(a) Pension for Qualified Surviving Spouse.
(1) Plan Member’s Service-Connected Death. The Qualified Surviving Spouse of a Plan Member who shall die by reason of injuries received or sickness caused by the discharge of his or her duties while a Department Member, shall be paid for life a monthly pension in an amount which shall be equal to 75% of the deceased Plan Member’s Final Average Salary.
For the purposes of the benefit provided in this subsection (a)(1), a Plan Member has died by reason of injuries received or sickness caused by the discharge of his or her duties if there is clear and convincing evidence that the discharge of the Plan Member’s duties were the predominant cause of his or her death.
(2) Plan Member’s Nonservice-Connected Death. The Qualified Surviving Spouse of a Plan Member who shall have five or more Years of Service and who shall die while a Department Member, by reason of injuries or sickness other than injuries received or sickness caused by the discharge of his or her duties, shall be paid for life a monthly pension in an amount which shall be equal to 30% of the deceased Plan Member’s Final Average Salary, or, if the Plan Member, at the time of death, was then eligible to receive a pension on account of Years of Service, 80% of the amount of such service pension as the Plan Member at the time of his or her death would have been entitled to receive on account of Years of Service whichever is higher but the entitlement of a Qualified Surviving Spouse under the provisions of this subsection (a)(2) may not exceed 40% of the deceased Plan Member’s Final Average Salary.
(3) Retired Plan Member’s Death While on a Service Pension. The Qualified Surviving Spouse of a Retired Plan Member, who shall die while he or she is receiving a pension pursuant to Section 1504, shall be paid for life a monthly pension in an amount which shall be equal to 60% of the pension received by the deceased Retired Plan Member immediately preceding the date of his or her death. The benefit described in this subsection (a)(3) may be modified as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(4) Retired Plan Member’s Death While on a Service-Connected Disability Pension. The Qualified Surviving Spouse of a Retired Plan Member, who shall die while he or she is receiving a service-connected disability pension pursuant to Section 1506, shall be paid for life a monthly pension in an amount which shall be equal to 60% of the pension received by the deceased Retired Plan Member immediately preceding the date of his or her death, unless the death of the Retired Plan Member occurs within three years after the effective date of his or her pension and is due to service-connected causes, in which case, the qualified Surviving Spouse shall receive, or in a case where an option has been elected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, may elect to receive, 75% of the Retired Member’s Final Average Salary, as modified by the cost of living adjustments made pursuant to Section 1516 of this Tier 3 since the date of retirement of the Retired Plan Member. The benefit described in this subsection (a)(4) may be modified as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(5) Retired Plan Member’s Death While on a Nonservice-Connected Disability Pension. The Qualified Surviving Spouse of a Retired Plan Member, who shall die while he or she is receiving a nonservice-connected disability pension pursuant to Section 1506, shall be paid for life a monthly pension in an amount which shall be equal to 60% of the pension received by the deceased Retired Plan Member immediately preceding the date of his or her death. The benefit described in this subsection (a)(5) may be modified as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(6) Nonservice-Connected Death of Plan Member with Less than Five Years of Service. In the event the Plan Member died of nonservice-connected causes before having completed five Years of Service, the Qualified Surviving Spouse of the deceased Plan Member, or his or her Minor or Dependent Children if there is no Qualified Spouse, or his or her Dependent Parents if there is No Qualified Surviving Spouse and no Minor or Dependent Children, shall be entitled to the Basic Death Benefit described in subsection (a)(7) below.
(7) Basic Death Benefit and Election. The Basic Death Benefit shall consist of: (1) the return of a deceased Plan Member’s contributions to the Plan with accrued interest thereon; subject, however to the rights created by virtue of the Plan Member’s designation of a beneficiary as otherwise provided in this Tier 3; and (2) if the deceased Plan Member had at least one Year of Service, the deceased Plan Member’s Final Average Salary multiplied by the number of completed Years of Service, not to exceed six years; provided that said amount shall be paid in monthly installments of one-half of the deceased Plan Member’s Final Average Salary.
A Qualified Surviving Spouse, or a guardian acting on behalf of the Minor or Dependent Children of a deceased Plan Member if there is no Qualified Surviving Spouse, or Dependent Parents if there is no Qualified Surviving Spouse and no Minor or Dependent Children entitled to a pension pursuant to any of the provisions of this section, where benefits are based upon the Plan Member’s death in active service, may in lieu of the pension provided and before the first payment of such pension, elect to receive the Basic Death Benefit.
(b) Optional Pensions for Qualified Surviving Spouse. At any time before the first payment of a service pension, a service-connected disability pension, or a nonservice-connected disability pension, the Plan Member may elect to receive, in lieu of his or her pension as provided in Section 1504 or Section 1506, the actuarial equivalent at that time of such pension and of the pension for the Qualified Surviving Spouse as provided in subsection (a) of this section, by electing an optional pension payable throughout the balance of his or her life, with the provision that upon his or her death such optional pension shall be continued to the Plan Member’s Qualified Surviving Spouse in the proportional amount designated by the Plan Member at the time of election of the option provided by this section.
