Massachusetts State Employee Retirement System (MSERS) members have the right to choose what is called an "Option D beneficiary" upon becoming a member or at any point prior to retirement. Option D provides a designated beneficiary with an allowance for life. Members may designate only one Option D beneficiary. Eligible beneficiaries include a spouse, former spouse (provided that the former spouse has not remarried at the time the Option D beneficiary has been designated), child, parent, or sibling.
If the member does not designate an Option D beneficiary and if his/her eligible spouse does not elect to receive a lifetime allowance, the member's accumulated deductions will be paid in a lump sum to the beneficiary(s) he/she has designated to receive a return of the amounts in the member's annuity account, and no lifetime allowance will be paid. An exception to this is if a member dies who is survived by minor children. This is discussed more fully on the State Retirement Board website.
There is no requirement that a member must designate an Option D beneficiary. If a member does make such a designation, they may retract it at any time by giving written notice to the State Retirement Board.
More detailed information can be found on the State Retirement Board website.
Members may access the Option D Form from the Mass.gov site.