Chapter 8. Rights To Benefits of California Education Code >> Division 1. >> Title 1. >> Part 14. >> Chapter 8.

A participant has a vested right to a retirement benefit equal in amount to the total balance of credits in his or her employee account and employer account. The right accrues when a person becomes a participant.

The right of a participant to a benefit under this part, whether by lump sum or annuity, is not subject to execution or any other process whatsoever, except to the extent permitted by Section 704.110 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and is unassignable except as specifically provided under this part.

(a) For the purpose of payments into or out of the fund for adjustments of errors or omissions with respect to the Cash Balance Benefit Program, the period of limitation shall be applied as follows:
  (1) No action may be commenced by or against the board, the system, or the plan more than three years after all obligations to or on behalf of the participant or beneficiary have been discharged.
  (2) In cases where the system makes an error resulting in incorrect payment to the participant or beneficiary, the system's right to commence recovery shall expire three years from the date of payment.
  (3) If an erroneous payment is made due to lack of information or inaccurate information regarding eligibility of a participant or beneficiary to receive a benefit from the Cash Balance Benefit Program, the period of limitation shall commence when the system discovers the erroneous payment.
  (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if any erroneous payment has been made on the basis of fraud or intentional misrepresentation by a participant or beneficiary, or other party in relation to or on behalf of a participant or beneficiary, the three-year period of limitation shall not be deemed to commence or to have commenced until the system discovers the erroneous payment.

The signature of the spouse of a participant shall be required on a designation of beneficiary form, an election, change, or termination of an annuity, or an application for a retirement benefit, disability benefit, or termination benefit under this part, unless the participant declares in writing, under penalty of perjury, that one of the following conditions exists:
  (a) The participant is not married.
  (b) The participant does not know, and has taken all reasonable steps to determine, the whereabouts of the spouse.
  (c) The spouse is incapable of executing the acknowledgment because of an incapacitating mental or physical condition.
  (d) The participant and spouse have executed a marriage settlement agreement pursuant to Part 5 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 4 of the Family Code that makes the community property law inapplicable to the marriage.
  (e) The current spouse has no identifiable community property interest in the benefit.

If a spouse refuses to sign a beneficiary designation, an election, change, or termination of an annuity, or an application for a retirement benefit, disability benefit, or termination benefit payable under this part, the participant may bring an action in court to enforce the spousal signature requirement or to waive the spousal signature requirement. Either party may bring an action pursuant to Section 1101 of the Family Code to determine the rights of the party.