Effective 28 Aug 2018

104.620. Contribution refund to members — effect on benefits — record retention — reversion to credit of fund, when — reversion of unclaimed benefits, when — refund received, when. — 1. Any member who has not received a lump sum payment equal to the sum total of the contributions that the member paid into the retirement system, plus interest credited to his or her account, shall be entitled to such a lump sum payment. Lump sum payments made pursuant to this section shall not be reduced by any retirement benefits which a member is entitled to receive, but shall be paid in full out of appropriate funds pursuant to appropriations for this purpose.

2. In the event any accumulated contributions standing to a member's credit remains unclaimed by such member for a period of four years or more, such accumulated contributions shall automatically revert to the credit of the fund. If an application is made, after such reversion, for such accumulated contributions, the board shall pay such contributions from the fund; except that, no interest shall be paid on such funds after the date of the reversion to the fund.

3. In the event any amount is due a deceased member, survivor, or beneficiary who dies after September 1, 2002, and the member's survivor's or beneficiary's financial institution is unable to accept the final payments due to the member, survivor, or beneficiary, such amount shall be paid to the person or entity designated in writing as beneficiary to receive such amount by such member, survivor, or beneficiary. The member, survivor, or beneficiary may designate in writing a beneficiary to receive any final payment due after the death of a member, survivor, or beneficiary pursuant to this chapter. If no living person or entity so designated as beneficiary exists at the time of death, such amount shall be paid to the surviving spouse married to the deceased member, survivor, or beneficiary at the time of death. If no surviving spouse exists, such amount shall be paid to the surviving children of such member, survivor, or beneficiary in equal parts. If no surviving children exist, such amount shall be paid to the surviving parents of such member, survivor, or beneficiary in equal parts. If no surviving parents exist, such amount shall be paid to the surviving brothers or sisters of such member, survivor, or beneficiary in equal parts. If no surviving brothers or sisters exist, payment may be made as otherwise permitted by law. Notwithstanding this subsection, any amount due to a deceased member as payment of all or part of a lump sum pursuant to section 104.625 shall be paid to the member's surviving spouse married to the member at the time of death, and otherwise payment may be made as provided in this subsection. In the event any amount that is due to a person from either system remains unclaimed for a period of four years or more, such amount shall automatically revert to the credit of the fund of the member's system. If an application is made after such reversion for such amount, the board shall pay such amount to the person from the board's fund, except that no interest shall be paid on such funds after the date of the reversion to the fund.

4. The beneficiary of any member who purchased creditable service shall receive a refund upon the member's death equal to the amount of any purchase less any retirement benefits received by the member unless an annuity is payable to a survivor or beneficiary as a result of the member's death. In that event, the beneficiary of the survivor or beneficiary who received the annuity shall receive a refund upon the survivor's or beneficiary's death equal to the amount of the member's purchase of service less any annuity amounts received by the member and the survivor or beneficiary.

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(L. 1981 H.B. 835, et al., A.L. 1985 H.B. 790, A.L. 1988, H.B. 1643 & 1399, A.L. 1997 H.B. 356, A.L. 1999 S.B. 308 & 314, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1455, A.L. 2013 H.B. 233, A.L. 2018 S.B. 975 & 1024 Revision)