- (a) A member may change his or her alternative residue beneficiary designation and designate his or her spouse as a residue beneficiary under Arkansas Code § 24-7-710 by documenting the change on a form provided and approved by the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System.
(b)
- (1) A qualifying member may designate one (1) or more alternative beneficiaries, also known as alternative residue beneficiaries, to receive a lump-sum payment of the qualifying member’s residue in lieu of the qualifying member’s surviving spouse by using a beneficiary form provided and approved by the system.
- (2) A surviving spouse annuity benefit or any other type of monthly benefit shall not be paid to a qualifying member’s surviving spouse if the qualifying member designates one (1) or more alternative residue beneficiaries to receive a lump-sum payment of the qualifying member’s residue in lieu of the qualifying member’s surviving spouse.
(3) A surviving spouse may elect Option A – 100% Survivor Annuity benefits if:
- (A) The qualifying member:
(i) Designates only the surviving spouse as the primary residue beneficiary; and
(ii) Does not designate an alternative residue beneficiary as the primary residue beneficiary; or
(B)
- (i) The surviving spouse is ineligible for an annuity solely as a result of the qualifying member designating an alternative residue beneficiary and the alternative residue beneficiary waives his or her right to the residue.
- (ii) An alternative residue beneficiary’s waiver of his or her right to the residue is not required if the qualifying member does not have a residue with a payable balance.
- (c)
(1) A member’s designation of his or her former spouse as the member’s alternative residue beneficiary shall not be honored by the system with regard to the former spouse if the:
- (A) Member remarries;
- (B) Member’s current spouse would be eligible to receive survivor annuity residue beneficiary; and
- (C) System receives proof of the member’s remarriage in the manner required by the system before payment of the residue is issued to the former spouse.
(2) A member who remarries and desires to maintain his or her former spouse’s designation as the member’s alternative residue beneficiary shall file with the system a residue beneficiary designation form that:
- (A) Designates his or her former spouse as the member’s alternative residue beneficiary; and
- (B) Has a signature date of the member that is on or after the date of the member’s remarriage.
- (3) The system shall not be obligated to recoup or reimburse a member’s current spouse for any residue amount paid to the member’s former spouse in accordance with a law, rule, or policy applicable to the system.