---
title: O.C.G.A. § 47-7-103. Benefits payable upon death; failure to designate beneficiary.
collection: code
id: 47-7-103
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 47-7-103 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-7-103
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-7-103.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-7-103/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t47-(v35)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=9ec6d528_0#page=134
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: RETIREMENT AND PENSIONS / GEORGIA FIREFIGHTERS’ PENSION FUND / RETIREMENT, RETIREMENT ALLOWANCES, DISABILITY BENEFITS, AND DEATH BENEFITS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 47-7-103. Benefits payable upon death; failure to designate beneficiary.

(a) In the event of the death of an active member who has not commenced receiving any benefits under this chapter, up to five selected beneficiaries of such deceased member shall be entitled to be paid the amount of $10,000.00 split equally among the selected beneficiaries, upon any selected beneficiary making proper application to the executive director of the fund. Such application shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased member and such other information as may be required by the board.

(b) In the event of the death of a retired member of the fund who has not elected survivor benefits under Option A or B as provided for in subsection (d) of Code Section 47-7-100 and who has commenced receiving benefits under this chapter, but who has not received total benefits in an amount equal to $10,000.00, up to five beneficiaries selected by the member shall be entitled to receive an equally apportioned amount from the difference between $10,000.00 and the amount of benefits received by such deceased member, upon making application as provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section.

(c) In the event of the death of an active member or a retired member who failed to designate a beneficiary, or if all named beneficiaries have predeceased such member, any benefits otherwise payable under subsections (a) or (b) of this Code section shall be payable to such member’s estate.

## History

Ga. L. 1956, p. 368, § 6; Ga. L. 1962, p. 550, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 562, § 9; Ga. L. 2010, p. 438, § 6/HB 1150; Ga. L. 2015, p. 898, § 11/HB 266; Ga. L. 2019, p. 760, § 1/HB 319; Ga. L. 2020, p. 13, § 1/HB 195.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2020, p. 13, § 1/HB 195 purported to amend the entire Code section but only amended subsections (a) and (b).

## Amendments

The 2015 amendment, effective July 1, 2015, substituted the present provisions of this Code section for the former provisions, which read: “(a) In the event of the death of a member of the fund who is in good standing and who has not commenced receiving any benefits under this chapter, the designated beneficiary of such deceased member shall be entitled to be paid the amount of $5,000.00, upon making proper application to the executive director of the fund. Such application shall be accompanied by a certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased member and such other information as may be required by the board.

“(b) In the event of the death of a member of the fund who is in good standing, who has not elected survivor benefits under Option A or B as provided for in subsection (d) of Code Section 47-7-100, and who has commenced receiving benefits under this chapter, but who has not received total benefits in an amount equal to $5,000.00, the member’s named beneficiary shall be entitled to receive the difference between $5,000.00 and the amount of benefits received by such deceased member, upon making application as provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section.”

The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, added subsection (c).

The 2020 amendment, effective July 1, 2020, substituted “$10,000.00” for “$5,000.00” in the middle of the first sentence of subsection (a) and twice in subsection (b).