SF 3102 is the Designation of Beneficiary form that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides for employees and retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). It names who receives any lump-sum benefit payable under CSRS or FERS after your death, and it cancels any earlier designation you filed. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; you then file it with your employing agency or with OPM, as described below.
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What is SF 3102?
Form SF 3102, Designation of Beneficiary, Civil Service and Federal Employees Retirement System, is the OPM standard form used to name the person or persons who will receive a lump-sum payment that may become payable under CSRS or FERS after your death.
The form is issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under OMB Approval 3206-0173 and cites 5 CFR 843.205. This revision combines and supersedes all prior versions of SF 2808 and SF 3102. Under FERS, the designation also covers lump-sum death benefits that may become payable from amounts contributed to CSRS before you became covered by FERS.
What it does not do matters as much. The designation does not affect the rights of anyone who qualifies for survivor annuity benefits, and it cannot be used to elect, or to show intent to elect, a survivor annuity for a spouse, former spouse or person with an insurable interest in an employee.
OPM tells filers not to confuse SF 3102 with the designation forms for other benefits:
- SF 2823, Designation of Beneficiary, Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program
- TSP-3, Thrift Savings Plan Designation of Beneficiary
- SF 1152, Designation of Beneficiary - Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Civilian Employee
If you make no designation, the law's order of precedence applies: widow or widower, then children, then parents, then the executor or administrator of your estate, then other next of kin under the law of your state.
Who needs to file SF 3102?
SF 3102 is for employees and retirees under CSRS and FERS who want to choose who receives their lump-sum benefit. The form's status boxes cover an employee, a retired person or an applicant for retirement, and a former employee eligible for retirement in the future. You mark your retirement system, CSRS or FERS, in Part A.
You can name any person, firm, corporation, trust or legal entity as a beneficiary. You may also name a contingent beneficiary, but you do not have to.
You do not need to file the form if you are satisfied with the order of precedence that the law provides.
Do not use SF 3102 to:
- elect a survivor annuity for a spouse, former spouse or person with an insurable interest;
- name beneficiaries for FEGLI life insurance, the Thrift Savings Plan or unpaid compensation of a deceased civilian employee, which have their own forms (SF 2823, TSP-3, SF 1152).
Your signature must be witnessed. A witness cannot be a beneficiary. The instructions do not describe anyone signing on your behalf.
When to file SF 3102
File SF 3102 whenever you want to name or change who receives your lump-sum benefit; the form sets no calendar deadline. What it does require is timing before death: a designation is valid only if it is received before the designator's death, and it takes effect on the date your employing agency (or OPM, if you are not employed) receives it.
Employees' designations must be received by the employing office. Separated employees, retirees and people receiving recurring OWCP payments must have OPM receive theirs. FERS retirees must also send it to OPM before death for the form to be valid.
A designation stays in effect until you cancel it by filing a new one, or until you receive a refund of your retirement deductions before retirement. File a new form if a beneficiary's name or address changes or your family situation changes. Each new filing completely cancels earlier CSRS and FERS designations.
Documents you need
- Both copies of the form, the Original and the Employee copy: the instructions say to complete the form in duplicate. Current CSRS employees must send both to OPM.
- A blank sheet of paper attached to the form, only if you designate more than three persons in Part B. Print your name and date of birth at the top and give the Part B information for each beneficiary.
- The witness's signature on both the form and any attachment, from the same witness, when an attachment is used.
How to fill out SF 3102
Mark your employment status
In Part A, place an "X" in the box that fits you: an employee, retired or an applicant for retirement, or a former employee eligible for retirement in the future.
Enter your identifying details
Enter your name (last, first, middle), date of birth in mm/dd/yyyy format and Social Security number. If you are retired, give your CSA claim number.
Give your agency and retirement system
Enter the department or agency where you are presently employed (or your former one) and its location (city, state and ZIP code). Mark CSRS or FERS as the name of your retirement system.
Read the designation statement
Read the CSRS or FERS paragraph that matches your system before continuing. It explains that the designation cancels earlier ones and that shares of beneficiaries who cannot be paid go equally to the others or entirely to the survivor, unless you indicate otherwise.
List each beneficiary's name and address
In Part B, print each beneficiary's first name, middle initial and last name, and address with ZIP code. To name your estate, enter "My estate" in the beneficiary column.
Enter relationship and shares
Give each beneficiary's relationship to you and the share to be paid as a percentage. Shares must total 100%; do not use dollar amounts.
Add a contingent beneficiary or trust
Follow examples 3 to 5 on the reverse of Part 1 to name a contingent beneficiary, an inter vivos trust or a testamentary trust. To cancel prior designations and fall back on the order of precedence, use example 6.
