N.J.S.A. 18A:66-47 — Teachers' retirement allowance options

18A:66-47. Teachers' retirement allowance options 18A:66-47. At the time of retirement a member shall receive benefits in a retirement allowance payable throughout life, or the member may on retirement elect to receive the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance, in a lesser retirement allowance payable throughout life, with the provision that: Option 1. If the member dies before the member has received in payments the present value of the retirement allowance as it was at the time of retirement, the balance shall be paid to a legal representative or to such person as the member shall nominate by written designation acknowledged and filed with the retirement system, either in lump sum or by equal payments over a period of years at the option of the payee. If the member shall have designated a natural person as a payee, said payee may elect to receive such payments in the form of a life annuity. Option 2. Upon the member's death, the member's retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the life of and paid to such person as the member shall nominate by written designation duly acknowledged and filed with the retirement system at the time of retirement. Option 3. Upon the member's death, one-half of the member's retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the life of and paid to such person as the member shall nominate by written designation duly acknowledged and filed with the retirement system at the time of retirement. Option 4. Some other benefit or benefits shall be paid either to the member or to whomever the member nominates, if such other benefit or benefits, together with the lesser retirement allowance, shall be certified by the actuary to be of equivalent actuarial value. In no case, however, shall the lesser retirement allowance be smaller than that provided under Option 2. Option 5. Some other benefit, which is equivalent to the full amount, three-quarters, one-half or one-quarter of the member's retirement allowance, shall be paid to whomever the member nominates and if that nominee dies before the member, the member's retirement allowance shall increase to the maximum retirement allowance for the member's lifetime, provided that such other benefit together with the member's lesser and maximum retirement allowances shall be certified by the actuary to be of equivalent actuarial value. If the total amount of benefits paid to a retirant who does not elect to receive benefits in the form of an optional settlement, or to the retirant and the designated beneficiary in the case of a retirant who does so elect, before the death of the retirant or the retirant and the beneficiary is less than the deductions accumulated in the retirant's account at the time of retirement, including regular interest, the balance shall be paid in one lump sum to the retirant's designated beneficiary or estate in the manner provided in N.J.S.18A:66-48. Except in the case of members who have elected to receive (1) a deferred retirement allowance pursuant to N.J.S.18A:66-36 or (2) early retirement allowances pursuant to N.J.S.18A:66-37 after separation from service pursuant to N.J.S.18A:66-36, if a member dies within 30 days after the date of retirement or the date of board approval, whichever is later, the member's retirement allowance shall not become effective and the member shall be considered an active member at the time of death. However, if the member dies after the date the application for retirement was filed with the system, the retirement will become effective if: a. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1995, c.221); b. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1995, c.221); c. The deceased member had designated a beneficiary under an optional settlement provided by this section; and d. The surviving beneficiary requests in writing that the board make such a selection. Upon formal action by the board approving that request, the request shall become irrevocable. The board may select an Option 3 settlement, on behalf of the beneficiary of a member who applied for and was eligible for retirement but who died prior to the effective date of the retirement allowance, if all of the above conditions, with the exception of c., are met. L.1967, c.271; amended 1984, c.96, s.2; 1987, c.446, s.1; 1995, c.221, s.1; 2001, c.120, s.1. 18A:66-47.1. Spouse's benefit elimination by teacher Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 66 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes or any other law to the contrary, whenever a member of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund elects a retirement benefit which is payable for the life of the member only and terminating at his death, without refund of any kind to the spouse, the member shall be required, before electing that benefit, to sign a form stating that the member has elected that benefit, that the member understands that it is payable during the member's lifetime only and that no benefits will be payable to the member's spouse after death. The Division of Pensions, Department of the Treasury, shall notify the member's spouse if the member identifies the spouse on the form. Notification shall be by certified mail to the spouse's address as provided on the form by the member. If the member has not provided an address for the spouse on the form, the Division of Pensions, Department of the Treasury, shall send the notice, by certified mail, to the spouse at the member's address. The notice shall advise the spouse that the retirement benefit chosen by the member is payable during the member's lifetime only and that no benefits, other than any applicable life insurance benefits, shall be payable to the beneficiary after the member's death. L. 1985, c. 382, s. 2, eff. May 1, 1986. 18A:66-47.2. Election of death benefit or retirement allowance Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the beneficiary of a member who has more than 37 years of service credit and who dies on or after the 24th day after filing an application for retirement and two days before the effective date of the retirement may elect to receive the death benefit payable to the member's beneficiary if the member had died in active service or the retirement allowance elected by the member and payable to the beneficiary pursuant to section 18A:66-47. L.1989, c.272, s.1. 18A:66-47.3. Applicability of N.J.S.18A:66-47 3. N.J.S.18A:66-47 as amended by section 1 of P.L.1995, c.221 shall apply to a filing for retirement received by the retirement system on or after January 1, 1992, except it shall not apply in a situation in which benefits were paid prior to the effective date of P.L.1995, c.221 to any beneficiary other than or in addition to the beneficiary who would be eligible for benefits under N.J.S.18A:66-47 as amended by section 1 of P.L.1995, c.221. Benefits payable under N.J.S.18A:66-47 as amended by section 1 of P.L.1995, c.221 on a filing for retirement received by the retirement system prior to the effective date of P.L.1995, c.221 shall be adjusted, if necessary, to account for an insurance benefit or return of contributions paid on behalf of the member prior to the effective date of P.L.1995, c.221, and the amount of a retirement allowance or insurance benefit payable may be reduced, so that the total amount of benefit paid on behalf of the member shall not exceed the value of the benefit to which the member or beneficiary would have been entitled if P.L.1995, c.221 had been in effect on the date of the filing for retirement. L.1995,c.221,s.3.

This is the verbatim text of N.J.S.A. 18A:66-47, retrieved from the New Jersey Legislature's public statute corpus. Statutes are amended periodically — for the most current version, check the external source link above. Kyzer is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice.