AK Stat § 14.25.167 (2021)
2021 Alaska Statutes|Title 14. Education, Libraries, and Museums|Chapter 25. Teachers' Retirement|Article 2. Teachers' Defined Benefit Retirement Plan.|Sec. 14.25.167. Joint and survivor option.

(a) Benefits payable under this section are in place of benefits payable under AS 14.25.110, 14.25.125, 14.25.155, 14.25.157, 14.25.160, 14.25.162, or 14.25.164. Upon filing an application for retirement with the administrator, or when a disabled member becomes eligible for normal retirement under AS 14.25.130(e), the member shall designate the person who is the member's spouse at the time of appointment to retirement as the contingent beneficiary. However, if the designation of the spouse is revoked under (c) of this section, the member may designate a dependent approved by the administrator as the contingent beneficiary or may take normal or early retirement under AS 14.25.110 or 14.25.125. The administrator shall pay benefits under the option elected by the member. The member may elect an option that provides that (1) the member is entitled to receive a reduced benefit payable for life, and, after the member's death, the contingent beneficiary is entitled to receive payments in the amount of 75 percent of the reduced benefit for life; (2) the member is entitled to receive a reduced benefit payable for life, and, after the member's death, the contingent beneficiary is entitled to receive payments in the amount of 50 percent of the reduced benefit for life; or (3) the member is entitled to receive a reduced benefit payable during the joint lifetime of the member and the contingent beneficiary, and, after the death of either the member or the contingent beneficiary, the survivor is entitled to receive payments in the amount of 66-2/3 percent of the reduced benefit for life. (b) The aggregate of the pension payments expected to be paid to a member and the member's contingent beneficiary under the options set out in (a) of this section shall be the actuarial equivalent of the pension that the member is otherwise entitled to receive upon retirement. (c) A member may elect or change an option without the approval of the administrator if the member's election or change is filed in writing with the administrator before the effective date of the member's retirement. A member may revoke a joint and survivor option if the member files with the administrator before the effective date of the member's retirement a revocation and a consent to the revocation signed by the member's present spouse and each person entitled to benefits under a qualified domestic relations order on forms provided by the administrator. The administrator may waive the requirement for written consent from (1) a person entitled under the order if the person cannot be located or for another reason established by regulation; or (2) the spouse if (A) the member is not married; (B) the member was not married to the spouse during any period of the member's employment with an employer; (C) the spouse has no rights to the option because of the terms of a qualified domestic relations order; (D) the spouse cannot be located; (E) the member and spouse have been married for less than two years and the member establishes that they are not cohabiting; or (F) another reason is established under regulations of the administrator. (d) A member, including a deferred vested member, may, regardless of age, elect a joint and survivor option any time before appointment to receive a retirement benefit. (e) If either the member or contingent beneficiary dies before the member is appointed to retirement, the election becomes inoperative. Once the member is appointed to retirement, the election is irrevocable, even if the retired member is reemployed. Any additional retirement benefit to which the reemployed member may become entitled will be paid in accordance with the initial election made under this section, unless the contingent beneficiary is deceased. If the contingent beneficiary is deceased, the benefits earned during the period of reemployment are subject to AS 14.25.110, or this section if another contingent beneficiary was designated during the period of reemployment. All other benefits earned during previous periods of employment are subject to the election at the time the member was appointed to retirement. If death occurs during the period of reemployment and the proximate cause of death is not a bodily injury sustained or hazard undergone while in the performance and within the scope of the member's duties of employment, those benefits earned while reemployed are subject to AS 14.25.155(c). All other benefits earned during previous periods of employment are subject to the election at the time the member was appointed to retirement. If death occurs during the period of reemployment and the proximate cause of death is a bodily injury sustained or hazard undergone while in the performance and within the scope of the member's duties of employment and the injury or hazard is not the proximate result of wilful negligence on the part of the member, all benefits earned during all periods of employment are subject to AS 14.25.157. (f) The member and any person claiming to be a contingent beneficiary shall file with the administrator a marriage certificate, divorce or dissolution judgment, or other evidence necessary to determine the applicability of this section and the identity of any contingent beneficiary. (g) If the administrator determines, based on the affidavit of the member and other evidence, that a member is eligible to elect a form of payment other than a joint and survivor option under this section, and no contrary evidence is presented to the administrator within 60 days after the effective date of the member's retirement, no claim under this section, made by a spouse or former spouse of the member, may be paid if payment would result in an increase in actuarial liability to the plan. (h) If a member fails to elect an option under (a) of this section and no effective revocation is filed with the administrator, the member is considered to have elected the option provided in (a)(2) of this section.