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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 5Pt. 3Ch. 13Art. 6§ 21454 Post-Divorce Retirement Benefit Modification

§ 21454 Post-Divorce Retirement Benefit Modification

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

§ 21454 Post-Divorce Retirement Benefit Modification

Key Takeaways

  • •If you're divorced or legally separated and your ex gets all your retirement money, you can change who gets your retirement payments after you die.
  • •After you die, instead of your ex getting monthly payments, any leftover money from your retirement contributions will be given in one lump sum to your estate or someone you choose.
  • •This rule only applies if you retired before January 1, 2018.

Example

John retired in 2016 and chose a retirement plan where his wife, Jane, would get monthly payments after he died. They divorced in 2019, and the court gave John all his retirement money.

John can now change his plan so that after he dies, Jane won’t get monthly payments. Instead, any leftover money from John’s retirement contributions will go to his kids in one big payment.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 21454 Post-Divorce Retirement Benefit Modification

Notwithstanding Section 21453, an election of optional settlement 2 or 3, or optional settlement 4 involving life contingency in which a spouse is designated as the beneficiary, may be modified as provided in this section in the event of a dissolution of marriage or a legal separation in which the division of the community property awards the total interest in the retirement system to the retired member, or in an annulment of the marriage in which a court confirms the annulment. The modification shall provide that payment shall be continued during the retired person’s lifetime in accordance with the optional settlement then in effect but that no monthly allowance shall be paid following the retired person’s death, and in lieu thereof there shall be paid in a lump sum to the member’s estate or a beneficiary designated by him or her the amount, if any, by which the member’s accumulated contributions at retirement exceed the total payments made to the retired person to the date of his or her death. This section shall apply to any member who retires on or before December 31, 2017. (Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 241, Sec. 12. (SB 525) Effective January 1, 2018.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

optional settlementdissolution of marriagelegal separationannulmentaccumulated contributions

Related Statutes

  • § 21459 Retirement Benefit Waiver Election
  • § 21473 Retirement Beneficiary Modification After Divorce
  • § 21290 Retirement Benefits In Divorce
  • § 21261 Spousal Notification For Benefits
  • § 21297 Nonmember Final Compensation Calculation

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 21454.
View Official Source