The amount of such optional pension shall be so calculated that the liability of the Fire and Police Pension Plan – Tier 3 at the date of retirement under the optional pension shall be equal to the liability of the Fire and Police Pension Plan at the same date under the pension awarded in accordance with the provisions of Section 1504 or Section 1506 and of the survivorship pension provided by subsection (a) of this section. For the purpose of this section, the liability of the Fire and Police Pension Plan – Tier 3 is defined as the present value, in accordance with tables adopted by the Board, of the pensions or optional pensions calculated by approved actuarial methods, and recommended by the Board’s actuary. In determining the actuarial equivalent of the pension for a Qualified Surviving Spouse as provided pursuant to subsections (a)(3), (4), and (5) of this section, the equivalent of a 60% survivorship pension shall be used in all cases.
The optional amounts, calculated in accordance with the foregoing paragraph, shall provide a range of optional values such that the amount to be paid to the Qualified Surviving Spouse of the Plan Member shall range from 60% to 100% of the pension payable to the Plan Member, varying by increments of 5%.
If a Retired Plan Member, previously retired on a disability pension pursuant to the provisions of Section 1506, should be reinstated to active duty upon termination of his or her disability, the election to receive the optional pension as herein provided, shall be deemed cancelled as of the effective date of such reinstatement.
A Retired Plan Member, previously retired on a disability pension pursuant to the provisions of Section 1506 and whose pension has subsequently been adjusted as provided for in Section 1506, shall have the right to cancel any option previously elected by him or her pursuant to the provisions of this subsection.
The Board shall by rule provide for a method in which the election to receive an optional pension shall be exercised.
(c) Additional Pension Amounts. Whenever any Plan Member or Retired Plan Member shall die and leave surviving him or her, in addition to a Qualified Surviving Spouse, a Minor Child or Children or a Dependent Child or Children of his or her marriage to the Qualified Surviving Spouse, then such Qualified Surviving Spouse, shall be paid an additional monthly pension in an amount which shall be equal to 25% of the pension he or she as a Qualified Surviving Spouse would be entitled to pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section while there is one Minor Child or Dependent Child, 40% while there are two Minor Children or Dependent Children or a combination thereof, and 50% while there are three or more Minor Children or Dependent Children or a combination, and such additional monthly pension shall be the exclusive property of such Qualified Surviving Spouse and not the property of any such Minor Child or Dependent Child. Whenever any Plan Member or Retired Plan Member shall die and leave surviving him or her in addition to a Qualified Surviving Spouse, a Minor Child or Children or a Dependent Child or Children of his or her marriage to a former spouse, then the guardian or guardians of the estate or estates of any such Minor Child or Children or Dependent Child or Children shall be paid a monthly pension in an amount which shall be equal to 25% of the pension the Qualified Surviving Spouse would be entitled to pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section while there is one Minor Child or Dependent Child, 40% while there are two Minor Children or Dependent Children or a combination, and 50% while there are three or more Minor Children or Dependent Children or a combination.
Whenever any Plan Member or Retired Plan Member shall die and leave surviving him or her, in addition to a Qualified Surviving Spouse, a Minor Child or Children or a Dependent Child or Children of his or her marriage to the Qualified Surviving Spouse and a Minor Child or Children or a Dependent Child or Children of his or her marriage to a former spouse, then a monthly pension shall be paid in an amount which shall be equal to 25% of the pension the Qualified Surviving Spouse would be entitled to pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section while there is one Minor Child or Dependent Child, 40% while there are two Minor Children or Dependent Children or a combination, and 50% while there are three or more Minor Children or Dependent Children or a combination. The amount of such monthly pension shall be divided by the number of Minor Children or Dependent Children and shall be adjusted accordingly whenever any Minor or Dependent Child shall cease to be such.
The Qualified Surviving Spouse shall be paid the portion of such monthly pension which shall be applicable to the number of his or her Minor Children or Dependent Children and the same shall be her or his exclusive property. The guardian or guardians of the estate or estates of the Minor Children or Dependent Children who are not those of the Qualified Surviving Spouse shall be paid the portion of such monthly pension which shall be applicable to such Minor Children or Dependent Children and the same shall be the exclusive property of such children.
The additional pension amounts provided in this subsection for persons other than a Qualified Surviving Spouse are to be calculated on the basis of the applicable Qualified Surviving Spouse pension provided pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, unmodified by any election that may previously have been made pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.
Additional pension amounts are also subject to the limitation that the amount of any survivorship pension provided in this section, after the additional payments provided in this subsection are added thereto, may not exceed 100% of the Final Average Salary of the deceased Plan Member or 100% of the Final Average Salary of the Retired Plan Member, as modified by the cost of living adjustments made pursuant to Section 1516 of this Tier 3 since the date of retirement of the Retired Plan Member. In case of such excess, any additional pension amounts shall be reduced to a level where the total amount of pension is equal to such maximum.
