§1524. Optional benefit payments

            A. Upon applying for regular or disability retirement benefits and prior to receiving any such benefits, an applicant may elect to receive benefits payable throughout his life or until cessation of total and permanent disability, as the case may be, or the applicant may elect to receive the actuarial equivalent of such benefits in a reduced amount payable throughout his life, or until cessation of total and permanent disability, as the case may be, with the provision that:

            (1) Option No. 1. If the retiree dies before the retiree has received, in annuity payments purchased by his contributions, the amount of his contributions accumulated at the time of his retirement, the balance thereof shall be paid to any person that the retiree shall have nominated by written designation, duly acknowledged and filed with the board of trustees, or, if none, to his estate; or

            (2) Option No. 2. Upon his death, the retiree's reduced retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the life of and be paid to any person he shall have nominated by written designation, duly acknowledged and filed with the board at the time of his retirement; or

            (3) Option No. 3. Upon his death, one-half of the retiree's reduced retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the life of and be paid to any person he shall have nominated by written designation, duly acknowledged and filed with the board at the time of his retirement; or

            (4) Option No. 4. Other benefit or benefits shall be paid either to the retiree or to the person he shall have nominated, provided such other benefit or benefits, together with the reduced retirement allowance, shall be certified by the actuary to be of equivalent actuarial value to the retirement allowance and shall be approved by the board.

            (5) Option No. 5. The retiree may elect to receive ninety percent of his maximum retirement and upon death, if he is survived by a spouse to whom he was married at the time of his retirement, fifty percent thereof shall be paid to the surviving spouse during his or her lifetime.

            B. No change in the option elected or the selection of the option beneficiary shall be permitted after the retiree has received his initial monthly benefit payment unless the retiree is subsequently elected clerk of court or unless, in the case of a disability retirement, the disability ceases and the disability retiree returns to service prior to attaining the age of fifty-five years. If a retiree who has elected an option dies after receiving his initial monthly benefit payment, the benefits payable under the option selected shall constitute the limit of benefits payable from the fund, and shall be in lieu of all other benefits which might otherwise have been due the retiree, his surviving spouse, children, parents, or any other persons whomsoever, except as otherwise provided in the event the sum total of benefits paid to the retiree or for his account are less than his accumulated employee contributions to the fund.

            C.(1) A retiree who has been married for one year or more shall elect Option 2, 3, 4, or 5 of Subsection A of this Section. If the retiree chooses Option 2 or 3, he shall nominate his surviving spouse as the joint annuitant with the retiree. If the retiree chooses Option 4, he shall select a benefit ensuring that, upon his death, no less than fifty percent of the benefit shall be payable to his surviving spouse during the spouse's lifetime.

            (2) If a retiree's spouse has executed a qualified waiver of the joint and survivor annuity requirements in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 417, Paragraph (1) of this Subsection is not applicable to the retiree.

            Acts 1986, No. 1063, §1, eff. Oct. 1, 1986; Acts 1990, No. 341, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 13:945 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 2012, No. 481, §1, eff. June 5, 2012; Acts 2024, No. 12, §1.