New York Laws
Article 10 - Firefighters and Police Officers
207-G - Ordinary Death Benefits of Members of Police Retirement Systems.

(a) "Member" means a contributor to the pension system of any city
maintaining a police pension fund based upon the accumulation of
deductions from the compensation or the contributions of the members
thereof and payments made by such city to pension reserves for such
members, and such pension system provides for optional retirement
allowances.
(b) "Accumulated deductions" shall mean the sum of all the amounts,
deducted from the compensation of a member of such pension system or
contributed by him, standing to his credit therein; together with the
interest thereon, if any, as provided by the law, charter or
administrative code governing such system.
(c) "Pension" shall mean payments for life derived from appropriations
for and payments into such pension system by such city.
(d) "Minimum period of service" shall mean a fixed number of years of
service specified in a plan or option provided by such police pension
system and elected by such member, as a necessary pre-requisite for a
pension or retirement allowance upon retirement from service.
(e) "Minimum age" means the age specified in a plan or option provided
by such police pension system and elected by such member, as a necessary
pre-requisite for a pension or retirement allowance upon retirement from
service.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special or local
law, charter or administrative code, and in lieu of any lesser amount
therein prescribed, upon the death of a member, prior to the first
payment of a retirement benefit, who has attained the minimum age or
completed the minimum period of service, as elected by him for
retirement, and whether or not such member shall have filed application
for retirement, there shall be paid to his estate, or to such person as
he has nominated or shall nominate by written designation duly executed
and filed in accordance with the requirements of such respective police
pension systems:
(a) His accumulated deductions; and in addition thereto,
(b) The amount of the reserve equal to the present value of the
pension he would have received, under the provisions of the law, charter
or administrative code governing such police pension system, if he had
retired and become entitled to a pension on the day immediately
preceding the day of his death.
The beneficiary of such deceased member shall have the right to accept
such benefits in lump sums or in such periodic payments, on an annuity
basis, as such beneficiary shall elect.
3. Nothing contained in the foregoing provisions of this section shall
be held or deemed to affect or to lessen any benefits greater than those
set forth in the foregoing paragraph two which are or shall be provided
for by any such police pension system in respect of a member or members
thereof dying in the course of or as the result of the performance of
his duties.
4. The provisions of this section shall not apply to members of the
New York state and local police and fire retirement system.

Structure New York Laws