The Unmodified Option pays you the highest monthly retirement benefit with the provision that 60% of the benefit continues after your death to an eligible beneficiary, such as a surviving spouse. To be eligible for a monthly continuance, your surviving spouse must have been:

• Married to you for one year prior to your retirement date, or
• Age 55 or older and married to you for two years prior to your date of death

If you do not have an eligible spouse, the monthly continuance may be payable to your unmarried minor children until age 18 (continuing through age 21 if they remain unmarried and regularly enrolled as full-time students in an accredited school).

If there is no surviving spouse or minor child at your death, and if the total retirement benefits paid to you do not exceed your accumulated contributions on deposit at VCERA when you retired, your designated beneficiary (or estate if no beneficiary is named) will receive a lump-sum payment of the remaining balance.