Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 49, December 7, 2024
Section 247.7 - Death benefits(a)Manner of payments. In the event the member does not designate a beneficiary before death or the designation is not valid for any reason or no validly designated beneficiary survives the member by 30 days under 71 Pa.C.S. § 5709(c) (relating to the payment of benefits) to receive any of the death benefits provided in the code, the benefits shall be payable to the estate of the member. (1) If the estate of the member is entitled to receive the member's death benefits but does not file a claim for the benefits within 60 days of the date the System mails notice of the benefits to the estate of the member, the entire amount of the death benefit shall be payable in the following sequential priority: (i) To the appointed executor or administrator of the deceased member.(ii) To the surviving spouse of the member.(iii) To any child of the member.(iv) To the father or mother of the member.(v) To any sister or brother of the member.(2) Payments made under paragraph (1)(iii), (iv) or (v) shall be made to only one person and not divided among members of the classes identified in those subparagraphs. Upon payment of a death benefit pursuant to this section, the System shall be discharged from any further liability for the payment of the death benefits to any other person. Any person to whom payment is made under this paragraph shall be answerable therefore to anyone prejudiced by the payment.(b)Single life annuity. If a single life annuitant dies before receiving in monthly annuity payments the total amount of accumulated deductions, the balance of the total accumulated deductions shall be paid to the designated beneficiary without regard to the actual proportion the State share represents to the total monthly annuity payments actually received before death.The provisions of this § 247.7 amended February 19, 2010, effective 2/20/2010, 40 Pa.B. 973; corrected November 18, 2011, effective 2/20/2010, 41 Pa.B. 6217.The provisions of this § 247.7 amended under 71 Pa.C.S. § 5902(h), unless otherwise noted.