Sec. 6.064. DESIGNEES. (a) A member, pensioner, or qualified survivor may at any time designate, in writing, one or more persons as a designee to receive any lump-sum payment due from the pension system on the death of the member, pensioner, or qualified survivor, as applicable.

(b) A designation under this section of a person other than the spouse of the member, pensioner, or qualified survivor, as appropriate, must be made with the written consent of the spouse, if the individual has a spouse.

(c) A designation made under this section:

(1) may be revoked or changed at any time; and

(2) is void if the person designated dies or goes out of existence before the payment is made.

(d) If a member, pensioner, or qualified survivor designates a spouse to receive a payment and the parties are later divorced, the designation is void at the time of the divorce unless ratified in writing at the time of the divorce or after that time.

(e) A designation by a member under this section is void at the time the member becomes a pensioner unless ratified in writing at the time the member becomes a pensioner or after that time.

(f) If a member, pensioner, or qualified survivor does not have a valid designee on file with the pension system at the time of death, the designee is:

(1) the spouse;

(2) the qualified survivors, if any, if there is no spouse;

(3) the estate of the person, if there is no spouse or qualified survivors; or

(4) the heirs of the person, if there is no spouse, qualified survivors, or estate.