Section 24300.1 Of Chapter 28. Options From California Education Code >> Division 1. >> Title 1. >> Part 13. >> Chapter 28.
24300.1
. (a) A member may, upon application for retirement, elect
an option pursuant to this part that would provide an actuarially
modified retirement allowance payable throughout the life of the
member and the member's option beneficiary or beneficiaries, as
follows:
(1) One hundred percent beneficiary option. The modified
retirement allowance shall be paid to the retired member and upon the
member's death, 100 percent of the modified allowance shall continue
to be paid to the option beneficiary.
(2) Seventy-five percent beneficiary option. The modified
retirement allowance shall be paid to the retired member and upon the
member's death, 75 percent of the modified allowance shall continue
to be paid to the option beneficiary. Pursuant to Section 401(a)(9)
of the Internal Revenue Code, unless the option beneficiary is the
member's spouse or former spouse who has been awarded a community
property interest in the benefits of the member under this part, the
member may not designate an option beneficiary under this option who
is more than exactly 19 years younger than the member.
(3) Fifty percent beneficiary option. The modified retirement
allowance shall be paid to the retired member and upon the member's
death, 50 percent of the modified allowance shall continue to be paid
to the option beneficiary.
(4) Compound option. The member may designate multiple option
beneficiaries or one or multiple option beneficiaries with a
designated percentage to remain unmodified. The member shall elect an
option as described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) for each
designated option beneficiary that would provide an actuarially
modified retirement allowance payable throughout the lives of the
retired member and the member's option beneficiary or beneficiaries
upon the member's death.
(A) The modified retirement allowance shall be paid to the member
as long as the member and at least one option beneficiary is living.
Upon the member's death, an allowance shall be paid to each surviving
option beneficiary in accordance with the option elected respective
to that option beneficiary.
(B) The member shall specify the percent of the unmodified
allowance that will be modified by the election of each option
described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this subdivision. The
percent of the unmodified allowance that is not modified by an
option, if any, shall be payable to the member. The sum of the
percentages specified for the option beneficiary or beneficiaries and
the member's remaining unmodified allowance, if any, shall equal 100
percent.
(C) The member's election of the compound option is subject to all
of the following:
(i) Pursuant to Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code,
unless the option beneficiary is the member's spouse or former spouse
who has been awarded a community property interest in the member's
benefits under this part, the member may not designate an option
beneficiary under the 100 percent beneficiary option within this
compound option who is more than exactly 10 years younger than the
member.
(ii) Pursuant to Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code,
unless the option beneficiary is the member's spouse or former spouse
who has been awarded a community property interest in the member's
benefits under this part, the member may not designate an option
beneficiary under the 75 percent beneficiary option within this
compound option who is more than exactly 19 years younger than the
member.
(b) For purposes of this section, the member shall designate an
option beneficiary on a properly executed retirement application.
Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, the option shall become
effective on the member's benefit effective date.
(c) A member may revoke or change an election of an option no
later than 30 days from the date the member's initial benefit payment
for the member's most recent retirement under the Defined Benefit
Program is paid by the system. A revocation of an option may not be
made in derogation of a spouse's or a former spouse's community
property rights as specified in a court order.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 297 or 299.2 of the Family Code, a
spouse described in paragraphs (2) and (4) of subdivision (a) does
not include the domestic partner of the member, pursuant to Section 7
of Title 1 of the United States Code.
(e) If there is a determination of community property rights as
described in Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 22650) of this part
on or before December 31, 2006, the member may elect the option that
is required by the judgment or court order. Nothing in this part
shall permit the member to change the option to the detriment of the
community property interest of the nonmember spouse.
(f) The board may evaluate the existing options and annuities
provided pursuant to this section, Chapter 38 (commencing with
Section 25000) of this part, and Part 14 (commencing with Section
26000) and adopt, as a plan amendment, any appropriate changes to the
options and annuities based on the needs of the members,
participants, and their beneficiaries, including, but not limited to,
providing economic security for beneficiaries and reducing the
complexity of the options and annuities. The changes to the options
and annuities may have no net actuarial impact on the retirement fund
and the board may establish any eligibility criteria the board deems
necessary to prevent an adverse actuarial impact to the fund. The
board shall designate the effective date of the plan amendment, which
shall be at least 18 months after the amendment is adopted by the
board, and notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the
options and annuities available to members and participants eligible
to retire pursuant to this part and Part 14 (commencing with Section
26000), after the effective date of the plan amendment made pursuant
to this subdivision, shall reflect the changes adopted as a plan
amendment to this subdivision.