If the NJDPB cannot be reached by phone, report by email to pensions.nj@treas.nj.gov using the
subject line “Report of Death.” Include the member’s name, Pension Member No. or Retirement No. (or
last 4 digits of the Social Security No.), and the date of death.
2. Health Benefits
If a deceased was retired and covered by the School Employees Health Benefits Program (SEHBP), the surviving
spouse should request a retired change of status application if they wish to continue coverage, as follows:
a. For non-Medicare retirees, use this form.
i. School Employees’ Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) • Education Retirees RETIREE HEALTH
BENEFIT ENROLLMENT AND/OR CHANGE FORM NON-MEDICARE ENROLLEES
ii. https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/documents/hb/oe2020/hr0986.pdf
b. For Medicare eligible retirees, notify Social Security and use this form.
i. School Employees’ Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) • Education Retirees RETIREE HEALTH
BENEFIT ENROLLMENT AND/OR CHANGE FORM MEDICARE ENROLLEES
ii. https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/documents/hb/oe2020/hr0984.pdf
c. If retiree had dental, use this form.
i. State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) • School Employees’ Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) RETIREE
DENTAL PLAN APPLICATION
ii. https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/documents/hb/oe2020/hd0961.pdf
3. Life Insurance
a. NEA Complimentary Life Insurance. This is benefit is only available to NJREA leaders involved in
an accident while performing association duties. Contact NEA Member Benefits at 800-637-4636 to
determine eligibility.
b. NEA Member Insurance Trust. If member purchased other life insurance, contact NEA Member Benefits
at 800-637-4636.
4. NEA Member Benefit Programs
Contact NEA Member Advocacy Center at 800-637-4636 to terminate or change coverage for any other programs
(i.e. California Casualty Home and Auto Insurance, magazine subscriptions, etc.) in which the member participated.
5. Veterans’ Benefits
If the member was ever in the military service, contact the Veterans Benefits Administration at 800-827-1000.
This is certainly not an all-inclusive, or exhaustive list, and family members of the deceased should always consult
with an attorney and/or tax professional to determine what is best for all involved.
Prepared by NJEA Division of Research Last Updated: April 2020
Link to the above information on the NJEA Website:
Assistance-for-Survivors- NJEA NJREA 2020