§1444. Limitation on payment of benefits

A.(1) Unless the member has elected otherwise on or before December 31, 1983, the entire benefit of a member shall be distributed over a period not longer than the longest of the following periods:

(a) The member's life.

(b) The life of the member's designated beneficiary or the joint and last survivor lives of the member and his designated beneficiary.

(c) The member's life expectancy.

(d) The joint and last survivor life expectancy of the member and his designated beneficiary.

(2) If the member is married and his spouse survives him, the designated beneficiary shall be his spouse. If a member dies after the commencement of his benefits, the remaining portion of his benefit shall be distributed at least as rapidly as before his death.

B.(1) If the member dies before his benefit has commenced, the remainder of such interest shall be distributed to the member's beneficiary within five years after the date of such member's death.

(2) Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply to any portion of a member's benefit which is payable to or for the benefit of a designated beneficiary or beneficiaries, over the life of or over the life expectancy of such beneficiary, so long as such distributions begin not later than one year after the date of the member's death, or, in the case of the member's surviving spouse, the date the member would have attained the age of seventy and one-half years. If the designated beneficiary is the member's surviving spouse and if the surviving spouse dies before the distribution of benefits commences, then Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall be applied as if the surviving spouse were the member. If the designated beneficiary is a child of the member, for purposes of satisfying the requirement of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, any amount paid to such child shall be treated as if paid to the member's surviving spouse if such amount would become payable to such surviving spouse, if alive, upon the child's reaching age eighteen.

(3) Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall not apply if the distribution of the member's interest has commenced and is for a term certain over a period permitted in Subsection A of this Section.

C. If a survivor benefit is payable to a specified person or persons or if a benefit is payable at death under an option elected pursuant to R.S. 11:1423, the member shall be considered to have designated such person as a designated beneficiary hereunder. If there is more than one such person, then the oldest such person shall be considered to have been so designated, or, if none, then the oldest person entitled to receive a survivor benefit shall be considered to have been so designated. The designation of a designated beneficiary hereunder shall not prevent payment to multiple beneficiaries but shall only establish the permitted period of payments.

D. Distributions from the system shall be made in accordance with the requirements set forth in Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, including the minimum distribution incidental benefit rules applicable thereunder. The board may promulgate rules in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, R.S. 49:950 et seq., to carry out the requirements of this Subsection, and the board may adopt provisions that amend the other provisions of this Section.

E.(1) A member's benefits shall commence to be paid on or before the required beginning date.

(2) The required beginning date shall be April first of the calendar year following the later of the calendar year in which the member attains seventy and one-half years of age, or the calendar year in which the employee retires.

(3) The board may promulgate rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, R.S. 49:950 et seq., regarding any change in the required beginning date necessary for compliance with federal tax-qualification requirements.

F. The provisions of this Section shall be effective July 1, 1997.

Acts 1997, No. 691, §1, eff. July 1, 1997; Acts 2011, No. 364, §1, eff. July 1, 2011.