{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-61.630","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 61.630","heading":"Death after retirement -- Refund of contributions.","body":"(1) If a retired member who did not elect an optional retirement plan dies at any time on\nor after the first day of the month in which the member received or would have\nreceived his or her first retirement allowance but before receiving total retirement\nallowances provided in KRS 16.510 to 16.652, KRS 61.515 to 61.705, and KRS\n78.520 to 78.852 at least equal to his accumulated contributions as of the date of his\nor her retirement, the difference between the accumulated contributions and the\ntotal allowances sha ll be payable in a lump sum to the properly designated\nbeneficiary. Except as otherwise provided by KRS 61.542(5), if a living person\ndesignated as the beneficiary predeceases the retired member, the estate shall\nbecome the beneficiary. Except as otherwise  provided by KRS 61.542(5), if a\nspouse designated as the beneficiary is divorced from the retired member as of the\nmember's death, the estate shall become the beneficiary.\n(2) If a retired member who elected an optional retirement plan and his or her\nbeneficiary both die at any time on or after the first day of the month in which the\nmember received or would have received his or her first retirement allowance but\nbefore receiving total retirement allowances provided in KRS 16.510 to 16.652,\nKRS 61.515 to 6 1.705, and KRS 78.520 to 78.852 at least equal to the retired\nmember's accumulated contributions as of the date of his or her retirement, the\ndifference between the accumulated contributions and the total allowances shall be\npayable in a lump sum to the es tate of the last deceased, except that the retired\nmember's estate shall receive the payment if the beneficiary was the spouse and they\nwere divorced as of the date of the member's death. If the retired member and\nbeneficiary die simultaneously, the estate  of the retired member shall become the\nbeneficiary.\n(3) If a beneficiary receiving a lifetime retirement allowance under KRS 16.578 or\n61.640 dies before receiving total retirement allowances provided in KRS 16.510 to\n16.652, KRS 61.515 to 61.705, and KRS  78.520 to 78.852 at least equal to the\nmember's accumulated contributions as of the date of the member's death, the\ndifference between the accumulated contributions and the total allowances shall be\npayable in a lump sum to the estate of the beneficiary.\n(4) If a beneficiary receiving a retirement allowance for sixty (60) or one hundred\ntwenty (120) months certain under KRS 16.576, 16.578, or 61.640, or a beneficiary\nreceiving a retirement allowance under KRS 61.635(5), (6), or (7), dies before\nreceiving all payments under the plan, the executor or administrator of his or her\nestate shall receive a lump sum payment which shall be the actuarial equivalent to\nthe remaining payments.\n(5) If the system is unable to verify a recipient's whereabouts or whether the recipient is\nliving, the system shall suspend the recipient's retirement allowance. If the recipient\nis located, the system shall restore to the recipient all suspended retirement\nallowances.","path":["KRS Chapter 61"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=51214","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:49:15Z","sha256":"66a8fbc7a573b98d007a96b364c276affd8f0640714ca4bbf750c2498fd776cc","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-61.626","next":"us-ky/krs-61.635"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}