SB 1024 - Currently, if a member elected a joint & survivor benefit payment option at retirement, survivor benefits are paid out to the spouse designated, regardless of marital status of the member and spouse. Under this act, any member of the Missouri Department of Transportation and Highway Patrol Employees' Retirement System and the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System receiving a reduced annuity with his or her spouse as the designated beneficiary may cancel his or her election and receive a monthly benefit, with no survivor benefits, equal to the actuarial equivalent, as defined in the act, of the joint and survivor benefit payment if the marriage is dissolved on or after January 1, 2021, and the dissolution decree provides for the sole retention of the annuity and that the spouse shall not be entitled to survivor benefits. In no event shall the monthly benefit be more than the single life annuity amount entitled to the member as if his or her spouse had died on the date of the dissolution.
Additionally, a member who divorced their designated spouse before January 1, 2021, may have their annuity adjusted if the dissolution decree provided for sole retention of the retirement benefits by the member and the member obtained an amended dissolution decree after January 1, 2021. If the dissolution decree did not provide for the sole retention by the member, the member may also adjust their retirement allowance if an amended dissolution decree providing for the member's sole retention is obtained.
Any increase shall be prospective and shall be effective the first of the month following the date of receipt by the system of a certified copy of the dissolution decree.
This act is substantially similar to provisions within the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HB 1467 & HB 1934 (2020).
KATIE O'BRIEN