Pennsylvania Statutes Title 53 P.S. Municipal and Quasi-Municipal Corporations § 895.1115. Death benefits under DROP

(a) Named beneficiary.--If a DROP participant dies, the DROP participant's named beneficiary shall be entitled to apply for and receive the benefits accrued in the DROP participant's subsidiary DROP participant account as provided in section 1114(d). 1

(b) Final benefit.--The monthly retirement system benefit accrued in the DROP participant's subsidiary DROP participant account during the month of a DROP participant's death shall be the final monthly retirement system benefit credited for DROP participation.

(c) Termination of eligibility.--A DROP participant's eligibility to participate in the DROP terminates upon the death of the DROP participant.  If a DROP participant dies on or after the effective date of participation in the DROP but before the monthly retirement system benefit of the participant accruable for the month has accrued in the DROP participant's subsidiary DROP participant account, the local government shall pay the monthly retirement system benefits as though the participant had not elected DROP participation and had died after the member's effective date of retirement but before receipt of the retired member's first regular retirement benefit.

(d) Survivors ineligible for death benefit.--Except for those benefits specifically payable as a result of death incurred in the course of performing a hazardous public duty, the survivors of a DROP participant who dies shall not be eligible to receive retirement system death benefits payable in the event of the death of an active member.

(e) Survivors eligible for retired member's death benefit.--The DROP participant's survivor shall be eligible to receive retirement system death benefits normally payable in the event of the death of a retired employee.