Pennsylvania Statutes Title 53 P.S. Municipal and Quasi-Municipal Corporations § 23589. Death benefits

(a) In the event of the death on or after January 1, 1975 of a member in active service who shall have had at least 8 years of credited service and shall have attained age 50, a survivor benefit shall become payable to his surviving spouse, if any, in an amount which shall be equal to 50% of the pension amount determined in section eight (a)   1 which would have been payable had the deceased member retired on the day before his death.  The amount of the survivor's benefits determined above shall be further reduced by 1% for each year in excess of five years that the spouse is younger than the deceased member.  The survivor's benefits shall be payable as long as the spouse lives or until remarriage.

(b) In the event of the death of any member in active service before the member has 8 years of credited service and attains age 50, the member's accumulated contributions without interest shall be paid to such person or persons as he shall have designated in writing and filed with the board or if he has not so designated, then paid to his estate.

(c) Any married person who retires under the provisions of this act may elect in writing at the time of retirement to reserve in the fund up to $100 per month from his pension payments which amount shall be payable to his surviving spouse after his death, provided, that such person shall have been married to his spouse for not less than two years.  In the event the spouse of a pensioner shall predecease such pensioner, the pensioner shall revert to full pension payments for the remainder of his life.  The surviving spouse shall be entitled commencing the first day of the month in which the death of the pensioner occurred to receive monthly payments equal to such monthly amount deducted up to $100 per month and such payments shall terminate upon the death or remarriage of such surviving spouse.

(d) In no case shall the total of payments made to a member or pensioner and his surviving spouse, if any, or his beneficiary or estate be less than the deceased member's accumulated contributions to the fund.