2023 Indiana Code › Title 33. Courts and Court Officers › Article 38. Judges › Chapter 8. 1985 Retirement, Disability, and Death System › 33-38-8-17. Death of Participant; Benefits of Surviving Spouse or Children

Sec. 17. (a) Benefits provided under this section are subject to IC 33-38-6-13 and section 20 of this chapter.
(b) The surviving spouse or child or children, as designated by the participant, of a participant who:
(1) dies; and
(2) on the date of death:
(A) was receiving benefits under this chapter;
(B) had completed at least eight (8) years of service and was in service as a judge or, after December 31, 2010, as a judge or full-time magistrate;
(C) had a permanent disability; or
(D) had completed at least eight (8) years of service, was not still in service as a judge or, after December 31, 2010, as a judge or full-time magistrate, and was entitled to a future benefit;
are entitled, regardless of the participant's ages, to the benefit prescribed by subsection (c).
(c) The surviving spouse or child or children, as designated under subsection (b), are entitled to a benefit equal to the greater of:
(1) fifty percent (50%) of the amount of the retirement benefit the participant was drawing at the time of death, or to which the participant would have been entitled had the participant retired and begun receiving retirement benefits on the date of death, with reductions as necessary under section 14(d) of this chapter; or
(2) the amount determined under the following table:
Year
Amount
July 1, 1995, to
June 30, 1996
$10,000
July 1, 1996, to
June 30, 1997
$11,000
July 1, 1997, and
thereafter
$12,000
(d) The benefit payable to a surviving spouse or surviving child or children under subsection (c) is subject to the following:
(1) A surviving spouse is entitled to receive the benefit for life.
(2) The total monthly benefit payable to a surviving child or children is equal to the same monthly benefit that was to have been payable to the surviving spouse.
(3) If there is more than one (1) child designated by the participant, then the children are entitled to share the benefit in equal monthly amounts.
(4) A child entitled to a benefit shall receive that child's share until the child becomes eighteen (18) years of age or during the entire period of the child's physical or mental disability, whichever period is longer.
(5) Upon the cessation of benefits to one (1) designated child, if there are one (1) or more other children then surviving and still entitled to benefits, the remaining children shall share equally the benefit. If the surviving spouse of the participant is surviving upon the cessation of benefits to all designated children, the surviving spouse shall then receive the benefit for the remainder of the spouse's life.
(6) The benefit shall be payable to the participant's surviving spouse if any of the following occur:
(A) No child or children named as a beneficiary by a participant survives the participant.
(B) No child or children designated by the participant is or are entitled to a benefit due to the age of the child or children at the time of death of the participant.
(C) A designation is not made.
(7) A benefit payable to a surviving child or children may be paid to a trust or a custodian account under IC 30-2-8.5, established for the surviving child or children as designated by the participant.
[Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-13-10.1-10.]
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.17. Amended by P.L.99-2007, SEC.199; P.L.122-2008, SEC.19.