(A) The retirement allowance calculated under section 3309.36 or 3309.381 of the Revised Code shall be paid as provided in this section. If the member is eligible to elect a plan of payment under this section, the election shall be made on the application for retirement. A plan of payment elected under this section shall be effective only if it is certified by the actuary engaged by the school employees retirement board to be the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance and is approved by the retirement board.

(B)

(1)

(a) Except as provided in divisions (B)(1)(b) and (c) of this section, a member who retires under section 3309.36 or 3309.381 of the Revised Code shall receive a retirement allowance under "plan A," which shall consist of the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance determined under section 3309.36 or 3309.381 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.

(b) A member may receive a retirement allowance under a plan of payment other than "plan A" if either of the following is the case:

(i) The member is not married or either the member's spouse consents in writing to the member's election to a plan of payment other than "plan A" or the board waives the requirement that the spouse consent;

(ii) A plan of payment providing for payment in a specified amount continuing after the member's death to a former spouse is required by a court order issued prior to the effective date of the member's retirement under section 3105.171 or 3105.65 of the Revised Code or the laws of another state regarding division of marital property.

(c) If a member is subject to division (B)(1)(b)(ii) of this section and the board has received a copy of the order described in that division, 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:

(i) The member elects a plan of payment that is in accordance with the order described in division (B)(1)(b)(ii) of this section.

(ii) If the member is married, the member elects "plan F" 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.

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

(a) 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 "plan A," which consists 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;

(b) A description of the alternative plans of payment, including all plans described in divisions (B)(3) and (4) of this section, available with the consent of the spouse;

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

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

Consent shall be valid only if it is in writing, signed by the spouse, and witnessed by an employee of the school employees retirement system or 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.

(3) A member eligible to elect to receive a retirement allowance under a plan of payment other than "plan A" shall receive the retirement allowance under the plan described in division (B)(4) of this section or one of the following plans:

(a) "Plan B," which shall consist of an allowance determined under section 3309.36 or 3309.381 of the Revised Code;

(b) "Plan C," which shall consist of the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance determined under section 3309.36 or 3309.381 of the Revised Code in a lesser amount payable for life and one-half or some other portion of the allowance continuing after death to the member's sole surviving beneficiary designated at the time of the member's retirement, provided that the amount payable to the beneficiary does not exceed the amount payable to the member;

(c) "Plan D," which shall consist of the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance determined under section 3309.36 or 3309.381 of the Revised Code in a lesser amount payable for life and continuing after death to a surviving designated beneficiary designated at the time of the member's retirement;

(d) "Plan E," which shall consist of the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance determined under section 3309.36 or 3309.381 of the Revised Code in a lesser amount payable for a certain period from the member's retirement date as elected by the member and approved by the retirement board, and on the member's death before the expiration of that certain period, the member's lesser retirement allowance continued for the remainder of that period to, and in such order, the beneficiaries as the member has nominated by written designation and filed with the retirement board.

Monthly benefits shall not be paid to joint beneficiaries, but they may receive the present value of any remaining payments in a lump sum settlement. If all beneficiaries die before the expiration of the certain period, the present value of all such payments yet remaining in such period shall be paid to the estate of the beneficiary last receiving.

(e) "Plan F," which shall consist of the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance determined under section 3309.36 or 3309.381 of the Revised Code in a lesser amount payable to the member 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. The portion of the lesser amount that continues after the member's death shall be allocated among the beneficiaries at the time of the member's retirement. If the member elects this plan as required by a court order issued under section 3105.171 or 3105.65 of the Revised Code or the laws of another state regarding the division of marital property and compliance with the court order requires the allocation of a portion less than ten per cent to any person, the member shall allocate a portion less than ten per cent to that beneficiary in accordance with that order. In all other circumstances, 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.

(4)

(a) Beginning on a date selected by the board, which shall be not later than July 1, 2004, a member may elect, in lieu of a plan of payment under division (B)(1) or (3) of this section, a plan consisting of both a lump sum in an amount the member designates that constitutes a portion of the retirement allowance payable under a plan described in division (B)(1) or (3) of this section and the remainder of the allowance payable under that plan in monthly payments.

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.

(b) The lump sum amount designated by the 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 this section had the lump sum not been elected and shall not result in a monthly benefit that is less than fifty per cent of that amount.

(5) An election under division (B)(3) or (4) of this section shall be made at the time the member makes application for retirement.

(6) A member eligible to elect to receive a retirement allowance under a plan of payment other than "plan A" because the member is unmarried who fails to make an election on retirement shall receive a retirement allowance under "plan B."

(C) Until the first payment of any retirement allowance is made, as provided in sections 3309.36 or 3309.381 of the Revised Code, a member may change the member's election of a payment plan if the election is made in accordance with and is consistent with division (B) of this section.

(D) If the retirement allowances due and paid under the above provisions of this section are in a total amount less than (1) the accumulated contributions, (2) the deposits for additional credit as provided by section 3309.31 of the Revised Code, (3) the deposits for additional annuities as provided by section 3309.47 of the Revised Code, (4) the deposits for repurchase of service credit as provided by section 3309.26 of the Revised Code, (5) the accumulated contributions provided by section 3309.65 of the Revised Code, (6) the deposits for purchase of military service credit provided by section 3309.021 or 3309.022 of the Revised Code, and (7) the deposits for the purchase of service credit provided by section 3309.73 of the Revised Code, 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 3309.44 of the Revised Code.

(E)

(1) The death of a spouse or any other designated beneficiary following the member's 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 retirement allowance as determined by the board based on the number of remaining beneficiaries, with no change in the amount payable to any remaining beneficiary.

(2) On divorce, annulment, or marriage dissolution, a retirant receiving a retirement allowance under a plan of payment that provides for continuation of all or part of the allowance after death for the lifetime of the retirant's surviving spouse may 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 retirement allowance as determined by the retirement board based on the number of remaining beneficiaries, with no change in the amount payable to any remaining beneficiary. In the case of a member who retires on or after July 24, 1990, the election may be made only with the written consent of the spouse or pursuant to an order of the court with jurisdiction over the termination of the marriage. The election shall be made on a form provided by the board and shall be effective the month following its receipt by the board.

(3)

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

(i) A retirant who is receiving a benefit pursuant to "plan B" may elect a new plan of payment under division (B)(1), (3)(b), or (3)(c) of this section based on the actuarial equivalent of the retirant's single lifetime retirement allowance as determined by the board.

(ii) A retirant who is receiving a benefit pursuant to a plan of payment providing for payment to a former spouse pursuant to a court order described in division (B)(1)(b)(ii) of this section may elect a new plan of payment under division (B)(3)(e) of this section 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.

(b) 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 division (E)(3) of this section 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.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.146, SB 341, §1, eff. 1/7/2013.

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