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<section article="gsp" article_name="State Personnel and Pensions" number="21-402" title_number="21" title_name="State Retirement and Pension System" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Optional Forms of Allowance">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Each optional form of allowance shall be the actuarial equivalent of the basic allowance under the State system of a member.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, for an optional form of allowance providing for payment to a designated beneficiary for life, the designated beneficiary must be an individual.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the designated beneficiary is a minor or an individual with a disability, the allowance may be paid into a trust for the benefit of the individual.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A member who elects to receive a reduced optional allowance under § 21-403 of this subtitle may designate an individual other than the member’s child as the member’s designated beneficiary.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection applies to a member who selects an optional form of allowance as provided in § 21-403(b) or (e) of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a member designates a beneficiary other than the member’s spouse or disabled child as defined under § 72(m)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code, a member may not designate a beneficiary who is more than 10 years younger than the member.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
