West Virginia § 7-14D-19 Awards and benefits to surviving spouse â when member dies from nonservice-connected causes

West Virginia Statutes

§ 7-14D-19 — Awards and benefits to surviving spouse â when member dies from nonservice-connected causes

West Virginia § 7-14D-19

Ch. 7COUNTY COMMISSIONS AND OFFICERS

Art. 14DDEPUTY SHERIFF RETIREMENT SYSTEM ACT

This text of West Virginia § 7-14D-19 (Awards and benefits to surviving spouse â when member dies from nonservice-connected causes) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 7-14D-19 (2026).

Text

(a)In any case where a member who has been a contributing member for at least 10 years dies prior to retirement from any cause other than those specified in §7-14D-18 of this code and not due to vicious habits, intemperance, or willful misconduct on his or her part, the fund shall pay annually in equal monthly installments to the surviving spouse during his or her lifetime, a sum equal to the greater of:

(i)One half of the annual compensation received by the deceased member during the last 12 full months of contributory service; or (ii) if the member dies after meeting early or normal retirement age requirements, the monthly amount which the spouse would have received had the member retired the day before his or her death, elected a 100 percent joint and survivor annuity with the spouse

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(a) In any case where a member who has been a contributing member for at least 10 years dies prior to retirement from any cause other than those specified in §7-14D-18 of this code and not due to vicious habits, intemperance, or willful misconduct on his or her part, the fund shall pay annually in equal monthly installments to the surviving spouse during his or her lifetime, a sum equal to the greater of: (i) One half of the annual compensation received by the deceased member during the last 12 full months of contributory service; or (ii) if the member dies after meeting early or normal retirement age requirements, the monthly amount which the spouse would have received had the member retired the day before his or her death, elected a 100 percent joint and survivor annuity with the spouse as the joint annuitant, and then died.

(b) In any case where a retired member who had been a contributing member for at least 10 years, had not obtained the age of 60 and was receiving benefits pursuant to §7-14D-15 of this code dies and leaves a surviving spouse, the fund shall pay annually in equal monthly installments to the surviving spouse during his or her lifetime a sum equal to the greater of: (i) One half of the annual compensation received by the deceased member during the last 12 full months of contributory service; or (ii) if the member dies after meeting early or normal retirement age requirements, the monthly amount which the spouse would have received had the member retired the day before his or her death, elected a 100 percent joint and survivor annuity with the spouse as the joint annuitant, and then died.

(c) Benefits for a surviving spouse received under this section, §7-14D-20, and §7-14D-21 of this code are in lieu of receipt of any other benefits under this article for the spouse or any other person or under the provisions of any other state retirement system based upon the member’s covered employment.