Section 5-118 Benefits and Pensions to Surviving Spouses and Children on Deaths of FPDR One Members After Retirement or on Non Service Connected Deaths Before Retirement.

City Charter Section

Deaths of FPDR One Members After Retirement.  Upon the death of any member who retires under the provisions of this Article, other than a member who retired prior to July 1, 1947, the Surviving Spouse of said deceased member until such Surviving Spouse's death or remarriage shall receive a monthly pension to be computed from the "Survivor Annuity Table," set forth below, and in accordance with this Section; provided, however, that as to any member relieved from service by the Board under Section 5‑113 for a nonservice ‑connected disability or retiring under Section 5‑116 of this Act, the provision of this Section shall apply only to a member having twenty (20) years or more active service.  Said table below shows the basis for computing the pension to which the Surviving Spouse shall be entitled.  In using the table the difference between the member's and Surviving Spouse's ages shall be determined to the closest year.  If at the time of said retired member's death, there be no Surviving Spouse, the Dependent Minor Child or children while so remaining shall receive the Surviving Spouse's pension as set forth in the "Survivor Annuity Table" below, computed on the basis of a member and Surviving Spouse of the same age, and said pension shall be divided equally among them, if there be more than one.  If at the time of said retired member's death, the Surviving Spouse fails to qualify for a pension under this section, but the deceased member leaves a surviving Dependent Minor Child or children, the Dependent Minor Child or children while so remaining shall receive a pension as set forth below in the "Survivor Annuity Table" computed as though the Surviving Spouse had qualified as a for a pension.  If the Surviving Spouse qualifies for a pension under this Section and later dies or remarries and there is a surviving Dependent Minor Child or children of the member, the Dependent Minor Child or children while so remaining shall receive said Surviving Spouse's pension and said pension shall be divided equally among them, if there be more than one.

 

SURVIVOR ANNUITY TABLE

Difference Between FPDR One Member's and Surviving Spouse's AgeSurviving Spouse's Pension Shall be determined as Percent of FPDR One Member's Maximum Earned Pension
FPDR One Member same age or Surviving Spouse Older
56%
1  year older
55%
2  years
54%
53%
4
52%
5
51%
6
50%
7
49%
8
48%
9
47%
10
46%
11
45%
12
44%
13
43%
14
42%
15
41%
16
40%
17
39%
18
38%
19
37%
20
36%

The Surviving Spouse of any member who retires under the provisions of this Article, shall receive a pension only if the Surviving Spouse was lawfully married to the member for five (5) continuous years immediately prior to the date of the member's retirement and not otherwise.

Non‑Service Connected Deaths Before Retirement.  If a member has less than one (1) year of active service and dies before retirement for any cause not in line of duty, the member's Surviving Spouse and/or Dependent Minor Child or children shall have no rights under this Fund.

If a member has at least one (1) year but less than twenty (20) years of active service and dies before retirement from any cause not in line of duty, the member's Surviving Spouse, if said Surviving Spouse has been married to the member for at least one (1) year, shall be entitled to an option to either:  (1) the return of the member's contributions made to the Fund and previously established pension funds less the amount of nonservice‑connected disability benefits paid to the member from the Fund and any previously established pension funds, or (2) a cash settlement of fifteen hundred dollars ($1,500) plus an additional one hundred dollars ($100) for every year of the member's active service up to twenty (20) years.  If at the time of said member's death, there be no Surviving Spouse who has been married to the member for at least one (1) year, the deceased member's surviving Dependent Minor Child or children, if any, shall have the same rights of a qualifying Surviving Spouse as set forth above in this paragraph.

If a member has twenty (20) years or more of active service and dies before retirement from any cause not in line of duty, the member's Surviving Spouse, if said Surviving Spouse has been married to the member for at least one (1) year, shall be entitled to a pension to be computed from the "Survivor Annuity Table" set forth above, based upon the maximum earned pension of the deceased member; or said Surviving Spouse may elect at their option within one (1) year after the member's death, if the Board, after hearing so permits, to receive in lieu of further pension payments either:  (1) a return of the member's contributions made to the Fund and previously established pension funds, less the amount of nonservice‑connected disability benefits paid to the member from the Fund and any previously established pension funds; or (2) a cash settlement of thirty five hundred dollars ($3,500).  If at the time of said member's death there be no Surviving Spouse who has been married to the member for at least one (1) year, the deceased member's surviving Dependent Minor Child or children, if any, while so remaining shall be entitled to the same pension to which a qualifying Surviving Spouse of the same age as the member would have been entitled under the provisions of this paragraph.  If a Surviving Spouse qualifies for and is receiving a pension under this paragraph and later dies or remarries, the surviving Dependent Minor Child or children of the deceased member while so remaining shall receive, in lieu of the Surviving Spouse, said Surviving Spouse's pension, and said pension shall be divided equally among them, if there be more than one.

Notwithstanding the above, if the member shall die before retirement from any cause not in the line of duty, leaving a Dependent Minor Child or children by a former marriage or marriages and the Surviving Spouse qualifies to receive a pension under this Section, then the Surviving Spouse's pension shall be shared with the Dependent Minor Child or children of all marriages, fifty percent to the said Surviving Spouse and fifty percent to the Dependent Minor Child or children of all marriages, to be divided equally among said children, if there be more than one.  No Dependent Minor Child shall share in such division of the fifty percent last named, after such child has ceased to be a Dependent Minor Child as that term is defined in this Article.  When there is no longer a Dependent Minor Child, the entire Surviving Spouse's pension shall be paid to the qualified Surviving Spouse until the Surviving Spouse’s death or remarriage.  If the Surviving Spouse remarries or dies while there remain Dependent Minor Child or children, the entire Surviving Spouse's pension shall be paid to the Dependent Minor Child or children while they so remain, to be divided equally among said children, if there be more than one.

In the event a cash settlement option is available and exercised pursuant by this Section, the election to accept it must be by or on behalf of all persons deriving or possibly entitled to derive benefits therefrom. [Amended by Ordinance No. 190204, effective December 18, 2020.]

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Ordinance Number 190204

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