If a member dies within 180 days of their last day of service, and meet all eligibility requirements, the lump-sum death benefit for active employees described above will be payable. Other retiree death benefits may also be payable as described below.
A member is automatically eligible for the Guaranteed Refund when they choose a payment option. Under the Guaranteed Refund provision, if the member and their monthly survivor beneficiary (if any) both die before the total of all monthly payments equals the amount of the member’s contributions and interest, the balance of their contributions and interest will be paid in one lump sum to another beneficiary(ies).
The Guaranteed Refund also covers any purchases the member made for additional creditable service after retirement. A member may name one or more beneficiaries for the Guaranteed Refund, and they may change their beneficiary selection(s) as often as they like. However, the beneficiary a member chooses for the Guaranteed Refund cannot be the same as their monthly survivor beneficiary.
When a member retires, we will mail him or her a Form 333 (Choosing the Contributory Death Benefit for Retired Members).
To enroll, the member must make their election within 60 days of the effective date of their retirement. If the member enrolled in the optional $10,000 Contributory Death Benefit for Retired Members and their death occurs on or after the first day of the month following the 24th month of coverage, a lump-sum payment of $10,000 will be paid to their designated beneficiary(ies). If the member’s death occurs before the first day of the month following the 24th month of coverage, the amount payable will be equal to their premiums plus interest.
When a member chooses their benefit payment option, if they choose one of the survivor options (Options 2, 3, 6-2 and 6-3), their survivor beneficiary will receive a monthly lifetime benefit after their death.
NOTE: During the month a retiree or beneficiary dies, the legal representative of the deceased retiree or beneficiary is entitled to a full check for the month the death occurred. It is a Class 1 Misdemeanor for a person to fraudulently receive the retirement benefit of a deceased retiree or beneficiary after the recipient’s death.
If a law enforcement officer’s death occurs while in active service, $5,000 is paid to the beneficiary is named. The amount is increased by $2,100 if the death is a line-of-duty death.
If a law enforcement officer’s death occurs after retirement, $4,000 is paid to the beneficiary is named.
This page was last modified on 12/03/2024