49-12-405. Death of married member -- Service retirement benefits to surviving spouse.
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Effective 5/1/2024
49-12-405. Death of married member -- Service retirement benefits to surviving spouse.
(1)Upon the request of a deceased member's surviving spouse, the deceased member is considered to have retired under Option Three on the first day of the month following the month in which the member died if the following requirements are met:
(a)the member has:
(i)25 or more years of service credit;
(ii)attained age 60 with 20 or more years of service credit;
(iii)attained age 62 with 10 or more years of service credit; or
(iv)attained age 65 with four or more years of service credit; and
(b)the member dies leaving a surviving spouse.
(2)The surviving spouse who requests a benefit under this section shall apply in writing to the office. The allowance shall begin on the first day of the month:
(a)following the month in which the member died, if the application is received by the office within 90 days of the member's death; or
(b)following the month in which the application is received by the office, if the application is received by the office more than 90 days after the member's death.
(3)The Option Three benefit calculation, when there are 25 or more years of service credit, shall be calculated without a reduction in allowance under Section 49-12-402 .
(4)The benefit calculation for a surviving spouse with a valid domestic relations order benefits on file with the office before the member's death date in accordance with Section 49-11-612 is calculated according to the manner in which the court order specified benefits to be partitioned, whether as a fixed amount or as a percentage of the benefit.
(a)Except for a return of member contributions, benefits payable under this section are retirement benefits and shall be paid in addition to any payments made under Section 49-12-501 .
(b)Payments made under this section and Section 49-12-501 shall constitute a full and final settlement of the claim of the surviving spouse or any other beneficiary.
(6)If the death benefits under this section are partitioned among more than one surviving spouse due to domestic relations order benefits on file with the office before the member's death date in accordance with Section 49-11-612 , the total amount received by the surviving spouses may not exceed the death benefits normally provided to one surviving spouse under this section.
Amended by Chapter 421 , 2024 General Session