The board must pay a survivor’s allowance to a qualifying spouse, and the spouse may choose between that benefit and a refund of the member’s contributions.
§952.37. Surviving spouse allowance A.(1) Upon receipt by the board of supervisors of proper proof of the death of a member in service who has completed ten years of credited service, or a member not in service who, on the date his employment ceased, had completed twenty years of credited service and elected to receive a vested deferred retirement allowance pursuant to R.S. 11:952.41 and who is not yet in receipt of such allowance, a survivor's allowance shall be payable to his spouse, if any, as herein specified: (2) If the surviving spouse was married to the deceased member for at least two years prior to the death of the member, the surviving spouse may elect to receive a spouse allowance benefit as provided under Option 2 in R.S. 11:952.38 with such allowance to terminate upon spouse's death or remarriage except that remarriage will not terminate a spouse allowance benefit if the member had twenty-five years or more of credited service or was eligible but was not yet in receipt of a service retirement or early service retirement allowance at the time of the member's death. B. In lieu of a survivor's allowance, the surviving spouse may elect to receive a refund of the member's accumulated contributions. C. No beneficiary shall receive more than one survivor's benefit at any one time, but may receive the highest eligible benefit, provided that after the spouse's election to receive one of said benefits at the time of application for benefits, said election shall be final and irrevocable. D. The survivor's benefit is payable upon application and effective the day after the member's death. Added by Acts 1971, No. 26, §1. Amended by Acts 1972, No. 519, §1. Redesignated from R.S. 17:1630 pursuant to R.S. 24:253.