While in receipt of benefits under DIPNC as a TSERS member, you are considered to be in service and eligible for the death benefit provided that you died within 180 days of the last day worked or and prior to the date that short-term or extended short-term disability benefits would have ended.
The payment is equal to the highest 12 months of salary during the 24 months before your death or the compensation used in calculating benefits under this plan as adjusted for percentage increases in post-disability benefits, but no less than $25,000 and no more than $50,000.
The death benefit is payable to your eligible death benefit beneficiary(ies) living at the time of your death. This death benefit does not apply to persons in receipt of benefits who were participants of the Optional Retirement Program. If you need to change your beneficiary(ies) for the Death Benefit, log in to ORBIT and click the Beneficiaries tab in the left navigation.
A lump-sum return of your TSERS retirement contributions is also payable to your eligible beneficiary(ies) living at the time of your death if you die while in receipt of DIPNC benefits. If you need to change your beneficiary(ies) for the Return of Contributions, log in to ORBIT and click the Beneficiaries tab in the left navigation.
The SAB does not apply if you have two or more beneficiaries eligible for the return of contributions living at the time of your death or if your estate is your eligible beneficiary at the time of your death. The monthly SAB equals the same amount you would have been entitled to receive under Option 2 had you survived and retired on the first of the month following your death.
Since the SAB is payable instead of the return of your contributions if you need to change your beneficiary for the Return of Contributions (and SAB, if applicable), log in to ORBIT.
Instead of the refund of your TSERS retirement contributions to your beneficiary, the SAB may be payable if you have only one eligible beneficiary for the return of contributions living at the time of your death, and you die while in receipt of DIPNC benefits after:
- Completing 20 years of creditable service (not including credit for unused sick leave) regardless of age.
- Reaching age 60 with five years of TSERS membership service if you are a TSERS general employee.
- Reaching age 50 with 15 years of creditable service as a law enforcement officer or reaching age 55 with five years of creditable service as a law enforcement officer.
- Completing 15 years of service at any age for a law enforcement officer who is killed in the line of duty.
If you do not meet one of these conditions, your beneficiary will be able to receive only a return of your contributions.
NOTE: During the month a retiree or beneficiary dies, the legal representative of the deceased retiree or beneficiary is entitled to a full check for the month the death occurred. However, it is a Class 1 Misdemeanor for a person to fraudulently receive the retirement benefit of a deceased retiree or beneficiary after the recipient’s death.
This page was last modified on 02/28/2025