(d) Reinstatement of Pension of Reinstated Qualified Surviving Spouse. Subject to Section 1208 of the General Provisions for Fire and Police Pension Plans, any Qualified Surviving Spouse, who shall marry and thereby cease to be a Qualified Surviving Spouse, shall be reinstated as a Qualified Surviving Spouse as of:
(1) the date upon which a judgment or decree shall become final dissolving such marriage upon any ground or declaring a void or voidable marriage to have been null and void or voided but such date shall be within five years from the date of the marriage ceremony; or
(2) the date upon which such marriage shall be dissolved by the death of the other party thereto but such date shall be within five years from the date of the marriage ceremony. Such reinstated Qualified Surviving Spouse shall be entitled to the reinstatement of his or her pension effective as of either such date, which shall be applicable, but shall not be entitled to the payment of any pension for the period prior to such applicable date and subsequent to the date of the marriage ceremony. The pension paid to any other persons entitled under the provisions of the Fire and Police Pension Plan – Tier 3 during the period of the marriage or purported marriage of such reinstated Qualified Surviving Spouse shall cease when his or her pension shall be reinstated, except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section. However, should such reinstated Qualified Surviving Spouse thereafter be a party to another marriage ceremony, his or her pension shall cease and never again shall be reinstated regardless of whether such marriage ceremony shall result in a valid marriage or in a voidable or void marriage and whether or not the same legally shall be terminated.
(e) Pension for Minor or Dependent Children. Whenever any Plan Member or Retired Plan Member shall die without leaving a Qualified Surviving Spouse, the guardian of the estate of his or her Minor or Dependent Children shall be paid, until each such child shall cease to be a Minor or Dependent Child, a monthly pension equal to the pension a Qualified Surviving Spouse would have been eligible to receive pursuant to subsection (a) of this section had a Qualified Surviving Spouse survived such Member. Whenever any Plan Member or Retired Plan Member shall die leaving a Qualified Surviving Spouse who thereafter shall die or who thereafter shall cease to be a reinstated Qualified Surviving Spouse, the guardian of the estate of his or her Minor or Dependent Children shall be paid, until each such child shall cease to be a Minor or Dependent Child, a monthly pension equal to the pension a Qualified Surviving Spouse would have been eligible to receive pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. In any of the foregoing events and if there were to be more than one Minor or Dependent Child, an equal share of such monthly pension shall be paid for and on behalf of each such child to the guardian of his or her estate and shall be adjusted as each of them shall cease to be a Minor or Dependent Child in the manner set forth in subsection (c) of this section. If payments are made pursuant to this subsection (e), no additional pension amounts shall be paid pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.
(f) Pension for Dependent Parents. Whenever any Plan Member or Retired Plan Member shall die without leaving a Qualified Surviving Spouse or a Minor Dependent Child, a monthly pension shall be paid to such Dependent Parents or to the survivor of them until each such Dependent Parent shall cease to be such. Any Dependent Parent who shall cease to be such but who thereafter again shall become unable to pay his or her necessary living expenses without a pension shall be entitled to have his or her pension reinstated.
The total amount of a pension payable to the Dependent Parent or Parents shall be the same as that to which a Qualified Surviving Spouse would have been entitled pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.
(g) Determinations With Respect to Cause of Death and Dependency. The Board shall have the same power as that which has been given to it by Section 1506(c) and (d) in order to determine:
(1) the fact whether a Plan Member’s death was service-connected or nonservice-connected for the purposes of Section 1508(a)(1) and (2);
(2) the fact of whether or not a child of a deceased Plan Member or Retired Plan Member is a Dependent Child; and
(3) whether or not any parent of a deceased Plan Member or Retired Plan Member is a Dependent Parent.
The Board also shall have the power to determine, from time to time, the fact of whether or not a child continues to be a Dependent Child, the fact of whether or not a parent continues to be a Dependent Parent and the fact of whether or not a Dependent Parent who had ceased to be such thereafter shall have become entitled to have his or her pension reinstated.
(h) Medical Reports and Hearings. The power of the Board to determine the fact of whether a Plan Member’s death was service-connected or nonservice-connected, as provided in subsection (g) of this section, hereafter may be exercised by it upon the basis of a written report from one regularly licensed and practicing physician selected by it but the Board, in its discretion, may obtain such a report from more than one such physician. The determination hereinbefore referred to in this subsection may, at the option of the Board, be made without a hearing being held pursuant to the provisions of subsection (g) of this section.
(i) Distribution of Contributions. Whenever a Plan Member dies without leaving a person or persons entitled to receive a pension pursuant to the provisions of this section, then, and in that event, his or her contributions to the Plan, together with such interest as may have been credited to the Plan Member’s individual account shall be paid to such person as he or she shall have nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the Board. In the event there is no written designation of beneficiary, surviving spouse, children or parents, then the contributions shall be paid to the executor or administrator of the estate of such deceased Plan Member, or to any other person legally authorized to collect money due the decedent.