County and Municipal (Police/Firefighters) Plan - Survivors Benefits

JOINT AND SURVIVOR OPTION:

Upon the death of a member receiving a service or disability pension, the pension payable to your eligible survivor(s), beginning the month following your death, will be determined based on the irrevocable Joint and Survivor option made at the time of retirement.

Those retiring prior to January 1, 2015
At the time of retirement, an employee must make an irrevocable election to provide a survivor’s pension based on the following:

No reduction of pension to provide a 50% survivor’s pension
Pension reduced by 3% to provide a 75% survivor’s pension

Those retiring on or after January 1, 2015

No reduction of pension to provide a 50% survivor’s pension
Pension reduced by 2% to provide a 66.67% survivor’s pension
Pension reduced by 3% to provide a 75% survivor’s pension
Pension reduced by 6% to provide a 100% survivor’s pension

ELIGIBLE SURVIVOR:

If an employee dies in active service, the eligible survivor(s) will be paid a survivor's pension beginning the month following the employee’s death. The amount of the pension is three-fourths (75%) of the service pension the employee would have been eligible to receive.
If an employee dies in active service and death occurred in the line of duty, the eligible survivor(s) will be paid a survivor’s pension beginning the month following the employee’s death. The amount of the pension will be three-fourths (75%) of the member’s compensation.

PRIORITY:

The following lists the priority of survivor(s) unless you change the priority by filing a Priority of Eligible Survivors form (completed in its entirety) with the Office of Pensions:

Surviving spouse,
Unmarried child or children either under age 18 or between age 18 and 22, and attending school on a full-time basis, or over age 18 but permanently disabled before age 18;
Dependent parent who was receiving one-half of his or her support from the member at the time of the member’s death.

If the primary survivor ceases to be eligible for a survivor's pension, that pension becomes payable to the next eligible survivor(s).