Beneficiary Designation

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION FORM UPDATED WITH THE PLAN.

Whenever you experience a life changing event (marriage, divorce, birth of a child, retirement, death, etc.), you should check your most current Beneficiary Designation form on file with the Plan by calling the Retirement Section at (213) 367-1715.

You may change your beneficiary form at any time and as many times as you like by calling the Retirement Section. We will ask for your beneficiary’s name, Social Security number, birth date, current address, phone number, and his/her relationship to you.  

You may even name a trust or an entity as your beneficiary. If you name a trust, we will require a copy of the title page, the page naming the successor trustee(s), and the signature page of the trust, including the notarization page. If you name an entity, we will require the contact information and the tax identification number (TIN) for the entity.

Your Beneficiary Designation form is CONFIDENTIAL.

Successive Preference Rule
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If you die without a proper Beneficiary Designation form on file with the Retirement Plan Office, we will pay your Death Benefits according to the Successive Preference provision of the Plan in order of the following:

  • Widow or widower, if living;
  • Descendants (children and/or the children of deceased children), if living;
  • Father and/or mother, if living;
  • Brother(s) and/or sister(s), if living;
  • Executor or administrator of your estate.

If the total amount of your Death Benefits exceeds the amounts specified by law, and the Retirement Plan Office must pay your benefits under the Successive Preference provisions, your estate may need to be probated before the Plan can pay any benefits.

Minor
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If you name a minor child to receive your Death Benefits, there are laws that will prevent the Plan from paying to the minor child until he or she turns age 18 unless a guardianship or custodian is established in court. Additionaly, if your death benefit is not payable for a period of years, this may create a substantial tax penalty from the IRS when the benefit is paid. This is especially true if the minor child is the beneficiary of your contributions and interest.

Alternatively, there is a Plan benefit specifically designed for your minor child. Please see our section on Family Death Benefit.

COMMUNITY PROPERTY
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Since California is a community property state, regardless of who you name on your Beneficiary Designation form, your current spouse or former spouse/domestic partner may have a community property interest in the Death Benefits. The Plan is obligated to pay the community property portion to a current spouseor a former spouse/domestic partner if they are awarded an interest in your Plan benefits in the divorce proceeding.

WILL OR TRUST
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Regardless of whether you have established a Will or Trust, the Plan can only pay to the beneficiary you have on file with the Plan on the form provided by the Plan. We will not be able to honor your will or trust.

Similarly, if you have named a beneficiary through another entity, regardless of its association with the City or Department, we will not be able to honor the beneficiary form from another entity.

You must name your beneficiary on the Plan’s Beneficiary Designation form and the form must meet all Plan requirements to be valid.