(a) Upon the death of a justice or judge who has served for at least two years, the surviving spouse is entitled to receive survivors' benefits equal to one-half of the monthly retirement pay the justice or judge would thereafter have been entitled to receive if retired at the time of death. If at death the justice or judge was not yet entitled to retirement pay, or was or would have been entitled to less than 60 percent of the monthly salary authorized for the office, the surviving spouse is entitled to monthly survivors' benefits equal to 30 percent of the salary authorized for justices or judges, respectively, at the time each monthly payment is made.

(b) To be eligible for the survivors' benefits, the surviving spouse must have been married to the justice or judge for at least one year immediately preceding the death of the justice or judge. The benefits continue until the death of the surviving spouse.

(c) If there is no surviving spouse, or if the surviving spouse does not meet the requirements of (b) of this section, or upon the death of the surviving spouse, the surviving dependent child or children of the justice or judge are entitled to receive, in equal shares, 50 percent of the amount of the survivors' benefits specified under (a) of this section.

(d) The surviving child or children are entitled to the survivors' benefits under (c) of this section during the period of their dependency. Dependency exists with respect to any child of a justice or judge who is either (1) a minor under the laws of Alaska, (2) under the age of 23 and is a student attending on a full-time basis an accredited educational or technical institution recognized by the state Department of Education and Early Development, or (3) so mentally or physically incapacitated as to be unable to provide for self care.

(e) If there are both an eligible surviving spouse and surviving dependent children, but who reside in separate households, the surviving spouse and dependent children will share equally in the benefits payable under (a) of this section.

(f) The rights of a surviving spouse or dependent child under this section are subject to the rights of a previous spouse or a dependent under a qualified domestic relations order.

(g) If there is no surviving spouse or surviving dependent child entitled to benefits under this section or if after payment of all survivors' benefits due under this section, less than the amount of contributions made by the justice or judge to the system under AS 22.25.011 and interest credited has been paid, the difference between the amount of contributions and the amount of benefits paid shall be paid to the designated beneficiary of the justice or judge. If there is no designated beneficiary or if no designated beneficiary survives the justice or judge, the balance of the contributions and interest credited shall be paid to the

(1) surviving spouse; or, if there is none surviving,

(2) surviving children in equal parts; or, if there is none surviving,

(3) surviving parents in equal parts; or, if there is none surviving,

(4) justice's or judge's estate.