New Jersey Statutes Title 43. Pensions and Retirement and Unemployment Compensation 43 § 16-4

(a) Upon the receipt of proper proofs of the death of a member who shall have lost his life while on duty, there shall be paid to his widow or dependent widower a pension of 70% of the member's average salary, for the use of herself or himself and the children of the deceased member, to continue during her or his widowhood; if there is no surviving widow or dependent widower or in case the widow or dependent widower 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, 1/2 of such salary will be payable to such children in equal shares; if there is no surviving widow, dependent widower, 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) The changes in benefits provided by subsection (a) 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. 43:16-4, to a widow of a policeman or fireman who lost his life while on duty, shall be increased to $4,500.00 per annum.

(c) The State shall pay the additional pension costs arising from the increase from 1/2 to 70% 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 section of this 1987 amendatory and supplementary act.