2023 California Code › Education Code - EDC › TITLE 1 - GENERAL EDUCATION CODE PROVISIONS › DIVISION 1 - GENERAL EDUCATION CODE PROVISIONS › PART 13 - STATE TEACHERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM › CHAPTER 28 - Options › Section 24345.

24345. (a) A member who retired and elected an option pursuant to Section 24300 may elect to change options, subject to all of the following:
(1) A member who elected Option 2 may elect to change to the 100-percent beneficiary option described in paragraph (1) or the 75-percent beneficiary option described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 24300.1.
(2) A member who elected Option 3, Option 4, or Option 5 may elect to change to the 75-percent beneficiary option described in paragraph (2) or the 50-percent beneficiary option described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 24300.1.
(3) A member who elected Option 6 or Option 7 may elect to change to the 75-percent beneficiary option described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 24300.1.
(4) A member who elected Option 8 may elect to have any designated percentage of his or her unmodified allowance changed in accordance with paragraph (1), (2), or (3).
(5) The election by a member under this section is made on or after January 1, 2007, and prior to July 1, 2007.
(6) The member designates the same beneficiary that was designated under the prior option elected by the member, if the option and beneficiary designation were effective on or before December 31, 2006.
(7) The member and the option beneficiary are not afflicted with a known terminal illness and the member declares, under penalty of perjury under the laws of this state, that to the best of his or her knowledge, he or she and the option beneficiary are not afflicted with a known terminal illness.
(8) The option beneficiary has not predeceased the member as of the effective date of the change in the option by the member.
(b) The change in the option by the member shall be effective on the date the election is signed, provided that the election is on a properly executed form provided by the system and that election is received at the system’s headquarters office within 30 days after the date the election is signed.
(c) After receipt of a member’s election document, the system shall mail an acknowledgment notice to the member that sets forth the new option elected by the member.
(d) If the member and the option beneficiary are alive and not afflicted with a known terminal illness, a member may cancel the election to change options and elect to receive the benefit according to the preexisting option election. After cancellation, the member may elect to make a one-time change from the preexisting option to any other option provided by and subject to the restrictions of paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) of subdivision (a). The cancellation or the cancellation and one-time change shall be made on a properly executed form provided by the system and shall be received at the system’s headquarters office no later than 30 calendar days following the date of mailing of the acknowledgment notice. If the member elects to make the one-time change provided by this subdivision, the change shall be effective as of the member’s signature date on the initial election to change.
(e) If the system is unable to mail an acknowledgment notice to the member on or before June 1, 2007, or prior to the end of the election period, provided that the member and the option beneficiary are alive and not afflicted with a known terminal illness, the system shall allow a member to cancel the election to change options and elect to receive the benefit according to the preexisting option election. After cancellation, the member may elect to make a one-time change from the preexisting option to any other option provided by and subject to the restrictions of paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) of subdivision (a). The cancellation or the cancellation and one-time change may be made after the end of the election period if it is made on a properly executed form provided by the system and is received at the system’s headquarters office no later than 30 days following the date of the acknowledgment notice. If the member elects to make the one-time change provided by this subdivision, the change shall be effective as of the member’s signature date on the initial election to change.
(f) If the member elects to change his or her option as described in subdivision (a), the retirement allowance of the member shall be modified in a manner determined by the board to prevent any additional liability to the plan.
(g) The member shall not change options in derogation of a spouse’s or former spouse’s community property rights as specified in a court order.
(Added by renumbering Section 24300.2 by Stats. 2014, Ch. 755, Sec. 42. (SB 1220) Effective January 1, 2015.)