Attach a sheet for extra beneficiaries
If you designate more than three persons in Part B, attach a blank sheet with your name and date of birth at the top and the Part B information for each beneficiary.
Date and sign the designation
Enter the date of designation in mm/dd/yyyy format and sign in the signature box. Sign in front of your witnesses, and also sign any attachment.
Have your witnesses complete Part C
The witnesses certify that the statement was signed in their presence, then sign and enter their addresses with ZIP code. A witness cannot be a beneficiary, and the same witness must sign any attachment.
Leave the agency certification blank
The Receiving Agency Certification block is completed by the agency that receives the form, which certifies that the shares total 100% and the witness was not a beneficiary.
Add return address and review
Type or print your return address so a copy can be sent back to you. Check that no entry needs correcting, since corrections are not permitted, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and file it as described under How to submit.
How to submit SF 3102
Where you send SF 3102 depends on your status. The form describes mail to OPM and filing with your employing agency.
- Current FERS employees: file the form with your employing agency. The agency keeps the original in your Official Personnel Folder and sends it to OPM after you separate from Federal service.
- Current CSRS employees: mail both completed copies, the Original and the Employee copy, to OPM, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017. Your employing agency does not keep this form. OPM validates both copies and returns one to you.
- Separated employees, retirees and people receiving recurring OWCP benefits: file with OPM, Retirement Operations Center, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017-0045. FERS retirees must send the form to OPM.
Type or print your return address on the form so a copy can be sent back to you. The employee copy is noted and returned as evidence that the original was received and filed; keep the duplicate with your important papers. The form names no fee and no online filing channel. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filling in the form in pencil. The instructions say to type or print all entries except signatures and not to use pencil.
- Erasing or altering an entry. No corrections are permitted on this form, so a changed entry means starting over on a clean form.
- Using dollar amounts for shares, or shares that do not add up to 100 percent. Shares must be percentages totaling 100%.
- Naming a witness as a beneficiary. A witness is ineligible to receive payment, and the receiving agency certifies that the witness was not designated.
- Writing names as M.E. Brown or Mrs. John H. Brown instead of first name, middle initial and last name.
- Leaving out someone you want to designate. Filing this form completely cancels any earlier CSRS or FERS designation, so name every beneficiary.
- Sending only one copy as a current CSRS employee. Both completed copies must go to OPM because the agency keeps none.
- Using different witnesses for the form and an attachment listing more than three beneficiaries; the same witness must sign both.
- Assuming a changed name or relationship updates the designation. OPM pays the person designated, so a former spouse still gets the lump sum unless you file a new form.
- Using SF 3102 to elect a survivor annuity or to name beneficiaries for FEGLI, TSP or unpaid compensation.
Frequently asked questions
What is SF 3102 used for?
SF 3102 is the OPM Designation of Beneficiary form for CSRS and FERS. You use it to name who receives any lump-sum benefit payable under those retirement systems after your death. It does not affect survivor annuity rights and cannot be used to elect a survivor annuity.
Do I have to file SF 3102?
No. OPM says you do not need to make a designation if you are satisfied with the order of precedence set by law: widow or widower, then children, then parents, then your estate's executor or administrator, then other next of kin under your state's law.
Where do I send SF 3102?
It depends on your status. Current FERS employees file with their employing agency. Current CSRS employees mail both copies to OPM, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017. Separated employees, retirees and OWCP recipients file with OPM, Retirement Operations Center, P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA 16017-0045.
Does my SF 3102 need a witness?
Yes. A designation must be in writing, signed and witnessed, and Part C asks witnesses to certify the signature was made in their presence. A witness cannot be a beneficiary, so a person you name to receive payment should not act as witness.
When does my designation take effect?
It takes effect on the date your employing agency receives it, or OPM if you are not employed. It must be received before your death to be valid. It then stays in effect until you cancel it with a new designation or receive a refund of your retirement deductions before retirement.
Can I change my beneficiary on SF 3102 later?
Yes. You can change your beneficiary at any time without the knowledge or consent of a previous beneficiary, and this right cannot be waived or restricted. File a new SF 3102; it completely cancels earlier CSRS and FERS designations, so list everyone you want to name.
What if I want to name more than three beneficiaries?
Attach a blank sheet with your name and date of birth at the top and the Part B information for each beneficiary. The same witness must sign both the form and the attachment, along with your own signatures on each.
What is the difference between SF 3102, SF 2823 and TSP-3?
SF 3102 covers lump-sum benefits under CSRS or FERS. SF 2823 is for the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program, and TSP-3 is for the Thrift Savings Plan. Each form names beneficiaries only for its own benefit, so file the one that matches.
Can I fill out SF 3102 online?
You can fill out the SF 3102 PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of OPM and does not file the form; you send or deliver it through the channels the form describes.
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