Chapter 24. Retired Death Benefits of California Education Code >> Division 1. >> Title 1. >> Part 13. >> Chapter 24.

(a) A death payment of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) shall be paid to the beneficiary, as designated pursuant to Section 23300, upon receipt of proof of death of either of the following:
  (1) A retired member.
  (2) A member, if the death payment pursuant to Section 23801 would have otherwise been payable or if the conditions specified pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 23854 are met, and if the member's death occurs during one of the following periods:
  (A) Within one year commencing with the effective date of reinstatement from service retirement pursuant to Section 24208.
  (B) Within six months commencing with the effective date of reinstatement from disability retirement pursuant to Section 24117.
  (b) The board may adjust the death payment amount following each actuarial valuation based on changes in the All Urban California Consumer Price Index and adopt as a plan amendment any adjusted amount.

(a) If upon receipt of proof of death of a retired member who was receiving an unmodified allowance and who retired under this part after June 30, 1972, there is a remaining balance of the member' s accumulated retirement contributions, the balance shall be paid to the member's beneficiary.
  (b) Upon receipt of proof of death of a retired member's option beneficiary after the beneficiary begins to receive an allowance, the remaining balance of a member's accumulated retirement contributions, if any, shall be paid to the beneficiary designated by the option beneficiary to receive that payment.
  (c) The remaining balance of a retired member's accumulated retirement contributions shall be the difference between the balance of the accumulated retirement contributions on the effective date of the member's retirement and the total retirement allowance paid or payable to the retired member on the date of the member's death. If the retired member predeceased the option beneficiary, the remaining balance of the retired member's accumulated retirement contributions shall be the difference between the balance of the accumulated retirement contributions on the effective date of the member's retirement and the total retirement allowance paid or payable to the retired member and the option beneficiary on the date of the option beneficiary's death.
  (d) Payments pursuant to this section shall include interest on the remaining balance of accumulated retirement contributions calculated from the date the last allowance payment was made to the date the remaining balance of accumulated retirement contributions is paid.

Notwithstanding Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 13100) of Part 1 of Division 8 of the Probate Code or any other provision of law, death payments and return of contributions pursuant to Sections 23880 and 23881, if any, may be requested by the beneficiary and paid by the system as soon as practicable after receipt of proof of death.