Making Changes After a Beneficiary Dies

If a beneficiary you’ve designated with SCERS passes away, it’s important to update your records. This ensures your account reflects your current wishes and allows SCERS to administer any benefits correctly in the future.

Even if your benefit option does not provide for continuing payments to a beneficiary, SCERS still needs accurate documentation of your designations.

What to Do if a Beneficiary Dies

Notify SCERS as soon as possible. We’ll update your account and let you know if additional steps are required.

What we may ask you to provide:

• A completed Member’s Affidavit (Form 6019) to update your beneficiary
• A copy of the beneficiary’s death certificate

If your only named beneficiary has passed away, you should designate a new one as soon as possible.

Can I Name a New Beneficiary?

Yes, retirees can update their beneficiary(ies) at any time. Continuing benefits may depend on the payment option you selected at retirement. 

• As a retired SCERS member, your beneficiary is eligible for a one-time $4,000 burial allowance death benefit. If you retired with reciprocity and SCERS was not your final retirement system, this amount will be reduced by any similar benefit paid by your last reciprocal retirement system.
• Your beneficiary is also eligible for any final pension payments payable to you, if applicable. If you selected a continuing benefit option (such as Unmodified, Option 2 or 3), that benefit is limited to the person named at retirement. If your original beneficiary passes away and you selected a continuing benefit option, your new beneficiary will only receive a lump-sum payment of your member contributions less the monthly payments already paid by SCERS.

SCERS staff can review your account and explain what changes—if any—are permitted based on your payment option.