Qualifying for Survivor’s Benefit under the Defined Benefit Plan
The financial settlement the defined benefit plan provides beneficiaries when non-retired eligible employees die, is determined by the individual employee’s service record and status in the Utah Retirement Systems. Settlement is determined by the laws governing the retirement system or plan from which the employee retired. Refer to the Highlights brochures or visit our website at www.urs.org for more detailed information. The Highlights brochures are updated annually and are effective July 1, of each year.
You should notify our office immediately of a non-retired eligible employee’s death by calling our Retirement Benefits Department at 801-366-7770 or 800-695-4877. We will contact the beneficiaries to complete the necessary forms.
In accordance with the requirements of the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Act of 2008 (“HEART Act”), the designated beneficiary of an employee who dies while performing qualified military service shall be entitled to any additional benefits that would be provided had the employee resumed and then immediately terminated employment on account of death (U.C.A. § 49-13-501, U.C.A. § 49-22-501,U.C.A. § 49-23-501, Board Resolution 2013-02, Board Resolution 2014-02).
This provision allows eligible non-retired employees of the Tier 1 Public Employees Noncontributory and Contributory, Tier 2 Public Employees, and Tier 2 Public Safety & Firefighter Retirement Systems to take an advance payment of 75% of their death benefit if they have a terminal illness and a life expectancy of less than 18 months.
Employees should contact our Retirement Benefits Department at 801-366-7770 or 800-695-4877 for more information.
» Payment at the time of death is based on the option selected at the time of retirement.
» Life insurance, if applicable, is paid to the designated beneficiary on file with our office at the time of death.
» 65% of the employee’s monthly benefit is payable to the spouse at the time of the member’s death; or
» 75% of the employee’s monthly benefit is payable to the spouse at the time of the employee’s death, if the employees elects to take a smaller monthly benefit at the time of retirement.
75% is payable to the spouse at the time of the member’s death.