(A) A retirement allowance calculated under section 145.33, 145.331, or 145.332 of the Revised Code shall be paid as provided in this section.

Unless the member is required by division (C) of this section to select a specified plan of payment, a member may elect a plan of payment as provided in division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section. An election shall be made at the time the member makes application for retirement and on a form provided by the public employees retirement board. A plan of payment elected under this section shall be effective only if approved by the board, which shall approve it only if it is certified by an actuary engaged by the board to be the actuarial equivalent of the retirement allowance calculated under section 145.33, 145.331, or 145.332 of the Revised Code.

(B) The following plans of payment shall be offered by the public employees retirement system:

(1) "Joint-life plan," an allowance that consists of the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance determined under section 145.33, 145.331, or 145.332 of the Revised Code in a lesser amount payable for life and one-half or some other portion equal to ten per cent or more of the allowance continuing after death to the member's designated beneficiary for the beneficiary's life. The beneficiary shall be nominated by written designation filed with the retirement board. The amount payable to the beneficiary shall not exceed the amount payable to the member.

(2) "Single-life plan," the member's retirement allowance determined under section 145.33, 145.331, or 145.332 of the Revised Code;

(3) "Multiple-life plan," an allowance that consists of the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance determined under section 145.33, 145.331, or 145.332 of the Revised Code in a lesser amount payable to the retirant for life and some portion of the lesser amount continuing after death to two, three, or four surviving beneficiaries designated at the time of the member's retirement. Unless required under division (C) of this section, no portion allocated under this plan of payment shall be less than ten per cent. The total of the portions allocated shall not exceed one hundred per cent of the member's lesser allowance.

(C) A member shall select a plan of payment as follows:

(1) Subject to division (C)(2) of this section, if the member is married at the time of retirement, the member shall select a joint-life plan and receive a plan of payment that consists of the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance determined under section 145.33, 145.331, or 145.332 of the Revised Code in a lesser amount payable for life and one-half of such allowance continuing after death to the member's surviving spouse for the life of the spouse. A married member is not required to select this plan of payment if the member's spouse consents in writing to the member's election of a plan of payment other than described in this division or the board waives the requirement that the spouse consent;

(2) If prior to the effective date of the member's retirement, the public employees retirement board receives a copy of a court order issued under section 3105.171 or 3105.65 of the Revised Code or the laws of another state regarding division of marital property the board shall accept the member's election of a plan of payment under this section only if the member complies with both of the following:

(a) The member elects a plan of payment that is in accordance with the order.

(b) If the member is married, the member elects a multiple-life plan and designates the member's current spouse as a beneficiary under that plan unless that spouse consents in writing to not being designated a beneficiary under any plan of payment or the board waives the requirement that the current spouse consent.

(D) An application for retirement shall include an explanation of all of the following:

(1) That, if the member is married, unless the spouse consents to another plan of payment or there is a court order dividing marital property issued under section 3105.171 or 3105.65 of the Revised Code or the laws of another state regarding the division of marital property that provides for payment in a specified amount, the member's retirement allowance will be paid under a joint-life plan and consist of the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance in a lesser amount payable for life and one-half of the allowance continuing after death to the surviving spouse for the life of the spouse;

(2) A description of the alternative plans of payment, including all plans described in division (B) of this section, available with the consent of the spouse;

(3) That the spouse may consent to another plan of payment and the procedure for giving consent;

(4) That consent is irrevocable once notice of consent is filed with the board.

Consent shall be valid only if it is signed, in writing, and witnessed by a notary public. The board may waive the requirement of consent if the spouse is incapacitated or cannot be located or for any other reason specified by the board. Consent or waiver is effective only with regard to the spouse who is the subject of the consent or waiver.

(E)

(1) Beginning on a date selected by the retirement board, which shall be not later than July 1, 2004, a member may elect to receive a retirement allowance under a plan of payment consisting of both a lump sum in an amount the member designates that constitutes a portion of the member's retirement allowance under a plan described in division (B) of this section and the remainder as a monthly allowance under that plan.

The total amount paid as a lump sum and a monthly benefit shall be the actuarial equivalent of the amount that would have been paid had the lump sum not been selected.

(2) The lump sum designated by a member shall be not less than six times and not more than thirty-six times the monthly amount that would be payable to the member under the plan of payment elected under division (B) of this section had the lump sum not been elected and shall not result in a monthly allowance that is less than fifty per cent of that monthly amount.

(F) If the retirement allowances, as a single life annuity or payment plan as provided in this section, due and paid are in a total amount less than (1) the accumulated contributions, and (2) other deposits made by the member as provided by this chapter, standing to the credit of the member at the time of retirement, then the difference between the total amount of the allowances paid and the accumulated contributions and other deposits shall be paid to the beneficiary provided under division (D) of section 145.43 of the Revised Code.

(G)

(1) The death of a spouse or any designated beneficiary following retirement shall cancel the portion of the plan of payment providing continuing lifetime benefits to the deceased spouse or deceased designated beneficiary. The retirant shall receive the actuarial equivalent of the retirant's single lifetime benefit, as determined by the board, based on the number of remaining beneficiaries, with no change in the amount payable to any remaining beneficiary. The change shall be effective the month following the date of death.

(2) On divorce, annulment, or marriage dissolution, a retirant receiving a retirement allowance under a plan that provides for continuation of all or part of the allowance after death for the lifetime of the retirant's surviving spouse may, with the written consent of the spouse or pursuant to an order of the court with jurisdiction over the termination of the marriage, elect to cancel the portion of the plan providing continuing lifetime benefits to that spouse. The retirant shall receive the actuarial equivalent of the retirant's single lifetime benefit as determined by the retirement board based on the number of remaining beneficiaries, with no change in amount payable to any remaining beneficiary. The election shall be made on a form provided by the board and shall be effective the month following its receipt by the board.

(H)

(1) Following a marriage or remarriage, both of the following apply:

(a) A retirant who is receiving the retirant's retirement allowance under a single-life plan may elect a new plan of payment under division (B)(1) of this section based on the actuarial equivalent of the retirant's single lifetime benefit as determined by the board.

(b) A retirant who is receiving a retirement allowance pursuant to a plan of payment providing for payment to a former spouse pursuant to a court order described in division (C)(2) of this section may elect a new plan of payment in the form of a multiple-life plan based on the actuarial equivalent of the retirant's single lifetime retirement allowance as determined by the board if the new plan of payment elected does not reduce the payment to the former spouse.

(2) If the marriage or remarriage occurs on or after June 6, 2005, the election must be made not later than one year after the date of the marriage or remarriage.

The plan elected under this division shall become effective on the date of receipt by the board of an application on a form approved by the board, but any change in the amount of the retirement allowance shall commence on the first day of the month following the effective date of the plan.

(I) Any person who, prior to July 24, 1990, selected an optional plan of payment at retirement that provided for a return to the single life benefit after the designated beneficiary's death shall have the retirant's benefit adjusted to the optional plan equivalent without such provision.

(J) A retirant's receipt of the first month's retirement allowance constitutes the retirant's final acceptance of the plan of payment and may be changed only as provided in this chapter.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 42, §1, eff. 3/23/2015.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.148, SB 343, §1, eff. 1/7/2013.

Effective Date: 10-01-2002; 03-07-2005; 10-27-2006