(a) Payments to a participant shall commence as soon as administratively feasible following the distribution commencement date. The distribution commencement date is the first date on which one of the following occurs:
(1) a member meets the requirements of AS 39.35.810 and has made a complete application for payment under AS 39.35.830;
(2) a participant has elected to defer receipt of the account to a date specified, the date has been attained, and the participant has made a complete application for payment;
(3) a member attains normal retirement age and has not made an application for payment or elected to defer receipt of the account to a date later than normal retirement age;
(4) a member's beneficiary does not make an application for benefits, and five years have elapsed since the member's death;
(5) notwithstanding (1) - (4) of this subsection, a participant whose account has a balance of $1,000 or less meets the requirements of AS 39.35.810, at which time the participant must take payment of the participant's account.
(b) The entire interest of a member must be distributed or must begin to be distributed not later than the member's required beginning date.
(c) If a member dies after the distribution of the member's interest has begun but before the distribution has been completed, the remaining portion of the interest shall continue to be distributed at least as rapidly as under the method of distribution being used before the member's death.
(d) If a member has made a distribution election and dies before the distribution of the member's interest begins, distribution of the member's entire interest shall be completed by December 31 of the calendar year containing the fifth anniversary of the member's death. However, if any portion of the member's interest is payable to a designated beneficiary, distributions may be made over the life of the designated beneficiary or over a period certain not greater than the life expectancy of the designated beneficiary, commencing on or before December 31 of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the member died, and, if the designated beneficiary is the member's surviving spouse, the date distributions are required to begin may not be earlier than the later of December 31 of the calendar year (1) immediately following the calendar year in which the member died, or (2) in which the member would have attained 70 1/2 years of age, whichever is earlier. If the surviving spouse dies after the member but before payments to the spouse have begun, the provisions of this subsection apply as if the surviving spouse were the member. An amount paid to a child of the member shall be treated as if it were paid to the surviving spouse if the amount becomes payable to the surviving spouse when the child reaches the age of majority.
(e) If a member has not made a distribution election before the member's death, the member's designated beneficiary must elect the method of distribution not later than December 31 of the calendar year (1) in which distributions would be required to begin under this section, or (2) that contains the fifth anniversary of the date of death of the member, whichever is earlier. If the member does not have a designated beneficiary or if the designated beneficiary does not elect a method of distribution, distribution of the member's entire interest must be completed by December 31 of the calendar year containing the fifth anniversary of the member's death.
(f) For purposes of (b) of this section, distribution of a member's interest is considered to begin (1) on the member's required beginning date, or (2) if the designated beneficiary is the member's surviving spouse and the surviving spouse dies after the member but before payments to the spouse have begun, on the date distribution is required to begin to the surviving spouse. If distribution in the form of an annuity irrevocably commences to the member before the required beginning date, the date distribution is considered to begin is the date that the distribution actually commences.
(g) Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of AS 39.35.700 - 39.35.990, the requirements of this section apply to all distributions of a member's interest and take precedence over any inconsistent provisions of AS 39.35.700 - 39.35.990.
(h) All distributions required under this section are determined and made in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 401(a)(9) and regulations adopted under that statute, including any minimum distribution incidental benefit requirement.
(i) In this section,
(1) “designated beneficiary” means the individual who is designated as the beneficiary under the plan in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 401(a)(9) and regulations adopted under that statute;
(2) “required beginning date” means the first day of April of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the member either attains 70 1/2 years of age or actually terminates employment, whichever is later.