Beneficiaries

Skip to main content
Home

Sign in to My LACERA

  1. About LACERA

    About LACERA

    City of Los Angeles skyline
    Our mission is to produce, protect, and provide the promised benefits to our members.
    1. Who We Are

      1. News
      2. Careers
      3. Business Opportunities
      4. Contact Us
    2. Leadership

      1. Board of Retirement
      2. Board of Investments
      3. Board Meetings
      4. Executive Team
      5. Divisions
    3. Accountability

      1. Retirement Law
      2. Governing Documents
      3. Investments
      4. Annual Reports
      5. Public Records
  2. Active Members

    Active Members

    A busy crowd walking by buildings.
    Our defined benefit plans were created to provide you with financial security.
      1. General Plans

      2. Plans A/B/C
      3. Plan D
      4. Plan E
      5. Plan G
      6. Safety Plans

      7. Plans A/B
      8. Plan C
    1. Active Service

      1. Contributions
      2. Service Credit
      3. Compensation
      4. Reciprocity
      5. Terminating Service
      6. Felony Forfeiture
      7. Pre-Retirement Divorce
      8. Disability Retirement
    2. Retirement Planning

      1. Benefit Estimates
      2. Steps to Prepare
      3. Ready to Retire
      4. Workshops
      5. Retirement Options
      6. Beneficiaries
      7. Power of Attorney
  3. Retirees and Families

    Retirees and Families

    View of dock overlooking the water.
    Your monthly allowance is guaranteed, and benefits extend to families and survivors.
    1. Retirement Payments

      1. Cost of Living
      2. Direct Deposit
      3. Tax Requirements
      4. Returning to Work
      5. Divorce
      6. Admin Appeals
    2. Families and Survivors

      1. Benefits Process
      2. Eligible Beneficiaries
      3. Survivor Benefits
      4. Survivor Healthcare
      5. Taxability of Benefits
  4. Retiree Healthcare

    Retiree Healthcare

    The hallway of a hospital.
    We provide comprehensive healthcare plans and resources to keep you healthy in retirement.
    1. Program Basics

      1. Healthcare Eligibility
      2. Paying for Coverage
      3. Manage Your Enrollment
      4. Medicare
      5. COBRA
      6. Healthcare Resources
      7. Healthcare Legislation
    2. Healthcare Plans

      1. Anthem Blue Cross of CA
      2. CIGNA
      3. Kaiser Permanente
      4. SCAN
      5. United Healthcare
      6. Dental/Vision Plans

Retirement Planning

  1. Benefit Estimates
  2. Steps to Prepare
  3. Ready to Retire
  4. Workshops
  5. Retirement Options
  6. Beneficiaries
  7. Power of Attorney
Begin content

A beneficiary is the person, trust, estate, or organization named by an active, deferred, deferred reciprocal, or retired member to receive a benefit in the event of the member’s death.

Beneficiary Designation Forms

It’s important to have a current, complete Beneficiary Designation form on file with LACERA that includes contact information for your designated beneficiary(ies). This will be helpful to both LACERA and your beneficiary should it be necessary for LACERA to pay death benefits on your behalf.

Remember to update your beneficiary designation whenever there are changes in your family status due to a birth, death, marriage, domestic partnership registration, or divorce. You can update your beneficiaries at My LACERA, by contacting us, or by submitting a Beneficiary Designation form.

Allowed Beneficiary Changes

Active members: You can change your beneficiary at any time before retirement.

Retired members: Your ability to change your beneficiary depends on your retirement option.

A primary beneficiary is the first beneficiary entitled to receive a benefit, usually a spouse or domestic partner. In the absence of a spouse or partner, members can name multiple primary beneficiaries, or one or more secondary beneficiaries to receive benefits if no primary beneficiaries remain at the time of a member’s death.

Pre-Retirement Beneficiary Designation

If you are an active member in a contributory plan, you are required to designate a beneficiary. Your spouse or domestic partner supersedes all named beneficiaries. If you do not have a spouse or domestic partner at the time of your death, your minor children supersede all other named beneficiaries. If you name a trust, the trust will receive a lump sum benefit, not a monthly survivor benefit.

Post-Retirement Beneficiary Categories

When you retire, you have your choice of six retirement allowance options, which will determine how your retirement benefits are distributed upon your death. To receive a continuing benefit, your survivor(s) must meet certain criteria. Beneficiary categories and eligibility requirements for continuing benefits are as follows:

Eligible Spouse
Must be married one year prior to the member’s retirement and submit a copy of the marriage certificate with a signed attestation certifying that the copy submitted is a true and correct copy of the certificate and that the copy contains no alterations from the original.
Eligible Domestic Partner
Must be registered with the California Secretary of State, with a Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership, one year prior to the member’s retirement.
Eligible Child(ren)
When there is no surviving spouse or partner, unmarried children are eligible for a monthly continuance, including health insurance benefits up to age 18. Eligibility may be extended through the age of 21 if the eligible child(ren) remains unmarried and a full-time student in an accredited educational institution.
Person with Insurable Interest
A beneficiary with an insurable interest depends on the member for education, support, money, property, and/or services.

Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association

Appointment Reservations
LACERA
Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association

Member Service Center

M – F, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT

Holiday Schedule

300 N. Lake Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91101

Contact Us

Member Services Call Center

M – F, 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. PT

800-786-6464

Retiree Healthcare

800-786-6464

Business

M – F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT

PO Box 7060
Pasadena, CA 91109-7060

Phone 626-564-6000

Fax 626-564-6155

Translate Language

English Dutch French German Italian Portuguese Russian Spanish
  • ©2023 LACERA, All Rights Reserved
  • Disclaimer & Privacy Statement