Upon the death of a retired member, the Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges shall pay to the beneficiary of the member or if there is no beneficiary or if the beneficiary predeceases the member, to the estate of the member, the sum of Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00) as a death benefit for those retired members who died prior to July 1, 1999. For those retired members who die on or after July 1, 1999, the sum shall be Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00). The benefit payable pursuant to this section shall be deemed, for purposes of federal income taxation, as life insurance proceeds and not as a death benefit if the Internal Revenue Service approves this provision pursuant to a private letter ruling request which shall be submitted by the board of trustees of the System for that purpose.
Added by Laws 1987, c. 236, § 157, emerg. eff. July 20, 1987. Amended by Laws 1999, c. 167, § 4, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2002, c. 352, § 3, eff. July 1, 2002.