PRE-RETIREMENT DEATH BENEFITS
ACTIVE MEMBERS - Plan A, B, C, D
SURVIVING SPOUSE OR DOMESTIC PARTNER
If you are a surviving spouse or domestic partner of an active member who dies while in County service, you may be eligible for death benefits in the form of a lump sum or continuing monthly allowance depending on the member’s length of service and whether the death was service- or nonservice-connected.
If the death is nonservice-connected and the Plan A, B, C, or D member is vested with five years of County employment, survivor benefits are payable. There is no minimum years of service requirement to receive the lump-sum death benefit.
Note: To qualify as an eligible survivor in cases involving the death of an active member, a spouse or domestic partner must have been married to or in a duly registered domestic partnership with the member prior to the member's death. No minimum length of marriage or domestic partnership requirement applies.
SURVIVING MINOR CHILD
A surviving minor child is eligible for benefits if the member does not have an eligible surviving spouse or domestic partner. To be eligible, the child must be:
- Under the age of 18. Eligibility may be extended through the age of 21
if the eligible
child(ren) remains unmarried and remains a full-time student in an accredited education institution.
NAMED BENEFICIARY
For a person other than a surviving spouse to be eligible to receive a lump-sum death benefit subsequent to the death of an active member, he/she must have been a named beneficiary.
If you die while you are on deferred status, your beneficiary will receive a one-time lump-sum death benefit that consists of your contributions and interest.
PLAN E
LACERA does not provide death benefits for active members in Plan E.
ELIGIBILITY FOR SURVIVOR HEALTHCARE
Upon the death of an active member, a survivor who is receiving a continuing monthly allowance from LACERA is generally eligible to enroll in LACERA-administered survivor healthcare coverage. When an eligible survivor notifies LACERA of a member's death, LACERA mails a healthcare benefits information packet to the survivor. The packet includes information on benefits and premium rates, along with enrollment forms.
For additional information on eligibility for LACERA-administered survivor healthcare, call 1-800-786-6464 and press 1 to speak with a LACERA Healthcare Benefits Specialist.
11/10/11