Your designated beneficiary is entitled to a survivor benefit if you die before retirement whether death occurs on or off the job.

Benefits are paid as:
• An ORDINARY DEATH BENEFIT payable to a Designated Beneficiary OR
• An ACCIDENTAL DEATH BENEFIT payable to an Eligible Beneficiary Ordinary Death Benefit
Ordinary Death Benefits will be paid only if:
• you were being paid on the payroll at the time of your death,
OR
• you were off the payroll (see NOTE below), or were on an authorized leave without pay at the time of your death. and
• you were on the payroll! in service and paid within the last 12 months before death, and
• you were not gainfully employed since last on the payroll,
and
• you had credit for one or more years of continuous service since you last entered the service of your employer

NOTE:
Effective October 1 2000. a Tier 4 member of NYCERS shall be deemed to have died on the payroll if the death of such member occurs while he or she is on an authorized leave of absence without pay for medical reasons which has continuously been in effect since the member was last paid on the payrolL provided that he or she was in service and last paid on the payroll within the four-year period prior to his or her death.

Electing a Death Benefit
If you became a member o1NYCERS prior to January 1. 2001. you were required to irrevocably choose between
Death Benefit Plan 1 and Death Benefit Plan 2.

SPECIAL NOTE: Pursuant to legislation enacted in 2000. beneficiaries of Tier 4 members who die in service will receive the greater of Death Benefit Plan I or Death Benefit Plan 2 if the member had selected Death Benefit Plan 1. If, however. the deceased member had selected Death Benefit Plan 2 and Death Benefit Plan I would be a greater benefit. Death Benefit Plan 2 is still payable.

Any person who becomes a member of NYCERS on or alter January 1, 2001 will automatically be covered by Death Benefit Plan 2.

If you die in Active Service and your death is not work related, or if your death is work related and the Ordinary Death Benefit is elected in lieu of the Accidental Death Benefit, your Designated Beneficiary will receive the following:
DEATH BENEFIT PLAN 1
The refund of your Member Contribution Accumulation Fund (/i’JCAF) account. Plus
If you are a Participant in the 57/5 or in the 55/25 Special Program, the refund of the employee contributions in your RRF account.
Plus
the greater of
• one month’s salary for each full year of service (up to a maximum of three years’ salary after 36 years of service).
OR
if eligible for a Service Retirement Benefit;
• the actuarial reserve (City portion) for the Service Retirement Benefit which would have been payable had you retired on the day before your death

DEATH BENEFIT PLAN 2
The refund of your MC4F account,
Plus
If you are a Participant in the 57/5 or in the 5 5/25 the refund of the employee contributions in your RRF account. Plus
Years of Service A Lump-Sum Benefit Equal To
At least one year but less than two years One year’s Current Salary
At least two years, but less than three years Two times Current Salary
At least three years Three times Current Salary
* Current Salary : The regular compensation earned during a member’s last 12 months of service.
___________ AMOUNT OF BENEFIT
95% of benefit in force
90% of benefit in force
85% of benefit in force
80% of benefit in force
75% of benefit in force
70% of benefit in force
65% of benefit in force
60% of benefit in force
55% of benefit in force
50% of benefit in force

POST-RETIREMENT DEATH BENEFITS PAID UNDER DEATH BENEFIT PLAN 2
IF WHERE DEATH OCCURS: AMOUNT OF BENEFIT:
In the first year of retirement: ~ 50% of benefit in force before retirement.
In the second year of retirement: ~ 25% of benefit in force before retirement.
In the third year of retirement and thereafter: _- 10% of benefit, if any. in force at age 60,
or at the time of retirement. if you retired
before reaching age 60,
REDUCTIONS IN BENEFIT AFTER ACE 60 AND STILL IN SERVICE ACE AT DEATH:
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70 or over

Option 2 (25% - 50% - 75% Joint-and Survivor)
Option 2 is a reduced benefit that is payable to you for your lifetime. It guarantees that a percentage of your retirement allowance will be payable to your designated beneficiary for his or her lifetime. Your beneficiary, if he or she survives you, will receive 75% or less (in 25% increments) of the allowance paid to you, depending on the percentage you choose at the time you elect this option. All payments after the death of both you and your designated beneficiary.

Because Option 2 guarantee two specific people an income for life, the life expectancies of the retiree as well as the beneficiary are taken into consideration. Therefore, under Option 2, once you designate a beneficiary and the option is in force, you cannot change your beneficiary designation. Even if your designated beneficiary dies before you, you will continue to receive the reduced lifetime allowance.

Option 3 (Five-Year Certain)
This option provides the retiree a reduced lifetime benefit. If the retiree dies within five years of retirement, the reduced retirement benefit will continue to be paid to the surviving primary beneficiary for the un expired balance of the five-ear period. If the designated primary beneficiary predeceases the retiree, the balance of the payments due for the remainder of the five-year period is continued to the retiree’s contingent beneficiary, if there is one. if none exists, it is paid in a lump-sum to the estate of the retiree. Should the designated primary beneficiary also die, after having started to receive payments, the balance will be paid in a lump-sum to the retiree’s designated contingent beneficiary. If none exists, the lump-sum balance is paid to the estate of the primary beneficiary. Unlike Options 1 and 2, you may change your beneficiary with this Option.

Option 4 (Ten-Year Certain)
This option provides the retiree a reduced lifetime benefit. if the retiree dies within ten years of retirement, the reduced retirement benefit will continue to be paid to the surviving primary beneficiary for the un expired balance of the ten-v ear period. If the designated primary beneficiary predeceases the retiree, the balance of the payments due for the remainder of the ten -year period is continued to the retiree’s contingent beneficiary, if there is one. If none exists, it is paid in a lump-sum to the estate of the retiree. Should the designated primary beneficiary also die, after having started to receive payments, the balance will be paid in a lump-sum to the retiree’s designated contingent beneficiary. If none exists, the lump-sum balance is paid to the estate of the primary beneficiary. Just like Option 3, you may change your beneficiary with this Option.

Option 5 ( 50% or 100%)
This option is known as the “Pop-Up” option. You decide if you want your surviving designated beneficiary to receive the static lifetime allowance (100%) as you, or 50% of that allowance. However, should your designated beneficiary predecease you, your retirement allowance will “pop-up” to the Minimum Retirement A allowance, for the remainder of your life. All payments would then cease upon your death. Because this Option guarantees two specific people an income for life, the life expectancies of the retiree as well as the beneficiary are taken into consideration. Therefore, under this Option, once you designate a beneficiary and the option is in force, you cannot change your beneficiary.