Texas Government Code 824.105 – Beneficiary Causing Death of Member or Annuitant
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(a) A benefit payable on the death of a member or annuitant may not be paid to a person who has been convicted of causing that death or who is otherwise ineligible under Subsection (f) but instead is payable to a person who would be entitled to the benefit had the convicted or otherwise ineligible person predeceased the decedent.
(b) A person who becomes eligible under this section to select death or survivor benefits may select benefits as if the person were the designated beneficiary.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 824.105
- Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- 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
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(c) The retirement system shall reduce any annuity computed in part on the age of the convicted or otherwise ineligible person to a lump sum equal to the present value of the remainder of the annuity. The reduced amount is payable to a person entitled as provided by this section to receive the benefit.
(d) The retirement system is not required to pay benefits under this section unless it receives actual notice of the conviction or other ground of ineligibility of a beneficiary. However, the retirement system may delay payment of a benefit payable on the death of a member or annuitant pending the results of a criminal investigation and of legal proceedings relating to the cause of death.
(e) For the purposes of this section, a person has been convicted of causing the death of a member or annuitant if the person:
(1) pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or is found guilty by a court of, causing the death of the member or annuitant, regardless of whether sentence is imposed or probated; and
(2) has no appeal of the conviction pending and the time provided for appeal has expired.
(f) A person is ineligible to receive a benefit payable on the death of a member or annuitant if the person is:
(1) found not guilty by reason of insanity under Chapter 46C, Code of Criminal Procedure, of causing the death of the member or annuitant; or
(2) the subject of an indictment, information, complaint, or other charging instrument alleging that the person caused the death of the member or annuitant and the person is determined to be incompetent to stand trial under Chapter 46B, Code of Criminal Procedure.