MPSERS Spousal Waiver Form R0869C: What It Is and How to Complete It

If you're married and retiring under MPSERS, there's a strong chance you'll need Form R0869C — the Pension Election and Spousal Waiver. Getting it wrong delays your first pension check. Getting it rejected means starting the notarization process over from scratch.

When Form R0869C Is Required

Under Michigan statute, a married member's lawful spouse has a legal right to the 100% Survivor Option. If the married member selects any of the following, the spouse must formally waive that right by signing Form R0869C:

• Straight Life (no survivor benefit)
• 75% Survivor Option (less than 100% coverage)
• 50% Survivor Option (less than 100% coverage)
• Any option with a non-spouse beneficiary

The only scenario where no waiver is needed: a married member names their lawful spouse as the 100% Survivor beneficiary. In that case, the spouse receives the benefit they're entitled to by law, and no waiver applies.

How the Form Works

Form R0869C is generated through your miAccount retirement application — you do not download a blank copy separately. When you select your payout option and beneficiary designation in miAccount, the system generates the form with your election details pre-populated.

Both the member and spouse must sign Form R0869C in the physical presence of a Notary Public. Not separately — both signatures, same notary appointment. The notary completes their acknowledgment section on the same form, certifying they witnessed both signatures.

Common Errors That Trigger Rejection

ORS rejects Form R0869C for four primary administrative errors:

1. White-out or correction fluid. Any visible correction using white-out, correction tape, or crossed-out text makes the form invalid. If you make a mistake, you need a new form.

2. Missing or incomplete signatures. Every signature field must be completed — member, spouse, and the full notary acknowledgment section. A partial notary stamp or missing notary signature invalidates the entire document.

3. Missing signature dates. Every date field must be filled in. The notary date, member date, and spouse date are all required.

4. Date discrepancies. The dates on the member's signature, spouse's signature, and notary acknowledgment must match. If the notary's acknowledgment date says October 15 but the member signed on October 14, ORS will reject the form. Both signatures and the notarization must happen at the same appointment.

A rejected form means scheduling another notary appointment, signing a fresh copy, and resubmitting — all while your application processing clock keeps running.

Filing Timeline

Submit Form R0869C as part of your retirement application package, during the three-month filing window before your retirement effective date. The form must be on file with ORS before the effective date. Late submission delays the processing of your first pension check.

What the Waiver Actually Means

By signing, the spouse acknowledges they are giving up their statutory right to the 100% Survivor Option. This means:

• If the member selected Straight Life, the spouse will receive no ongoing monthly pension payments after the member's death. Health insurance coverage for the spouse ends at the member's death.
• If the member selected the 75% or 50% Survivor Option, the spouse will receive the reduced survivor percentage — not 100%.
• If the member named a non-spouse beneficiary, the spouse has no claim to survivor benefits.

This is a permanent decision. Once the retirement effective date passes, the election and waiver cannot be reversed.

Getting It Right the First Time

Schedule your notary appointment well before your planned filing date — at least two to three weeks of buffer. Bring government-issued photo ID for both the member and spouse. Review every field on the form before the notary stamps it. Confirm all three dates match.

The MPSERS Retirement Guide includes a step-by-step walkthrough of Form R0869C and the complete notarization process, so you can prepare before the appointment instead of figuring it out in the notary's office.

See more Michigan guides →