Survivorship Benefits Before Retirement

If you die while in active service, this system provides for benefits to your statutory survivors. A statutory survivor is defined as a spouse and/or a minor child under the age of 18. Connecticut statutes require that monthly survivorship benefits be paid to your statutory survivors before any balance of your account is paid to your designated beneficiary. If you have no statutory survivors, your account balances will be paid to your designated beneficiary in a lump sum payment.

• $300.00 monthly to each minor child under age 18

• $300.00 monthly to each disabled child

• $300.00 - $600.00 monthly to surviving spouse ($300.00 plus $25 for each year of service over twelve to a maximum of $600.00)

The maximum family survivorship benefit is $1,500.00 monthly.

A one-time lump sum death payment of up to $2,000 maximum (dependent on length of service) will be paid to your surviving spouse. If there is no surviving spouse, such payment will be issued to the person who paid the funeral expenses.

If you die after meeting the age and service requirements for a retirement benefit, your spouse as your designated beneficiary* may choose one of the following options in the settlement of the account:

• Monthly Survivorship Benefit (plus the one-time lump sum death payment)

• Monthly Plan D 100% Co-participant Benefit (this benefit is based on the retirement allowance you would have received at the time of your death, reduced by an option factor based on your age and your spouse's age for this option)

• Refund of your account balances in a lump sum

*If the designated beneficiary is anyone other than the spouse (i.e. Trust, Estate or any other person), we are required by law to issue monthly survivorship benefits to the survivor(s). The Plan D 100% Option or Refund Option would not be available.

In order to change your designated beneficiary, you must file an Active/Inactive Teacher Beneficiary Form with this office.