STRS Ohio Spousal Consent Retirement

When Spousal Consent Is Required

If you're married at retirement, STRS Ohio requires your spouse's notarized signature for the following elections:

• Plan I (Single Life Annuity) — no monthly survivor benefit to anyone
• A Joint and Survivor option providing less than 50% to your spouse
• A non-spouse primary beneficiary under any Joint and Survivor option
• Plan III (Annuity Certain) — term-guaranteed payments instead of lifetime survivor
• Any Partial Lump-Sum Option Plan (PLOP) of any amount

The default without spousal consent is Plan II Option 2: a Joint and Survivor Annuity providing 50% of your reduced benefit to your spouse for life, with reversion, and no PLOP. STRS Ohio assigns this automatically when a married member either does not file an application or files without the required consent.

What the Form Actually Covers

The Spousal Consent Form (Form 50-108) is a legal waiver. By signing, your spouse acknowledges that they understand the retirement option you've selected and voluntarily gives up the statutory 50% survivor protection. The form must be notarized — a witness signature is not sufficient.

Your spouse is not signing away their right to any benefit. They're consenting to a specific election that provides less than the default 50% Joint and Survivor arrangement. If you choose Plan II Option 1 (100% to your spouse), no consent form is needed because your spouse is already getting more than the statutory minimum.

What Happens If Your Spouse Won't Sign

STRS Ohio does not mediate spousal disagreements. If your spouse refuses to sign the consent form, you cannot elect Plan I, cannot take a PLOP, and cannot name a non-spouse beneficiary. Your retirement defaults to the 50% Joint and Survivor option with reversion.

This default protects the spouse — it guarantees they receive half your monthly benefit for life after your death. But it also means you receive a lower monthly benefit than you would under Plan I, and you cannot access any lump-sum cash through the PLOP.

If you and your spouse disagree about the right plan, the conversation needs to happen well before your application deadline, not at the notary's desk. The difference between Plan I and Plan II Option 1 can be several hundred dollars per month, and both sides of that trade-off — immediate household income versus long-term survivor security — are legitimate concerns.

Filing Timeline

Submit the notarized Spousal Consent Form with or immediately following your Service Retirement Application. It must be on file with STRS Ohio before your retirement effective date. If the form arrives late, STRS Ohio applies the default 50% Joint and Survivor option and processes your retirement without the election you intended.

Get the form early. Schedule the notary appointment. Do not leave this for the last week before your effective date — notary availability, mailing delays, or a form error can push you past the deadline and into a default election you did not choose.

Our STRS Ohio Retirement Guide includes a detailed walkthrough of the spousal consent process, including the specific scenarios that trigger the requirement and a timeline for getting it filed before your deadline.

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