New York Laws
Title 7 - Death Benefits and Disability Retirement
60-C - Death Benefit for Vested Members Who Die Prior to Retirement.

§ 60-c. Death benefit for vested members who die prior to retirement.
a. A death benefit plus the reserve-for-increased-take-home-pay shall be
payable upon the death of a member who:

1. Died before the effective date of retirement while a member of the
retirement system;

2. Had at least ten years of credited service at the time of death;
and

3. Died at a time and in a manner which did not result in the
eligibility of the member's estate or any beneficiary to receive any
other retirement system death benefits on account of such death.

b. Benefits provided under this section shall be payable to the
member's estate or the beneficiary or beneficiaries nominated by the
member on a designation of beneficiary form filed with the comptroller
pursuant to section sixty of this title, who would have been eligible to
receive benefits if benefits had become payable pursuant to such
section.

c. The amount of the benefit payable pursuant to this section shall be
equal to one-half of the amount of the ordinary death benefit which
would have been payable pursuant to section sixty of this title had the
member's death occurred on the last day of service upon which membership
was based.