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HomeEducation CodeCh. 38Art. 6§ 25022 Member Death Annuity Benefits

§ 25022 Member Death Annuity Benefits

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

§ 25022 Member Death Annuity Benefits

Key Takeaways

  • •If someone dies while getting retirement money, what happens to the money depends on the plan they picked.
  • •If they picked a plan that only pays them for life with no refund, their family gets only the money for the month they died.
  • •If they picked a plan that pays them for life with a refund, their family gets the leftover money in one big payment.
  • •If they picked a plan that pays them and their spouse, the spouse keeps getting the money after they die.

Example

A retired teacher named John picks a retirement plan that pays him every month for life, with a refund option. He dies after 5 years of retirement.

John's family will get the leftover money from his retirement plan in one big payment because he picked the refund option.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 25022 Member Death Annuity Benefits

(a) If the death of a member occurs while the member is receiving an annuity under the Defined Benefit Supplement Program, the final benefit shall be payable in accordance with the terms of the annuity elected by the member. (b) If the member was receiving a single life annuity without a cash refund feature, a final benefit is not payable other than the accrued annuity for the month in which the member’s death occurred, which shall be paid in a lump sum to the beneficiary designated by the member pursuant to Section 23300 or 23301. (c) If the member was receiving a single life annuity with a cash refund feature, the final benefit shall be payable in a lump sum to the beneficiary designated by the member pursuant to Section 23300 or 23301. (d) If the member was receiving a joint and survivor annuity, the annuity shall continue to be paid to the surviving designated annuity beneficiary. If the designated annuity beneficiary predeceases the member, a final benefit is not payable. (e) If the member was receiving a period certain annuity, the remaining balance of payments shall be paid to the beneficiary designated by the member. (1) If the beneficiary is designated pursuant to Section 23300, the remaining period certain annuity payments shall be made over the amount of time remaining in the period originally elected by the deceased member and shall be made in payments equal to the amount of the annuity payments previously received by the deceased member. (2) If the beneficiary is designated pursuant to Section 23301, the remaining balance of period certain annuity payments shall be made in a lump-sum payment equal to the present value of the balance of payments due over the time remaining in the period originally elected by the deceased member. (f) A member may designate a beneficiary who would, upon the death of the member, be entitled to the member’s accrued annuity allowance. (Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 558, Sec. 50. (AB 1379) Effective January 1, 2014.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

annuityallowancefinebenefitdeathsurvivorsupplementdesignation

Related Statutes

  • § 25018.1 Disability Annuity Payment Options
  • § 25011.5 Annuity Change Election
  • § 25018.2 Disabled Member Annuity Changes
  • § 23852 Survivor Benefit Election
  • § 23855 Survivor Benefit Calculation Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Education Code. Section 25022.
View Official Source