19-6-505. Payment of retirement benefits. (1) The service retirement benefit must be paid to the retired member for the remainder of the member's life.
     (2) Upon the retired member's death, the retirement benefit must be paid to the member's surviving spouse, if there is one.
     (3) (a) If upon the retired member's death there is no surviving spouse or if the spouse dies, the retirement benefit must be paid as provided in subsection (3)(c) to the retired member's child, if there is one, for as long as the child remains a dependent child.
     (b) If there is more than one dependent child, the retirement benefit must be paid as provided in subsection (3)(c) to the children collectively. When a child is no longer a dependent child, the pro rata payments to that child must cease and be made to the remaining child or children until all the children are no longer dependent.
     (c) Payments to a dependent child must be made to the child's appointed guardian for the child's use.
     (4) If a retired member dies without a surviving spouse or dependent child and if the member had designated a beneficiary as provided in 19-2-801, the designated beneficiary must be paid the amount, if any, of the retired member's accumulated contributions minus the total of any retirement benefits already paid from the member's account.
     (5) If the retired member did not designate a beneficiary or if the beneficiary predeceased the retired patrol officer, the amount provided in subsection (4) must be paid to the member's estate.

     History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 278, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 63, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 217, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 124, Ch. 265, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 48, Ch. 562, L. 1999.