You must be married or in a Domestic Partnership (DP) prior to your retirement date for survivor benefits to be payable to your spouse/DP.
If you marry after retirement, you have the option of naming your new spouse as a beneficiary for a continuance of benefits in the event of your death. This option is only available to you if you contact the Office of Retirement Services within 30 days of your marriage.
This option is actuarially calculated based on your monthly pension amount, your date of birth and your spouse's date of birth to show the amount your monthly pension would be reduced to pay for this benefit. The greater the age difference, the greater the cost.