All Episodes

November 18, 2025 13 mins

Love and marriage come with a lot of decisions — and for federal employees, one of the most important is whether or not to leave a survivor benefit. In this episode, Rayna Reyes breaks down the complex rules around FERS and CSRS survivor benefits, explaining how they work, what they cost, and how they connect to your health insurance in retirement.

Rayna uses clear, real-life examples to help you understand when it makes sense to leave a full, partial, or no survivor benefit — and how life insurance fits into the picture. From “Twinkie” couples (two federal employees married to each other) to retirees comparing survivor income to lump-sum life insurance payouts, this episode helps you make informed decisions before you file. 

If you’re married, nearing retirement, or simply trying to make the best choice for your spouse and family, this is a must-listen guide to balancing love, legacy, and logic in your retirement plan.

Contact Rayna directly at 850-450-6500
Or call the American Federal Benefits Consultants team at 1-800-872-8857
Visit: AmericanFederal.org

 

--

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RaynaRetirement

Rayna Retirement is the go-to podcast for federal employees – or anyone – looking to make smarter financial decisions with clarity and confidence. Hosted by Rayna Reyes, co-founder of American Federal Benefits Consultants, this show simplifies the complexities of retirement, benefits, and financial planning.

Whether you're navigating your FERS or CSRS pension, maximizing your TSP, or seeking expert advice on 401(k)s or IRAs, Rayna is here to guide you every step of the way. Tune in for practical knowledge, ethical solutions, and expert insights as you prepare for a secure and fulfilling retirement.

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.