S.C. Code Ann. § 9-11-110 – Lump sum shall be paid in event of death

(1) Upon the death of any member prior to retirement, a lump-sum amount shall be paid to such person as he shall have nominated by written designation, duly acknowledged and filed with the Board, otherwise to his estate. If the member is in service at the time of his death, such lump-sum amount shall be equal to the sum of (a) and (b) below:
1. (a) His accumulated contributions, excluding any additional contributions, or one thousand dollars, whichever is greater; and
2. (b) His accumulated additional contributions. If the member is not in service at the time of his death, such lump-sum amount shall be the amount of his accumulated contributions.
(2) Upon the death of a member who did not select a survivor option or who selected a survivor option and the member's designated beneficiary predeceased the member, a lump sum amount must be paid to the member's designated beneficiary or the member's estate if total member contributions and accrued interest at the member's retirement exceed the sum of the retirement allowances paid to the member. Upon the death of a designated beneficiary selected under a survivor option, a lump sum amount must be paid to the beneficiary's estate if total member contributions and accrued interest at the member's retirement exceed the sum of the retirement allowances paid to the member and the member's beneficiary. The lump sum payment must be the total member contributions and accrued interest at retirement less the sum of the retirement allowances paid to the member or in the case of a survivor option, the total member contributions and accrued interest at retirement less the sum of the retirement allowances paid to the member and the member's designated beneficiary.
(3) An active contributing member making the nomination provided under subsection (1) of this section also may name contingent beneficiaries in the same manner that beneficiaries are named. A contingent beneficiary has no rights under this chapter unless all beneficiaries nominated by the member have predeceased the member and the member's death occurs while in service. In this instance, a contingent beneficiary is considered the member's beneficiary for purposes of subsection (1) of this section and Section 9-11-130, if applicable.