2023 California Code › Education Code - EDC › TITLE 1 - GENERAL EDUCATION CODE PROVISIONS › DIVISION 1 - GENERAL EDUCATION CODE PROVISIONS › PART 14 - STATE TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM CASH BENEFIT PROGRAM › CHAPTER 1 - General Provisions › Section 26004.

26004. Notwithstanding any other provision of law:
(a) The benefits payable to any participant or beneficiary under this part shall be subject to the limitations imposed by Section 415 of Title 26 of the United States Code.
(b) The amount of compensation that is taken into account in computing benefits under this part for a plan year shall not exceed the annual compensation limit applicable to that plan year in accordance with Section 401(a)(17) of Title 26 of the United States Code as that section read on the effective date of this section and as that section may be amended after that date. The determination of compensation for a 12-month period shall be subject to the annual compensation limit in effect for the calendar year in which the 12-month period begins. In a determination of average compensation over more than one 12-month period, the amount of compensation taken into account for each 12-month period shall be subject to the respective annual compensation limit applicable to that period.
(c) Distributions from the plan under this part shall be made in accordance with Section 401(a)(9) of Title 26 of the United States Code, including the incidental death benefit requirements of Section 401(a)(9)(G) and the regulations thereunder. The required beginning date of benefit payments that represent the entire interest of the participant shall be as follows:
(1) In the case of a lump-sum distribution of a retirement benefit, disability benefit, or termination benefit, the lump-sum payment shall be made not later than April 1 of the calendar year following the later of (A) the calendar year in which the participant attains the age at which the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 requires a distribution of benefits or (B) the calendar year in which the participant terminates all employment subject to coverage by the plan.
(2) In the case of a retirement benefit or disability benefit that is to be paid in the form of an annuity, payment of the annuity shall begin not later than April 1 of the calendar year following the later of (A) the calendar year in which the participant attains the age at which the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 requires a distribution of benefits or (B) the calendar year in which the participant terminates employment in all positions subject to coverage by the plan, with the annuity to continue over the life of the participant or the life of the participant and the participant’s option beneficiary, or over a period not to exceed the life expectancy of the participant or the life expectancy of the participant and the participant’s option beneficiary.
(3) In the case of a death benefit, distributions shall commence as follows:
(A) The normal form of the benefit or other lump-sum distribution shall be paid not later than December 31 of the calendar year in which the fifth anniversary of the participant’s or beneficiary’s date of death occurs.
(B) Annuity payments shall commence as follows:
(i) If the spouse is the sole beneficiary, not later than December 31 of the later of the calendar year in which the participant would have attained the age at which the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 requires a distribution of benefits or the calendar year following the calendar year of the participant’s death.
(ii) If the spouse is not the sole beneficiary, not later than December 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the participant’s death.
(d) If a person becomes entitled to a distribution from the plan under this part that constitutes an eligible rollover distribution within the meaning of Section 401(a)(31) of Title 26 of the United States Code, the person may elect under terms and conditions established by the board to have the distribution or a portion thereof paid directly to a plan that constitutes an eligible retirement plan within the meaning of Section 401(a)(31), as specified by that person. Upon the exercise of the election by a person with respect to a distribution or a portion thereof, the distribution from the plan of the amount so designated, once distributable under the terms of the plan, shall be made in the form of a direct rollover to the eligible retirement plan so specified.
(e) The amount of any benefit from the plan under this part that is determined on the basis of actuarial assumptions shall be based on actuarial assumptions adopted by the board pursuant to Section 26213 as a plan amendment with respect to the Cash Balance Benefit Program and those assumptions shall preclude employer discretion and comply with Section 401(a)(25) of Title 26 of the United States Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 298, Sec. 21. (AB 1325) Effective January 1, 2018.)