Eligible Beneficiaries

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A beneficiary is the person, trust, estate, or organization named by a LACERA member to receive a benefit in the event of that member’s death.

In regard to a member’s retirement distributions, the beneficiary for a continuing allowance can be an eligible spouse, domestic partner, child, or person with insurable interest (see below), depending on the retirement option. Lump-sum payments of a member’s accumulated contributions can be made to any named beneficiary.

Eligible Survivors of Retired Members

A monthly continuing allowance is a benefit LACERA pays to eligible survivors of deceased LACERA retirees. Eligible survivors are:

  • The spouse or domestic partner of the deceased member, if they were married/registered one year prior to the member’s retirement. Domestic partnerships must have been registered with the California Secretary of State, with a Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership.
  • The decedent’s unmarried minor child(ren) under the age of 18, in the absence of a surviving spouse or domestic partner. Eligibility may be extended through the age of 22 if the eligible child(ren) remains unmarried and a full-time student in an accredited educational institution.

Eligible Survivors of Active Members

A monthly continuing allowance is a benefit LACERA pays to eligible survivors of active members. Eligible survivors are:

  • The spouse or domestic partner who married or entered into a duly registered domestic partnership with the member prior to the member’s death. No minimum length of marriage or domestic partnership requirement applies.
  • The decedent’s unmarried minor child(ren) under the age of 18 In the absence of a surviving spouse or domestic partner. Eligibility may be extended through the age of 21 if the eligible child(ren) remains unmarried and a full-time student in an accredited educational institution. 

Person with Insurable Interest

LACERA retirement options 2, 3, and 4 are payable to any beneficiary with an insurable interest. You have insurable interest in another person if you depend on that person for education, support, money, property, and/or services.

According to California law, every person has an insurable interest in the life and health of:

  • Him/herself
  • Any person on whom he/she depends wholly or in part for education or support
  • Any person under a legal obligation to him/her for:
    • payment of money
    • property or services of which death or illness might delay or prevent the performance
  • Any person upon whose life any estate or interest vested in him/her depends

Learn more about Survivor Benefits.