Cal. Education Code - EDC § 27000. Section 27000.
The death benefit shall become payable to the beneficiary upon receipt of proof of the participant’s death.
CHAPTER 11. Death Benefit [27000. - 27008.]
Cal. Education Code - EDC 11.
in effectCal. Education Code - EDC § 27001. Section 27001.
Notwithstanding Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 13100) of Part 1 of Division 8 of the Probate Code or any other provision of law to the contrary, the death benefit payable under the Cash Balance Benefit Program may be requested by the beneficiary and paid by the system as soon as practicable after the system receives proof of the participant’s death.
Cal. Education Code - EDC § 27002. Section 27002.
If the participant died prior to commencement of an annuity, the death benefit shall be an amount that is equal to the sum of the participant’s employee account and employer account.
Cal. Education Code - EDC § 27003. Section 27003.
The normal form of death benefit under this part is a lump-sum payment. Upon distribution of the lump-sum payment to the beneficiary, no further benefits shall be payable from the plan with respect to the Cash Balance Benefit Program.
Cal. Education Code - EDC § 27004. Section 27004.
(a)
A beneficiary, other than an entity except a trust as defined in Section 26106.5, may elect to receive the final benefit payable under the Cash Balance Benefit Program as an annuity payable in monthly installments provided that the sum of the employee account and the employer account that is payable to the beneficiary equals at least three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500).
(b)
A beneficiary who elects to receive an annuity pursuant to this section shall elect a period certain annuity. This form of payment is an annuity equal to the actuarial equivalent of the sum of the balance of the employee account and the employer account on the date of the participant’s death. The
annuity shall be payable in whole year increments over a period of years specified by the beneficiary, from a minimum of three years to a maximum of 10 years. However, the annuity period shall not exceed the life expectancy of the beneficiary of the trust that is beneficiary with respect to the trust’s interest in the plan.
(c)
The beneficiary may designate a payee to receive the remaining balance of payments if the beneficiary dies prior to the end of the period certain. Unless otherwise specified in the trust instrument, the trustee or beneficiary of the trust that is an annuity beneficiary is entitled to name a subsequent beneficiary if the trust is valid. If the trust is determined to be invalid or terminated, any election by the trustee pursuant to this subdivision shall be void and the beneficiary shall be entitled to exercise all rights provided to annuity beneficiaries under this part.
Cal. Education Code - EDC § 27005. Section 27005.
The annuity elected under this chapter shall be determined as a value actuarially equivalent to the sum of the participant’s employee account and employer account as of the date the death benefit becomes payable. The annuity shall be calculated using the age of the beneficiary on the date the benefit becomes payable.
Cal. Education Code - EDC § 27006. Section 27006.
Upon the beneficiary’s election to receive the death benefit under this part in the form of an annuity, the credits in the participant’s employee account and employer account shall be transferred to the Annuitant Reserve.
Cal. Education Code - EDC § 27007. Section 27007.
(a)
If the participant died while receiving an annuity under this part, the death benefit shall be payable in accordance with the terms of the annuity elected by the participant.
(b)
Upon the death of a participant who elected a single life annuity with a cash refund feature under this part, any balance remaining in the participant’s employee account and employer account shall be payable in a lump sum to the beneficiary.
(c)
Upon the death of a participant who elected a single life annuity without a cash refund feature under this part, no death benefit shall be payable.
(d)
Upon the death of a participant who elected a joint and survivor annuity under this part, the annuity shall continue for life to the surviving beneficiary under the joint and survivor option. If the beneficiary under the joint and survivor option has predeceased the participant, no death benefit shall be payable.
(e)
Upon the death of a participant who elected a period certain annuity under this part prior to the completion of annuity payments due the participant, the remaining balance of payments shall be paid to the beneficiary designated by the participant pursuant to Section 27100.
(1)
If the beneficiary is a person, the remaining period certain annuity payments shall be made over the amount of time remaining in
the period originally elected by the deceased member and shall be made in payments equal to the amount of the annuity payments previously received by the deceased member.
(2)
If the beneficiary is not a person, the remaining balance of period certain annuity payments shall be made in a lump-sum payment equal to the present value of the balance of payments due over the time remaining in the period originally elected by the deceased member.
Cal. Education Code - EDC § 27008. Section 27008.
Upon the death of a beneficiary who was receiving an annuity under this part due to the death of a participant, payment shall be made as follows:
(a)
Upon the death of a beneficiary under a joint and survivor option, no amount shall be payable.
(b)
Upon the death of a beneficiary who elected a single life annuity without a cash refund feature, no amount shall be payable.
(c)
Upon the death of a beneficiary who was receiving a period certain annuity, the actuarial equivalent of the remaining balance of payments shall be paid in a lump sum to the estate of the beneficiary unless the beneficiary designated a payee to receive the remaining balance of payments as provided in Section 27004.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026