Alaska Statutes
Article 2. Teachers' Defined Benefit Retirement Plan.
Sec. 14.25.166. Designation of beneficiary.

(a) Each member shall designate the beneficiary or beneficiaries to whom the administrator shall distribute benefits payable under AS 14.25.009 - 14.25.220 as a consequence of the member's death. Notwithstanding a previous designation of beneficiary, a person who is the spouse of a member at the time of the member's death automatically becomes the designated beneficiary if the spouse was married to the member during part of the member's employment for an employer
(1) except to the extent a qualified domestic relations order filed with the administrator provides for payment to a former spouse or other dependent of the member; or
(2) unless the member filed a revocation of beneficiary accompanied by a written consent to the revocation from the present spouse and each person entitled under the order; however, consent of the present spouse is not required if the member and the present spouse had been married for less than two years on the date of the member's death and if the member established when filing the revocation that the member and the present spouse were not cohabiting.
(b) Except as provided in (a) of this section, the member may change or revoke the designation without notice to the beneficiary or beneficiaries at any time. If a member designates more than one beneficiary, each shares equally unless the member specifies a different allocation or preference. The designation of a beneficiary, a change or revocation of a beneficiary, and a consent to revocation of a beneficiary shall be made on a form provided by the administrator and is not effective until filed with the administrator.
(c) If a member fails to designate a beneficiary, or if no designated beneficiary survives the member, the death benefit shall be paid
(1) to the surviving spouse or, if there is none surviving,
(2) to the surviving children in equal parts or, if there are none surviving,
(3) to the surviving parents in equal parts or, if there are none surviving,
(4) to the estate.
(d) A person claiming entitlement to benefits payable under AS 14.25.009 - 14.25.220 as a consequence of a member's death shall provide the administrator with a marriage certificate, divorce or dissolution judgment, or other evidence of entitlement. Documents establishing entitlement may be filed with the administrator immediately after a change in the member's marital status. If the administrator does not receive notification of a claim before the date 10 days after the member's death, the person claiming entitlement is not entitled to receive from the division of retirement and benefits any benefit already paid by the administrator.

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