1. (1) A decedent's warrant is a legally binding form which permits a state employee to designate a person to receive the employee's pay, benefits, and/or travel allowances due at the time of the employee's death. Anyone, including a minor, may be designated as the person to receive a decedent's warrant.
2. (2) Warrants for money due the employee or the estate will be reissued in the name of the designated person and will be delivered to that person without recourse to estate administration procedures if the properly completed form is on file with the employing agency at the time of the employee's death.
3. (3) Only one warrant will be issued by the department of administration as a replacement for each warrant the decedent would have received.
4. (4) The employee is required to complete the electronic "designation of person authorized to receive decedent's warrants" form.
5. (5) An employee may change a designation at any time by submitting a new designation form. Upon termination and after all salary, benefits, and travel warrants made payable to the employee have been delivered to the employee’s designee and paid, the designation will be canceled.
6. (6) Upon the death of an employee, the employing agency notifies the Department of Administration with the employee's name and date of death. The Department of Administration will use the most current designation form to complete the final decedent warrant.
7. (7) When an employee paid through electronic fund transfer dies, the last regularly occurring pay warrant that includes wages due before the date of death will be electronically deposited into the employee's checking or savings account. The final remittance for any unpaid wages, benefits and/or travel claims will be generated as a warrant and delivered to the designee.
8. (8) After all warrants have been delivered to the designee, the designation is canceled.
9. (9) Warrants must be delivered to the designee by the Department of Administration and accompanied by a photocopy of the warrant details.
10. (10) Neither refund of retirement contributions nor payment of death benefits is covered by the designation of decedent's warrant.

Authorizing statute(s): 2-18-401, MCA

Implementing statute(s): 2-18-412, MCA

History: NEW, 1997 MAR p. 2278, Eff. 12/16/97; AMD, 2025 MAR, Notice No. 2025-161, Eff. 8/23/25.