(a) The surviving spouse or reciprocal beneficiary and children under the age of eighteen of a member at the time of the member’s death shall be eligible for a death benefit if the member suffers either:

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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 88-286

  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • month: means a calendar month; and the word "year" a calendar year. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-20
(1) An ordinary death after accumulating ten years of credited service and the member dies:

(A) While in service; or
(B) While on authorized leave without pay; or
(2) An accidental death.
(b) In the case of ordinary death, the death benefit shall be as follows:

(1) For the surviving spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, an allowance equal to one-half of the member’s accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age, payable until remarriage, marriage, or entry into a new reciprocal beneficiary relationship, as if the member had retired on the first day of a month following the member’s death, except for the month of December when retirement on the first or last day of the month shall be allowed; and for each child under the age of eighteen an allowance equal to ten per cent of the member’s accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age, payable until the child attains age eighteen; provided that the aggregate death benefits for all the children under the age of eighteen shall not exceed twenty per cent of the member’s accrued retirement allowance unreduced for age; or
(2) For the surviving spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, if the member was eligible for retirement at the time of death in service, and death occurred after June 30, 1990, an allowance that would have been payable as if the member had retired on the first day of a month following the member’s death, except for the month of December when retirement on the first or last day of the month shall be allowed and had elected to receive a retirement allowance under option B of § 88-283; and
(3) If there is no surviving spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, each child under the age of eighteen shall receive an allowance equal to twenty per cent of the member’s accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age, payable on the first day of a month following the member’s death, except for the month of December when retirement on the first or last day of the month shall be allowed, until the child attains age eighteen; provided that the aggregate death benefits for all the children under the age of eighteen shall not exceed forty per cent of the member’s accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age.

For the purpose of determining eligibility for the ordinary death benefit, a year round school employee shall be considered in service during the July and August preceding a transfer to a traditional school schedule if the employee was in service for the entire prior school year and has a contract for the upcoming traditional school year. The application for ordinary death benefits shall be filed no later than three years from the date of the member’s death.

(c) In the case of accidental death as determined by the system pursuant to section 88-85.5, the death benefit shall be effective on the first day of the month following the member’s death, except for the month of December when retirement on the first or last day of the month shall be allowed, as follows:

(1) For the surviving spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, an allowance equal to thirty per cent of the member’s average final compensation, payable until remarriage, marriage, or upon entry into a new reciprocal beneficiary relationship;
(2) If there is a surviving spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, each child under the age of eighteen shall receive an allowance equal to the greater of:

(A) Ten per cent of the member’s accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age; provided that the aggregate death benefits for all the children under the age of eighteen shall not exceed twenty per cent of the member’s accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age; or
(B) Three per cent of the member’s average final compensation; provided that the aggregate death benefits for all the children under the age of eighteen shall not exceed six per cent of the member’s average final compensation.

The death benefit under this paragraph shall be payable to each child until the child attains age eighteen; and

(3) If there is no surviving spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, each child under the age of eighteen shall receive an allowance equal to the greater of:

(A) Twenty per cent of the member’s accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age; provided that the aggregate death benefits for all the children under the age of eighteen shall not exceed forty per cent of the member’s accrued maximum retirement allowance unreduced for age; or
(B) Six per cent of the member’s average final compensation; provided that the aggregate death benefits for all the children under the age of eighteen shall not exceed twelve per cent of the member’s average final compensation.

The death benefit under this paragraph shall be payable to each child until the child attains age eighteen.

(d) Benefits payable under this section shall continue through the end of the last month in which the payee is eligible for the benefit.

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