Judicial Survivors' Annuities Reform Act

Judicial Survivors' Annuities Reform Act - Expands the annuity plan for widows and dependant children of judges of the United States and of the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to include the widowers of such officials and the widows, widowers, and dependant children of the Director of the Federal Judicial Center and the administrative assistant to the Chief Justice of the United States.

Extends the definition of "dependant children" to include unmarried, full-time student children between the ages of 18 and 22 years.

Provides that funds matching those made by the judicial officials participating in the plan be deposited to the credit of the Judicial Survivors' Annuity Fund, established by this Act, and be paid to annuitants as required by this Act.

Provides, that an official may receive credit for specified Federal service rendered prior to such officials enrollment in the Fund by paying a specified percentage of the salary received by such official during that period of service, plus interest. Adds that if such payment is made in installments, rather than in a lump sum, the first installment must be at least large enough to cover the last 18 months of such specified service and subsequent payments must be made at least once every 18 months until all installments have been made.

Requires that if a judicial official resigns under such conditions which make him or her ineligible for a retirement salary, a lump sum payment of all contributions made to the fund by such official shall be paid to such official within a reasonable time period not to exceed one year after relinquishment of office.

Shortens the period of service necessary to vest rights in annuity payments as a result of the participant official's death while in office or while receiving a retirement salary from five years to 18 months. Increases annuities payable to children of such participant under such benefits. Raises the minimum and maximum annuities to such official's widow or widower under all instances of eligibility.

Permits inclusion of all military active duty served by a judicial official prior to assuming judicial responsibilities. Provides that creditable military service time does not include time for which credit has been allowed for retirement or retired pay under any other provision of law or any employment as a civil servant.

Changes the basis of calculating a widow's or widower's annuity from the salary earned by the official during those five years prior to the judicial official's death to the salary earned during those three years of such service in which such official's annual salary was greatest, or if such judicial official has served less than three years, but more than 18 months, then during the total period of such service prior to his or her death.

States that any lump-sum payment made to survivors of a judicial official will be paid to specified beneficiaries and that such payment is a bar to recovery by any other person.

Expedites payments to be made to an executor, executrix, administrator, or administrix of an annuitant due when the annuity is terminated by the death of the annuitant.

Requires that on the date this Act becomes effective, all moneys in the fund previously established by law for annuities for widows and surviving dependant children of judges be transferred to the Judicial Survivors' Annuity Fund established by this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to ascertain from the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts the amount of the level cost deficiency in the fund transferred by this Act on the date of transfer and to deposit such funds, in a single payment, into the Judicial Survivors' Annuity Fund.

States that nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to cancel, abrogate, or diminish any rights to which an individual or his survivors may be entitled by virtue of his having contributed to the judicial survivors annuity fund under present law.

Authorizes to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out specified provisions of this Act. (Amends 28 U.S.C. 376)