Policemen's and Firefighters' Retirement Fund

September 6, 2008

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Survivor Benefits

Service Retiree
Disability Retiree
Active Employee Death due to Occupational Causes
Active Employee Death due to Non- Occupational Causes

Survivor Benefits of a Service Retiree

Surviving Spouse

Upon the death of a retired member, a surviving spouse will receive an annuity equal to sixty percent (60%) of the member's final annuity, or of the member's final rate of pay, whichever is greater. The minimum annuity is $1250. The surviving widow must have been married to the member for at least three (3) years prior to the member's death or six (6) months prior to the member's retirement in order to be eligible for the benefits provided in this section.

Employees have the option at retirement to purchase an increased annuity allowance for a surviving spouse. The member may elect either of two options:

Survivorship seventy-five percent (75%). The member may elect to receive a decreased retirement allowance during his lifetime and have seventy-five percent (75%) of such retirement allowance continue after his death to his eligible spouse until her death or remarriage.
Survivorship one hundred percent (100%). The member may elect to receive a decreased retirement allowance during his lifetime and have such retirement allowance continued at the same rate after his death to his eligible widow until her death or remarriage.

Estate or Designated Beneficiary

Upon death of a retired member, if no spouse, children or dependent parent annuities are payable, a death benefit is paid to the designated beneficiary or estate. The death benefit is equal to the excess, if any, of the total contributions made by the member, without interest, over the total annuity payments received by the member. The minimum payment in such case shall be three hundred dollars ($1500).

Survivor Benefits of an Occupational Disability Retiree

Surviving Spouse and Children

Upon the death of a retired member, a surviving spouse will receive an annuity equal to sixty percent (60%) of the member's final annuity, or of the member's final rate of pay, whichever is greater. The minimum annuity is $1250. The surviving widow must have been married to the member for at least three (3) years prior to the member's death or six (6) months prior to the member's retirement in order to be eligible for the benefits provided in this section.

Employees have the option at retirement to purchase an increased annuity allowance for a surviving spouse. The member may elect either of two options:

Survivorship seventy-five percent (75%). The member may elect to receive a decreased retirement allowance during his lifetime and have seventy-five percent (75%) of such retirement allowance continue after his death to his eligible spouse until her death or remarriage.
Survivorship one hundred percent (100%). The member may elect to receive a decreased retirement allowance during his lifetime and have such retirement allowance continued at the same rate after his death to his eligible widow until her death or remarriage.

Any minor children of the member under age eighteen (18) receive on account of each child, ten percent (10%) of the member's last rate of salary until each child attains age eighteen.

In the case of a child regularly engaged in full-time educational activities, payments shall continue until age twenty-three (23), but payments are made directly to the child between the ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-three (23).

The combined payments to a widow and minor children shall not exceed seventy-five percent (75%) of his final rate of salary. When more than one child survives the member, the amount payable by reason of such children shall be divided equally among them.

If the member is not survived by a qualified spouse and there are minor children of the member, the following benefits are paid:

One (1) minor child, fifty percent (50%) of the final rate of salary
Two (2) minor children, an additional fifteen percent (15%) of final salary
Three (3) or more minor children, an additional ten percent (10%) of final salary

In the case of a child regularly engaged in full-time educational activities, payments shall continue until age twenty-three (23), but payments shall be made directly to the child between the ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-three (23). As eligibility of children expires, the total annuity payment shall be reduced by percentage amount in reverse order.

Estate or Designated Beneficiary

Upon death of a retired member, if no spouse, children or dependent parent annuities are payable, a death benefit is paid to the designated beneficiary or estate. The death benefit is equal to the excess, if any, of the total contributions made by the member, without interest, over the total annuity payments received by the member. The minimum payment in such case shall be three hundred dollars ($1500).

Survivor Benefits of Employee due to Occupational Causes

Surviving Spouse and Children

Upon death of an active member due to occupational causes, regardless of length of service, a surviving spouse will receive an annuity equal to sixty percent (60%) of the member's last rate of salary.

Any minor children of the member under age eighteen (18) receive on account of each child, ten percent (10%) of the member's last rate of salary until each child attains age eighteen. In the case of a child regularly engaged in full-time educational activities, payments shall continue until age twenty-three (23), but payments are made directly to the child between the ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-three (23).

The combined payments to a widow and minor children shall not exceed seventy-five percent (75%) of his final rate of salary. When more than one child survives the member, the amount payable by reason of such children shall be divided equally among them.

If the member is not survived by a qualified spouse and there are minor, the following benefits are paid:

One (1) minor child, fifty percent (50%) of the final rate of salary
Two (2) minor children, an additional fifteen percent (15%) of final salary
Three (3) or more minor children, an additional ten percent (10%) of final salary

In the case of a child regularly engaged in full-time educational activities, payments shall continue until age twenty-three (23), but payments shall be made directly to the child between the ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-three (23). As eligibility of children expires, the total annuity payment shall be reduced by percentage amount in reverse order.

Dependent Parent

If neither a spouse nor minor children are eligible for benefits survive the member, each dependent parent shall be entitled to an annuity equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the member's last rate of salary, or fifty percent (50%) to both parents.

Estate or Designated Beneficiary

Upon death of a member, occurring while in active service, if no spouse, or dependent parent annuities are payable, the designated beneficiary of the member or his estate shall be entitled to a death benefit equal to the total employee contributions, without interest, or one thousand five hundred dollars ($1500), whichever is greater.

Survivor Health Insurance Benefits

One hundred percent (100%) of the cost of the family medical coverage for the surviving spouse and dependent children will be paid as long as they remain eligible for a monthly retirement allowance from the retirement fund.

Survivor Benefits of Employee due to Non-Occupational Causes

Surviving Spouse and Children

If a member has had at least five years of total service, survivorship benefits are payable upon death arising from any cause other than in the performance of duty.

A surviving spouse who has been married to the member for at least six months prior to death will receive an annuity equal to one and one-half percent (1-1/2%) of average salary for each year of total service but not less than fifteen percent (15%) of average salary.

Minor children receive an annuity equal to fifty percent (50%) of the amount of the surviving spouse annuity for the first child and twenty-five percent (25%) for each additional child, subject to a maximum combined payment for the widow and children of seventy-five percent (75%) of the member's average salary.

The annuity payable for minor children is divided and paid in equal amounts for each child to the parent or guardian of each child under eighteen (18), and directly to each child between the ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-three (23) who is regularly engaged in full-time educational activities. As eligibility of children expires, the total annuity payable for such children shall be reduced by percentage amount in reverse order.

If the member is not survived by a qualified spouse and there are minor children, the following benefits are paid:

One minor child, fifty percent (50%)
Two minor children, fifteen percent (15%) additional
Three or more minor children ten percent (10%) additional

The benefits payable for minor children shall be divided and paid in equal amounts for each child to the parent or legal guardian of each child under the age of eighteen (18), and directly to each child between the ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-three (23) who is regularly engaged in full-time educational activities.

The annuity of each child or children shall continue until each child attains age eighteen (18), or, in the case of a child regularly engaged in full-time educational activities, the age of twenty-three (23).