2015 New York Laws
RSS - Retirement & Social Security
Article 14 - (Retirement & Social Security) COORDINATED-ESCALATOR RETIREMENT PLAN
508-A - Death benefit for vested members who die prior to retirement.

 508-a. Death benefit for vested members who die prior to retirement.
  a. A death benefit plus the reserve-for-increased-take-home-pay, if any,
  shall be payable upon the death of a member of a retirement system who:
1. Died before the effective date of retirement while a member of such
  retirement system;
2.  Had  at  least ten years of credited service at the time of death;
  and
3. Died at a time and  in  a  manner  which  did  not  result  in  the
  eligibility  of  the  member's  estate or any beneficiary to receive any
  death benefits from such retirement system on account of such death.
b. Benefits provided under  this  section  shall  be  payable  to  the
  member's  estate  or  the  beneficiary or beneficiaries nominated by the
  member  on  a  designation  of   beneficiary   form   filed   with   the
  administrative head of such retirement system.
c. The amount of the benefit payable pursuant to this section shall be
  equal  to  one-half  of  the  amount of the ordinary death benefit which
  would have been payable had the member's death occurred on the last  day
  of service upon which membership was based.