40 ILCS 5/17-124
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 40 - PENSIONS|40 ILCS 5/ - Illinois Pension Code.|Article 17 - Public School Teachers' Pension And Retirement Fund--Cities Of Over 500,000 Inhabitants

 (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 17-124)Sec. 17-124.     Death Benefits - Death on pension.     On written application to the Board, there shall be paid to the  estate of a deceased teacher-pensioner pension payments, accrued,  temporarily withheld or represented by checks uncashed at the date of  his death and the excess, if any, of an amount equal to his refundable  contributions for service or disability retirement pension over pension  to the date of death; provided, that if there be filed with the Board  prior to the death of the pensioner his written direction, signed and  acknowledged before an officer authorized to take acknowledgments, that  such payments be paid to designated beneficiaries, they shall be so paid  on written application therefor to the Board. If none of several  named  beneficiaries survives the pensioner and no directive was furnished by  the member to cover this contingency, the deceased beneficiary's share  shall be paid to the estate of the pensioner.If a reversionary pension is payable upon death of a pensioner, the  determination and payment of any refund of contributions payable under  this Section shall be made upon death of the reversionary pensioner. At  such time a refund of contributions less (1) the amount contributed for  annual increases in pension and (2) total pension payments to the  teacher-pensioner and survivor shall be paid in the manner provided in  this Section to the designated beneficiaries, or estate of the deceased  survivor.If a pension is payable to a surviving spouse and/or minor children  upon death of a pensioner, the determination of any refund of  contributions payable under this Section shall be made upon death of the  survivor and marriage or attainment of age 18 of minor children. At that  time a refund of contributions for retirement and survivors' and  children's pensions less total pension payments to teacher-pensioner,  survivor and minor children shall be paid in the manner provided in this  Section to the designated beneficiaries, or estate of the deceased  survivor.If eligible beneficiaries for survivors' or children's benefits  existed at the time of a pensioner's retirement but not on the date of  his death thereafter, the excess of total contributions for retirement  and survivors' and children's pensions over pensions paid shall be  determined upon death of the pensioner and paid in the manner provided  in this Section to the designated beneficiaries, or estate of the  deceased teacher-pensioner.Reversionary or survivor's pension payments accrued, temporarily  withheld, or represented by uncashed checks to the date of death shall  be paid to the reversionary pensioner's or survivor's designated  beneficiaries, or estate in the manner provided in this Section.On death of a retired teacher whose death occurs on  or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991, there shall  be payable a lump sum  death benefit equal to 6 times the teacher's salary rate for his last  month of service or $10,000, whichever is less, upon death during the  first year on pension minus 1/5 of the death benefit, as defined herein,  for each year or fraction thereof on pension after the first full year,  to a minimum of $5,000.Notwithstanding Section 17-157, the changes made in this Section and  Section 17-123 by this amendatory Act of 1991 shall apply to teachers dying  on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991 without  regard to whether service terminated prior to that date.    (Source: P.A. 90-566, eff. 1-2-98.)