If you die after you begin a service or disability retirement, your survivors are eligible to receive benefits based on the retirement option you chose.
If you die before retirement, your designated beneficiary, spouse or minor children are eligible for the following benefits. These benefits are also payable to survivors of members who leave TRS-covered employment but do not withdraw their contributions.
If you die before you have 10 service credit years and before becoming eligible for retirement, your beneficiary receives all of your contributions, plus interest.
If you die with 10 or more service credit years or after becoming eligible to retire, your surviving spouse, and if none, the guardian of your minor children, may choose between the following two benefits:
If your spouse dies while receiving a survivor’s retirement benefit and leaves a minor child or children, the children will continue to receive the benefit that was being paid to your surviving spouse. The benefit will be shared equally among the children and paid until they reach the age of majority (18).
If you have no surviving spouse or minor children, your remaining member contributions are paid in a lump sum to your designated beneficiary.
If there is no surviving spouse at the time of your death, and you have minor children, their guardian will choose between the two benefit options.
If an active member or disability retiree dies as a result of injuries sustained in the course of employment or if the death resulted from an occupational disease or infection that arose naturally and proximately out of their covered employment, and the Department of Labor and Industries has determined eligibility for the payment, DRS will pay a $150,000 death benefit to the member’s beneficiary.
As an active member, you should keep the beneficiary designation in your TRS record up-to-date.
To change your beneficiary, you must submit a beneficiary designation form to DRS. Forms for this purpose are available from your payroll department and DRS.
At retirement, if you choose an Option 1 benefit payment, you may name a trust, your estate, an organization, or a person as your beneficiary.
However, if you choose a survivor benefit option at retirement, you must select one person as your beneficiary.