Source: http://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/5/title5sec18553.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 06:43:23+00:00

Document:
2. Survivor benefits. Survivor benefits are governed as follows.
C. A person entitled to receive benefits under this section may, before the beginning of benefit payments, elect to receive benefits under article 5.
(1) In order to elect these survivor benefits, both the qualifying member and the beneficiary must comply with each requirement of article 5.
3. Amount of survivor benefit payment to surviving spouse. If the surviving spouse of the qualifying member elects a benefit under subsection 2, paragraph A, only one of the following options may be paid at one time.
(2) The surviving spouse is certified by the medical board to be permanently mentally incompetent or permanently physically incapacitated and is determined by the executive director to be unable to engage in any substantially gainful employment.
C. A surviving spouse of the qualifying member who is not eligible to receive a benefit under paragraph A or B is paid a $150 minimum benefit each month, beginning the first month after the surviving spouse reaches 60 years of age and continuing during the surviving spouse's lifetime.
4. Amount of survivor benefit to dependent children. If the dependent child or children or surviving spouse of the deceased qualifying member elects a benefit under subsection 2, paragraph A, the payment of benefits to the dependent child or children is governed as follows.
A. The amount of the survivor benefit is determined as follows.
(c) Three or more dependent children are paid $300 each month which must be divided equally among them.
(2) Starting January 1, 1989, each dependent child receives a benefit of $150 a month.
(3) Starting July 1, 1989, each dependent child receives a benefit of $175 a month.
(4) Starting July 1, 1990, each dependent child receives a benefit of $200 a month.
(5) Starting July 1, 1991, each dependent child receives a benefit of $225 a month.
(6) Starting July 1, 1992, each dependent child receives a benefit of $250 a month.
5. Amount of survivor benefit to parents. If the parent of the deceased qualifying member elects a benefit under subsection 2, paragraph A, the payment of benefits is governed as follows.
A. The amount of the benefit is determined as follows.
(1) A parent who is alive at the time of the death of the qualifying member is paid $150 a month if the parent is at least 60 years of age or, if not, upon reaching that age.
(2) If both parents are eligible for benefits under this article and the older parent elects benefits under this subsection, the older parent is paid $150 a month and the younger parent is paid $105 a month upon reaching 60 years of age.
5-A. Amount of survivor benefit to designated beneficiary. If a designated beneficiary, other than the surviving spouse, dependent child, dependent children or the parent or parents of a deceased qualifying member, elects a benefit under subsection 2, paragraph A, the payment of benefits is governed as follows.
5-B. Reduced retirement benefits. Beginning July 1, 1993, instead of accepting the benefits under subsection 1 or 2, the first listed person under paragraph A living at the time of death of the qualifying member may elect the benefits in this subsection.
B. Benefits under this subsection are paid as follows, notwithstanding that the qualified member may not be eligible to retire under section 18452, subsection 3.
(1) The benefit is computed in accordance with section 18452, subsection 3, if applicable, as if the service retirement of the qualifying member had taken place on the date of the member's death.
(2) The beneficiary is paid beginning on the first day of the month after the death of the qualifying member and continuing until the last day of the month in which the beneficiary's death occurs.
6. Transfer of funds. If benefits are paid under subsections 3 to 5-B, the amount of the deceased qualifying member's accumulated contributions in the Members' Contribution Fund is transferred to the Retirement Allowance Fund.
7. Death of beneficiary before payment. If any person becomes entitled to the payment of benefits under this article and dies before either the refund check or the initial survivor benefit check is endorsed and presented to a holder in due course, the person is considered to have predeceased the qualifying member.
8. Change of choice of payment option. Any beneficiary under this article may change the choice of payment at any time up to the point of endorsement and presentation to a holder in due course of either the refund check or the initial survivor benefit payment.
9. Defeat of survivor's option. A qualifying member may specify that the refund of the member's accumulated contributions be paid to a designated beneficiary or to the qualifying member's estate in lieu of any payment to survivors under subsections 3 to 5-B by filing an affidavit expressing that intent with the executive director.
11. Special options. Instead of accepting the payment provided in subsection 1, 2, 5-A or 5-B, a beneficiary may elect to receive benefits under article 5.
1985, c. 801, §§5,7 (NEW). 1987, c. 529, §§3,4 (AMD). 1987, c. 769, §A31 (AMD). 1987, c. 823, §§9-11 (AMD). 1989, c. 658, §§6-8 (AMD). 1991, c. 469, §5 (AMD). 1991, c. 619, §17 (AMD). 2001, c. 118, §12 (AMD). 2007, c. 137, §24 (AMD). 2007, c. 249, §33 (AMD). 2017, c. 402, Pt. C, §16 (AMD). 2017, c. 402, Pt. F, §1 (AFF).

References: §5
 §17
 §12
 §24
 §33
 §16
 §1