• Member makes a one-time, irrevocable election to purchase the benefit.
• Member selects a percentage (30% – 100%) of his/her pension to be paid to the qualified surviving spouse/domestic partner.
• Member pays the full actuarial cost of providing the benefit by taking an actuarial reduction in his/her monthly pension.
• Upon the member’s death, the surviving spouse/domestic partner qualifies for the benefit if:
  1. The survivor is the spouse/domestic partner declared at the time the retired member elected the benefit; and
  2. The death of the retired member is at least one year from the date of the election, unless the death is deemed accidental by the Board of Fire and Police Pension Commissioners.

Note: If the retired member’s death occurs less than one year from the date of his/her election and the accidental death exception does not apply, there is no survivor benefit. Instead, the amount by which the retired member’s pension was reduced shall then be paid as a lump sum to the spouse/domestic partner. If both the spouse/domestic partner and the member die during the one year vesting period and the spouse/domestic partner predeceases the member, then the lump sum shall be paid to the member’s estate.

• The spouse/domestic partner receiving a benefit under this program shall not be eligible for a health subsidy from LAFPP.
• The payment of a survivor benefit under this program does not impact the payment of other survivor benefits paid by LAFPP.

In the event a member becomes incapable of electing to participate in the Survivor Benefit Purchase Program, his/her Statutory Power of Attorney may include language that provides sufficient authority to an Agent to act on his/her behalf. As such, members who wish to delegate this authority to their Agent should review the Statutory Power of Attorney Information.

If you are interested in the Survivor Benefit Purchase Program, you may submit a Request Information to Purchase Survivor Benefits Form.