OPM’s survivor marital survey
Answer it, or the annuity stops.
Not online. OPM says the survey can’t be completed online — mail or fax it back.
Jump to a section
1. What the survey is
By law, a CSRS or FERS survivor annuity ends if the surviving spouse remarries before 55 — unless the marriage to the deceased lasted at least 30 years. Form RI 25-7, the Marital Status Certification Survey, is how OPM checks. It’s mailed every year to surviving spouses under 55 until they turn 55.
2. How to answer it
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Never remarried | Check that box, sign, and return it |
| Remarried before 55, after a 30-year marriage to the deceased | Check that box and give your wedding date with the deceased |
| Remarried before 55, never told OPM | Report it, with a copy of the marriage certificate |
| Remarried before 55, and that marriage has ended | Report both dates, with the divorce decree or death certificate |
Common-law marriages count. Return the survey in the envelope provided or by fax. If it’s returned to OPM as undeliverable, the annuity is suspended too — so keep your address current. See OPM Services Online for annuitants.
3. If you remarried and never told OPM
You’re liable for every payment made after the remarriage, and OPM can verify marital status through computer matches with other federal agencies. Reporting it yourself, now, keeps the overpayment from growing. If repaying would be a hardship, see OPM overpayments and waivers.
If that later marriage has ended, the survivor annuity may be restored. The rules, including what happens to survivor FEHB, are in remarriage before 55.
4. Frequently asked questions
Why did OPM send me a marital status survey?
OPM mails Form RI 25-7 every year to surviving spouses under 55 who receive a CSRS or FERS survivor annuity, because the law ends that annuity if the survivor remarries before 55, unless the marriage to the deceased lasted at least 30 years.
What happens if I don’t return the marital survey?
OPM suspends the survivor annuity if the survey isn’t returned or comes back as undeliverable. Payments can be restored after OPM receives and reviews the completed survey.
Can I complete the OPM marital survey online?
No. OPM says the survey is not available online. Return it in the envelope provided or by fax.
Does remarrying after 55 affect my survivor annuity?
No. Remarriage at 55 or older does not end a CSRS or FERS survivor annuity, and OPM stops sending the survey once you turn 55.