Sec. 6.04. TERMINATION PRIOR TO RETIREMENT; TREATMENT OF ACCUMULATED DEPOSITS. (a) On employment termination, the member shall receive the amount of the accumulated deposits standing to the member's credit in one lump sum, except that if such member has had at least 10 years of creditable service at the time the member separates from service, the member shall have a right to elect to leave the member's accumulated deposits with the police retirement system until such time as the member shall have applied in writing for service retirement and shall have attained an age at which the member shall have become entitled to receive a service retirement benefit under this Act, at which time the member shall be entitled to a service retirement benefit computed under the formula in Section 6.01(a) of this Act in effect on the last day of the month immediately preceding the month of the first benefit payment.

(b) If a member who has attained age 70-1/2 separates or has separated from service without applying for retirement or a refund of accumulated deposits, the police retirement system shall attempt to send to that member a written notice as soon as practicable after the later of the date the member attains age 70-1/2 or the date the member separates from service. The written notice must advise the member of the requirement under Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section 401) to retire and begin receiving a monthly retirement benefit. If, before the 91st day after the date the police retirement system sends the notice, the member has not filed an application for retirement or a refund, the member is considered to have retired on the last day of the third month following the later of the two dates specified by this subsection. If applicable, the retirement option shall be determined in accordance with the member's written selection of optional benefit and designation of beneficiary under Section 6.06(a)(1) of this Act. Otherwise, the member shall receive the life annuity under Section 6.01 of this Act.