(1) Each firefighter may, on a form provided for that purpose, signed and filed with the board of trustees, designate a choice of one or more persons, named sequentially or jointly, as his or her beneficiary (or beneficiaries) to receive the benefit, if any, which may be payable in the event of his or her death; and each designation may be revoked by such firefighter by signing and filing with the board of trustees a new designation-of-beneficiary form.
(2) If no beneficiary is named in the manner provided by subsection (1), or if no beneficiary designated by the member survives him or her, the death benefit, if any, which may be payable under the plan with respect to such deceased firefighter shall be paid by the board of trustees to the estate of such deceased firefighter, provided that the board of trustees, in its discretion, may direct that the commuted value of the remaining monthly income payments be paid in a lump sum. Any payment made to any person pursuant to this subsection shall operate as a complete discharge of all obligations under the plan with regard to the deceased firefighter and any other persons with rights under the plan and shall not be subject to review by anyone but shall be final, binding, and conclusive on all persons ever interested hereunder.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the surviving spouse of any pension participant member killed in the line of duty shall not lose survivor retirement benefits if the spouse remarries. The surviving spouse of such deceased member whose benefit terminated because of remarriage shall have the benefit reinstated as of July 1, 1994, at an amount that would have been payable had such benefit not been terminated.
History.—s. 1, ch. 63-249; s. 11, ch. 81-168; s. 4, ch. 94-171; s. 1450, ch. 95-147; s. 18, ch. 99-1; s. 2, ch. 2000-159.
Structure Florida Statutes
Chapter 175 - Firefighter Pensions
175.021 - Legislative Declaration.
175.041 - Firefighters’ Pension Trust Fund Created; Applicability of Provisions.
175.051 - Actuarial Deficits Not State Obligation.
175.071 - General Powers and Duties of Board of Trustees.
175.081 - Use of Annuity or Insurance Policies.
175.091 - Creation and Maintenance of Fund.
175.101 - State Excise Tax on Property Insurance Premiums Authorized; Procedure.
175.1015 - Determination of Local Premium Tax Situs.
175.1215 - Police and Firefighters’ Premium Tax Trust Fund.
175.122 - Limitation of Disbursement.
175.141 - Payment of Excise Tax Credit on Similar State Excise or License Tax.
175.151 - Penalty for Failure of Insurers to Comply With This Act.
175.162 - Requirements for Retirement.
175.171 - Optional Forms of Retirement Income.
175.191 - Disability Retirement.
175.201 - Death Prior to Retirement; Refunds of Contributions; Death Benefits.
175.211 - Separation From Service; Refunds.
175.221 - Lump-Sum Payment of Small Retirement Income.
175.231 - Diseases of Firefighters Suffered in Line of Duty; Presumption.
175.241 - Exemption From Tax and Execution.
175.261 - Annual Report to Division of Retirement; Actuarial Valuations.
175.301 - Depository for Pension Funds.
175.311 - Municipalities, Special Fire Control Districts, and Boards Independent of Each Other.
175.361 - Termination of Plan and Distribution of Fund.
175.371 - Transfer to Another State Retirement System; Benefits Payable.