Chapter 10. Beneficiary of California Government Code >> Division 5. >> Title 2. >> Part 8. >> Chapter 10.

The participant may designate any person or persons as beneficiaries to receive any amount that may be payable upon the death of the participant pursuant to the provisions of Section 22970.88. The beneficiary or beneficiaries shall be designated on a form prescribed by the board, signed by the participant, and delivered to a plan representative prior to the participant's death.

Notwithstanding Section 22970.75, the participant's beneficiary designation shall not be given effect and shall be overridden to the extent that such a designation would impair the rights of any surviving spouse under applicable federal or state law.

Unless otherwise provided in the beneficiary designation form, each designated beneficiary shall be entitled to equal shares of the lump sum distribution that may be payable from the participant' s account upon the death of the participant.

In the event the participant dies without a valid beneficiary designation on file, any balance remaining in the participant's account shall be payable to the participant's survivors in the following order:
  (a) The participant's spouse.
  (b) The participant's natural or adopted children.
  (c) The participant's parents.
  (d) The participant's estate.