Kentucky Revised Statutes Title VIII. Offices and Officers § 61.630.Death after retirement; refund of contributions

(1) If a retired member who did not elect an optional retirement plan dies at any time on or after the first day of the month in which the member received or would have received his or her first retirement allowance but before receiving total retirement allowances provided in KRS 16.510 to 16.652, KRS 61.515 to 61.705, and KRS 78.520 to 78.852 at least equal to his accumulated contributions as of the date of his or her retirement, the difference between the accumulated contributions and the total allowances shall be payable in a lump sum to the properly designated beneficiary. Except as otherwise provided by KRS 61.542(5), if a living person designated as the beneficiary predeceases the retired member, the estate shall become the beneficiary. Except as otherwise provided by KRS 61.542(5), if a spouse designated as the beneficiary is divorced from the retired member as of the member's death, the estate shall become the beneficiary.

(2) If a retired member who elected an optional retirement plan and his or her beneficiary both die at any time on or after the first day of the month in which the member received or would have received his or her first retirement allowance but before receiving total retirement allowances provided in KRS 16.510 to 16.652, KRS 61.515 to 61.705, and KRS 78.520 to 78.852 at least equal to the retired member's accumulated contributions as of the date of his or her retirement, the difference between the accumulated contributions and the total allowances shall be payable in a lump sum to the estate of the last deceased, except that the retired member's estate shall receive the payment if the beneficiary was the spouse and they were divorced as of the date of the member's death. If the retired member and beneficiary die simultaneously, the estate of the retired member shall become the beneficiary.

(3) If a beneficiary receiving a lifetime retirement allowance under KRS 16.578 or 61.640 dies before receiving total retirement allowances provided in KRS 16.510 to 16.652, KRS 61.515 to 61.705, and KRS 78.520 to 78.852 at least equal to the member's accumulated contributions as of the date of the member's death, the difference between the accumulated contributions and the total allowances shall be payable in a lump sum to the estate of the beneficiary.

(4) If a beneficiary receiving a retirement allowance for sixty (60) or one hundred twenty (120) months certain under KRS 16.576, 16.578, or 61.640, or a beneficiary receiving a retirement allowance under KRS 61.635(5), (6), or (7), dies before receiving all payments under the plan, the executor or administrator of his or her estate shall receive a lump sum payment which shall be the actuarial equivalent to the remaining payments.

(5) If the system is unable to verify a recipient's whereabouts or whether the recipient is living, the system shall suspend the recipient's retirement allowance. If the recipient is located, the system shall restore to the recipient all suspended retirement allowances.