§1525. Guaranteed return of accumulated contributions

A. A member or former member who has not retired, though he may be entitled to any retirement benefits from the fund, may, by written instrument duly acknowledged and filed with the board of trustees, upon termination of his membership in the fund and after having remained out of service in a clerk of court's office for thirty days or at any time thereafter but prior to receiving any retirement benefit from the fund, and upon receipt by the fund of all contributions by or for the member or former member, elect to withdraw his accumulated employee contributions. If such a member or former member makes such a withdrawal, neither he nor any other person after his death shall be entitled to any benefits on his account, all rights in the fund shall be cancelled, and credit for all service shall be forfeited.

B. If the total of all benefits paid to a retiree and all benefits paid on his account after his death, if any, is less than the retiree's accumulated employee contributions, the remaining accumulated employee contributions shall be paid to the retiree's beneficiary, designated by him in writing and duly acknowledged by him and filed with the board prior to his death.

C. Upon the death of a member or former member who has not been paid any benefits from the fund, including a withdrawal of accumulated employee contributions, and who is not survived by any person eligible for any benefits from the fund, the accumulated employee contributions of the member or former member shall be paid to his beneficiary, designated by him in writing and duly acknowledged by him and filed with the board prior to his death.

D. A member or former member may, at any time prior to his death, withdraw, refile, or amend the written designation of his beneficiary.

E. If any sum becomes payable to a member's or former member's duly designated beneficiary and that beneficiary predeceased the member or former member or if any sum would otherwise be payable to a beneficiary but none was designated by the member or former member, then such sum shall be paid to the estate of the member or former member.

F. If survivor benefits become payable upon the death of a member or former member, the survivor, in lieu of survivor benefits, may elect to be paid in one lump sum the member's or former member's accumulated employee contributions by notifying the board in writing and waiving the right to all other benefits. If survivor benefits are payable to more than one person, no payment of the remaining accumulated employee contributions may be made unless all persons eligible for survivor benefits agree in writing to the distribution of the remaining accumulated contributions.

G. Payments made pursuant to this Section shall be paid only upon receipt by the board of an application therefor providing such information and in such form as the board may require. Such payment shall discharge the board and the fund from any other responsibility or liability to any other person, shall cancel all rights in the fund and cause credit for all service to be forfeited, and neither the former member nor any other person shall be entitled to any benefits on the former member's account.

Acts 1986, No. 1063, §1, eff. Oct. 1, 1986; Redesignated from R.S. 13:946 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991.