Ohio Admin. Code 145-2-47 - Beneficiary and payment plan changes after retirement

(A) Section 145.46 of the Revised Code as effective January 7, 2013, renames the plans of payment available under sections 145.32, 145.33, 145.335, 145.332, and 145.46 and former section 145.34 of the Revised Code. For purposes of Chapter 145. of the Revised Code and Chapters 145-1 to 145-4 of the Administrative Code, such payment plans shall be treated the same as follows:

(1) A straight or single life annuity payment plan and plan B shall be known as "the single-life plan".

(2) An option 1 payment plan and plan D shall be known as "the joint-life plan".

(3) An option 2 payment plan and plan A when the retirant's spouse is the retirant's beneficiary and the amount payable after the retirant's death is fifty per cent shall be known as "the joint-life plan".

(4) An option 2 payment plan and plan C when the beneficiary is someone other than the retirant's spouse or the amount payable to a beneficiary after the retirant's death is other than fifty per cent shall be known as "the joint-life plan".

(5) An option 3 payment plan and plan E.

(6) Plan F shall be known as "the multiple-life plan".

(B) Except as provided in paragraph (I) of this rule, a designation of beneficiary may be changed after retirement when the retirant is receiving benefits under:

(1) A payment plan B or the single-life plan.

(2) A payment plan E, under the version of section 145.46 in effect immediately prior to January 7, 2013, but the payment plan cannot be changed.

(C) When a retirant is receiving benefits under the joint-life plan, the plan shall be changed to the single-life plan and a new beneficiary may be designated:

(1) The first day of the month following the date on which the public employees retirement system receives the death certificate of the spouse or other individual designated as beneficiary under the plan, but any change in the benefit amount shall be effective the first day of the month following the date of death of the spouse or beneficiary.

(2) On the first day of the month after receipt of the election of the retirant to revert to the single-life plan following divorce, annulment or dissolution of marriage with a spouse designated as beneficiary under the plan, except that no benefit shall be increased without the written consent of the former spouse who was the designated beneficiary or an order from the court with jurisdiction over the termination of the marriage.

(D) The right to have the joint-life plan recomputed as the single-life plan upon notice of the date of death of the beneficiary, or upon divorce, annulment or dissolution of marriage with a spouse who was designated as beneficiary, applies to all retirants who are receiving benefits under the joint-life plan regardless of the original effective date of benefits.

(E) Upon the marriage or remarriage of a retirant receiving benefits under the multiple-life plan, the retirant may designate the new spouse as a beneficiary under the multiple-life plan only if the retirant does not already have four beneficiaries designated under that plan at the time the retirant applies to add the new spouse.

(F)

(1) The death or disqualification of any designated beneficiary under the multiple-life plan shall not change the plan of payment. The the multiple-life plan benefit shall continue to the remaining designated beneficiaries in their same percentages. If the death or disqualification occurs prior to the retirant's death, the deceased beneficiary's portion shall revert to the retirant for the remainder of his or her lifetime.

(2) A retirant may not cancel the multiple-life plan and return to a single lifetime benefit equivalent until the date of death of all designated beneficiaries under that plan. The effective date of this change shall be the first day of the month following the date of death of the last living beneficiary.

(G) A retirant who is receiving benefits under the single-life plan may, upon the retirant's later marriage or remarriage, elect to have the retirant's benefit recomputed as the joint-life plan and designate only the new spouse as beneficiary, as provided in division (H) of section 145.46 of the Revised Code, sections section 9.02(f) and 9.03(h) of the combined plan document, and section 9.02(f) of the member-directed plan document. The actuarial factors shall be based on the actuarial ages of the retirant and beneficiary at the time the benefit is recomputed.

(H) A retirant who elected to receive a partial lump sum option payment, as defined in rule 145-1-65 of the Administrative Code, shall have the partial lump sum option payment accounted for upon the recomputation of the retirant's benefit.

(I) Any request for a change of plan of payment or of beneficiary shall be made on a form approved by the public employees retirement board. If a retirant dies prior to the retirement system's receipt of the form, the retirant's request for a change of plan of payment or beneficiary is void.

(J) For those retirants whose benefit is commenced under the single-life plan in accordance with section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C.A. 401, and the regulations thereunder, not later than one year after the effective date of the benefit described in this paragraph, a retirant who was married on the effective date of the benefit may elect the joint-life plan based on the actuarial equivalent of the retirant's single life annuity as determined by the board and designate the retirant's current spouse as beneficiary. The election shall be made on a form approved the retirement system and shall be effective on the effective date of the benefit paid under the single-life plan. Any benefit overpayment may be recovered as provided in section 145.563 of the Revised Code.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 145-2-47

Effective: 1/1/2025
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 9/29/2026
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 145.09
Rule Amplifies: 145.32, 145.33, 145.332, 145.335, 145.43, 145.46
Prior Effective Dates: 08/20/1976, 10/30/1978, 08/06/1990, 09/27/1998, 01/01/2003, 01/01/2004 (Emer.), 02/16/2004, 06/06/2005 (Emer.), 08/11/2005, 10/27/2006, 05/08/2007 (Emer.), 08/09/2007, 04/01/2008 (Emer.), 06/23/2008, 01/01/2010, 01/07/2013 (Emer.), 03/24/2013, 09/01/2013 (Emer.), 09/16/2013, 01/01/2017