Updated: January 2008

One-time Death Benefit Career and Volunteer: Death must result from accidental injuries related to the performance of duties. The benefit is determined by multiplying the firefighter's average annual earnings by four. The final benefit is 75% of that amount, but not less than $50,000. The primary death benefit for volunteers is based on four times the annual earnings of full-time paid firefighters with similar experience in the nearest municipality. If there are more than four dependents, an additional benefit of $2,000 will be paid for each dependent in excess of four. This additional amount is not included in the set maximum. Health Insurance: Coverage will continue for surviving spouse if, at the time of death, the firefighter was an active employee and had family coverage in place. Survivor must continue to pay premiums. Contact: Workers' Compensation Division Department of Workforce Development 201 E. Washington Avenue, Room C100 Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 266-1340 Website: www.dwd.state.wi.us/wc (Reference: Statute 102.475) Workers' Compensation Spousal benefit is four times the employee's average annual earnings up to a maximum of $213,300. Benefits are paid monthly at a rate of 66 2/3% of employee's average weekly wages. After payment of primary death benefit ends, payment to dependent children continues at a rate of 10% of the surviving spouse's weekly indemnity. Children are considered dependent until age 18 or longer if disabled. If spouse remarries, death benefit will be reassigned to minor children in separate bank accounts. If no minor children, spouse continues to receive benefit. Volunteer firefighters: Weekly benefit is based on the wages of full-time paid firefighters with similar experience in the nearest municipality. Contact: Workers' Compensation Division Department of Workforce Development 201 E. Washington Avenue, Room C100 Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 266-1340 Website: www.dwd.state.wi.us/wc (Reference: Wis Statutes 102.475 (.46 & .47)) Funeral Benefit Maximum of $6,000 for burial expenses. Contact: Workers' Compensation Division Department of Workforce Development 201 E. Washington Avenue, Room C100 Madison, WI 53703 Phone: (608) 266-1340 Website: www.dwd.state.wi.us/wc Retirement/Pension Plan Career firefighters: Only Wisconsin Retirement System participants are eligible. The benefit to the spouse can either be a lump sum or an annuity (monthly) payment. If the firefighter dies before age 50, the benefit is twice the amount of the employee required contribution balance, plus any voluntary additional contributions in the account. If the firefighter dies after age 50, the benefit is the greater of: (1) the benefit provided if under 50 years of age or (2) the amount based on both employee and employer contributions and calculated as if the firefighter retired at the date of death and selected a joint and survivor annuity. Contact: Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds P.O. Box 7931 Madison, WI 53707-7931 or 801 W. Badger Road Madison, WI 53713-2526 Phone: (877) 533-5020 or (608) 266-3285 Website: etf.wi.gov Volunteer firefighters: A new program provides length-of-service awards for volunteer firefighters. Municipalities may make annual contributions to individual's account. The state will match that amount with a current limit of $267 per account. This amount is adjusted annually. The beneficiary of a firefighter who dies in the line of duty will be entitled to the participant's full service award either in a lump sum or in a manner specified by rule, consisting of all municipal and state contributions made on behalf of the volunteer firefighter and all the earnings on the contributions. Contact: Length of Service Award Program Department of Administration 101 East Wilson Street Madison, WI 53702 Phone: (608) 261-6580 Website: www.doa.state.wi.us (Reference: WI DETF Death Benefits (ET-6101)) Education Benefit - Children Program and material fees waived to any resident undergraduate student who is enrolled in a bachelor's degree, associate degree, or technical diploma program at a state institution. Line-of-duty death must have occurred when the child was under age 21 or unborn. Stepchildren are eligible for this benefit. Student may not receive a readmission for more than five consecutive years in the University of Wisconsin System or for more than three consecutive years in the Wisconsin Technical College System. Contact: University of Wisconsin System Academic Affairs Division 1730 Van Hise Hall 1220 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706 Phone: (608) 262-3826 Website:www.uwsa.edu - or - Wisconsin Technical College System Board P.O. Box 7874 Madison, WI 53707-7874 Phone: (608) 266-1207 Website: www.wtcsystem.org Education Benefit - Spouse Same as for children, except for age restriction. Contact: University of Wisconsin System Academic Affairs Division 1730 Van Hise Hall 1220 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706 Phone: (608) 262-3826 Website:www.uwsa.edu - or - Wisconsin Technical College System Board P.O. Box 7874 Madison, WI 53707-7874 Phone: (608) 266-1207 Website: www.wtcsystem.org Non-Profit or Private Organizations Blue Coats Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 2035 Milwaukee, WI 53201-2035 Phone: (414) 962-3918 Provides the following: $2,500 lump sum; $1,500 annually to spouse at Christmas; U.S. bonds annually to children under 18; and up to $2,500 annually for scholarships. Serves residents of Milwaukee County. WI State Firefighters Association Box 126 Durand, WI 54736-0126 Phone: (800) 588-2989 or (715) 672-8407 Offers members a $1,500 accidental death benefit, whether on or off-duty.