New Jersey Statutes Title 43. Pensions and Retirement and Unemployment Compensation 43 § 16-3

(a) Upon the receipt of proper proofs of the death of a member who shall not have died while on duty, there shall be paid to the member's surviving spouse a pension of 50% of the member's average salary, for the use of herself or himself, to continue during her or his widowhood, plus 15% of such salary payable to one surviving child or plus 25% of such salary to two or more surviving children; if there is no surviving spouse or in case the surviving spouse dies or remarries, 20% of the member's average salary will be payable to one surviving child, 35% of such salary to two surviving children in equal shares and if there be three or more children, 50% of such salary will be payable to such children in equal shares; if there is no surviving spouse or child, 25% of the member's average salary will be payable to one surviving dependent parent or 40% of such salary will be payable to two surviving dependent parents in equal shares.

(b) Upon the receipt of proper proofs of the death after retirement of a former member of the pension fund, there shall be paid to the member's surviving spouse a pension of 50% of the member's average salary for the use of herself or himself, to continue during her or his widowhood, plus 15% of such salary payable to one surviving child or plus 25% of such salary to two or more surviving children; if there is no surviving spouse or in case the surviving spouse dies or remarries, 20% of the member's average salary will be payable to one surviving child, 35% of such salary to two surviving children in equal shares and if there be three or more children, 50% of such salary will be payable to such children in equal shares.

(c) The changes in benefits provided by subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall apply only to pensions granted after April 1, 1967; provided, however, that any pension in an amount less than $4,500.00 per annum presently being paid or to be paid in the future, pursuant to R.S. 43:16-3, to a surviving spouse of a police officer or firefighter who did not die while on duty or who died following retirement, shall be increased to $4,500.00 per annum.

(d) The State shall pay the additional costs arising from the increase from 25% to 50% in the proportion of a member's average salary payable as a pension to that member's surviving spouse pursuant to the provisions of this 1987 amendatory and supplementary act.