Georgia Code Title 47. Retirement and Pensions § 47-6-83

(a) Upon the death of any member of the system, a lump sum amount shall be paid to such person as he has nominated by written designation, filed with the board, otherwise to his estate. Such lump sum amount shall be equal to the amount of his accumulated contributions.

(b) Upon the death of a beneficiary who has not elected an optional form of allowance under Code Section 47-6-81, a lump sum amount shall be paid to such person as he has last nominated by written designation, filed with the board, otherwise to his estate. Such lump sum amount shall be equal to the excess, if any, of his accumulated contributions at the time his allowance commenced over the sum of the retirement allowance payments made to him.

(c) Upon the death before retirement of a member of the system otherwise eligible for retirement or of a member with 15 years of creditable service, the person nominated by him to receive the lump sum amount in subsection (a) of this Code section shall receive, in lieu of such lump sum payment, an allowance for life in the same amount as if the deceased member had retired at the time of his death and had named such person as contingent beneficiary under Option One of Code Section 47-6-81. If the person nominated is not living at the death of the deceased member, the accumulated contributions shall be paid to the estate of the deceased member.