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HomeEducation CodeCh. 28§ 24343 Retirement Benefit Adjustment Eligibility

§ 24343 Retirement Benefit Adjustment Eligibility

Education Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 24343 Retirement Benefit Adjustment Eligibility

Key Takeaways

  • •If you retired before 1991 and your beneficiary died before 1995 (for Options 2/3) or 1999 (for Options 4/5), you might get more retirement money starting in 1999.
  • •You must be alive in 1999, not have picked a new beneficiary, and not say 'no' to the change when asked.
  • •The new amount must be bigger than what you were getting before, including any extra money added over the years.
  • •You can't pick a new beneficiary after this change happens.

Example

A teacher retired in 1985 under Option 2. Her husband, the beneficiary, died in 1993. In 1999, she gets a letter saying her retirement pay could go up if she doesn’t refuse the change.

Since she meets all the rules (retired before 1991, beneficiary died before 1995, alive in 1999, didn’t pick a new beneficiary, and didn’t say 'no' to the change), her retirement pay increases to the higher amount starting in 1999.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 24343 Retirement Benefit Adjustment Eligibility

(a) Any member who retired for service under Option 2 or Option 3 with an effective date prior to January 1, 1991, whose option beneficiary had died prior to January 1, 1995, shall receive, effective January 1, 1999, the retirement allowance without modification for the option if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The retired member is living as of January 1, 1999. (2) The retired member has not elected a new option beneficiary under Section 24323. (3) The retirement allowance without modification for the option payable as of January 1, 1999, is greater than the amount payable under the option, plus the amounts from annual benefit improvements, ad hoc benefit increases, and payments from the Supplemental Benefit Maintenance Account. (4) The retired member does not inform the system in writing, on a form provided by the system, within 30 days of receipt of the notification of the change to the retirement allowance without modification for the option, of his or her election to continue to receive the option allowance. (b) Any member who retired for service under Option 4 or Option 5 with an effective date prior to January 1, 1991, whose option beneficiary had died prior to January 1, 1999, shall receive effective January 1, 1999, the retirement allowance without modification for the option if all the following conditions are met: (1) The retired member is living as of January 1, 1999. (2) The retired member has not elected a new option beneficiary under Section 24323. (3) The retirement allowance without modification for the option payable as of January 1, 1999, is greater than the amount payable under the option, plus the amount from annual benefit improvements, ad hoc benefit increases, and payments from the Supplemental Benefit Maintenance Account. (4) The retired member does not inform the system in writing, on a form provided by the system, within 30 days of receipt of the notification of the change to the retirement allowance without modification for the option, of his or her election to continue to receive the option allowance. (c) The change to the retirement allowance without modification for the option shall be consistent with Section 22453. (d) A member retired for service who receives the retirement allowance without modification for the option provided under this section shall not elect a new option beneficiary under Section 24323. (e) The cost of this section shall be paid by the transfer for that purpose of the one-time gain accrued to the State Teachers’ Retirement System from the difference between the contributions received pursuant to Sections 22901 and 22950 in the 1997–98 fiscal year minus the normal cost as displayed in the June 30, 1997, actuarial valuation. (Added by renumbering Section 24313 by Stats. 2014, Ch. 755, Sec. 63. (SB 1220) Effective January 1, 2015.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

retirement allowance without modification for the optionOption 2Option 3Option 4Option 5Section 22453Section 24323

Related Statutes

  • § 24323 Retirement Beneficiary Replacement Rules
  • § 24340 Retirement Option Change Rules
  • § 24345 Retiree Beneficiary Option Changes
  • § 24342 Retiree Beneficiary Option Change
  • § 24300 Retirement Beneficiary Payment Options

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Education Code. Section 24343.
View Official Source