§2180. Limitations on payment of benefits

A.(1) The payment of benefits made under R.S. 11:2178 shall be subject to the limitations of this Section.

(2) The payment of benefits shall commence not later than April first of the year following the later of the calendar year in which the member terminates employment, or the calendar year in which the member reaches age seventy and one-half.

B.(1) Unless 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) If the member is married, the life of the member's designated beneficiary,

(c) The member's life expectancy, or

(d) The joint life 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 the member was a member on or before December 31, 1983, he shall be deemed to have made the election referred to herein. 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.

C.(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, 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 age seventy and one-half. 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 the 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 or, if later, upon the child's completing a designated event. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a designated event shall be the later of the date the child ceases to have a disability or the date the child ceases to be a full-time student, or attains age twenty-three, if earlier.

(3) Paragraph (1) 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 B.

(4) Paragraph (1) shall not apply if the member has elected otherwise on or before December 31, 1983, or such later date to which such election period shall be subject under Internal Revenue Code §401(a).

D. As to any benefit payable by the pension and relief fund which is not optional as of December 31, 1983, the member shall be considered to have made the election referred to in B and C above, if he were a member on or before such time.

E. If by operation of the provisions of law or by action of the Board of Trustees, a survivor benefit is payable to a specified person or persons, the member shall be considered to have designated such person as an alternate beneficiary hereunder. If there is more than one such person, then the youngest such person shall be considered to have been so designated.

F. Payment in accordance with the survivor benefit provisions of R.S. 11:2178 shall be deemed not to violate Subsections B and C of this Section.

G. This Section shall be effective for members of the fund who complete any service under the fund on or after July 1, 1990, with employers contributing to the fund.

Acts 1990, No. 62, §1; Acts 1991, No. 458, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 33:1456.2 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 2014, No. 811, §4, eff. June 23, 2014.

NOTE: Acts 2014, No. 811 changed terminology referring to persons with disabilities throughout the La. Revised Statutes and codes of law, and included a listing of terms that were deleted and their respective successor terms (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §36). The Act provides that it is not the intent of the legislature that changes in terminology effected therein alter or affect in any way the substance, interpretation, or application of any law or administrative rule; further provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to expand or diminish any right of or benefit for any person provided by any law or administrative rule (See Acts 2014, No. 811, §35(C) and (D)).