What is 'Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity - QPSA'

A death benefit that is paid to the surviving spouse of a deceased employee. If the employee dies before retirement, the qualified pre-retirement survivor annuity is paid to recompense the surviving spouse for the loss of retirement benefits that would have otherwise been paid to the employee. As the name implies, QPSAs are paid only for qualified plans.

Explaining 'Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity - QPSA'

Qualified pre-retirement survivor annuity benefits must be offered by all types of qualified plans to vested participants, including defined-benefit plans and money-purchase plans. However, the spouses must have been married for at least a year in order to be eligible for benefits. ERISA mandates how the payments for a QPSA should be calculated. Both employee and spouse must sign off on a waiver of QPSA benefits and have it witnessed by either a notary public or authorized plan representative.

Further Reading

Longevity-insured retirement distributions from pension plans: Market and regulatory issues
www.nber.org [PDF]
… not have the option of selecting a Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA) or a Qualified Joint and … It also created a new mechanism for passing eligible retirement plan assets from individuals to … What kind of retirement assets do same-sex couples hold pre-retirement …

Phased retirement for defined benefit plan participants
digitalcommons.unl.edu [PDF]
… not have the option of selecting a Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA) or a Qualified Joint and … It also created a new mechanism for passing eligible retirement plan assets from individuals to … What kind of retirement assets do same-sex couples hold pre-retirement …

Does a Life Insurance Subtrust Create a Prohibited Assignment within a Qualified Plan
heinonline.org [PDF]
… not have the option of selecting a Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA) or a Qualified Joint and … It also created a new mechanism for passing eligible retirement plan assets from individuals to … What kind of retirement assets do same-sex couples hold pre-retirement …

Supporting the Oldest Old: The Role of Social Insurance, Pensions, and Financial Products
heinonline.org [PDF]
… not have the option of selecting a Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA) or a Qualified Joint and … It also created a new mechanism for passing eligible retirement plan assets from individuals to … What kind of retirement assets do same-sex couples hold pre-retirement …

A Primer on the History and Proper Drafting of Qualified Domestic-Relations Orders
heinonline.org [PDF]
… not have the option of selecting a Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA) or a Qualified Joint and … It also created a new mechanism for passing eligible retirement plan assets from individuals to … What kind of retirement assets do same-sex couples hold pre-retirement …

Marriage, Domestic Partnerships, Civil Union: The Developing Tax Landscape, Through Time: Using the Law to Support LGBT Relationships, Washington State Bar …
papers.ssrn.com [PDF]
… not have the option of selecting a Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA) or a Qualified Joint and … It also created a new mechanism for passing eligible retirement plan assets from individuals to … What kind of retirement assets do same-sex couples hold pre-retirement …

Estate Planning for Qualified and Non-Qualified Plans
heinonline.org [PDF]
… not have the option of selecting a Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA) or a Qualified Joint and … It also created a new mechanism for passing eligible retirement plan assets from individuals to … What kind of retirement assets do same-sex couples hold pre-retirement …