40 ILCS 5/17-124
On written application to the Board, there shall be paid to the estate of a deceased teacher-pensioner pension payments, accrued, temporarily withheld or represented by checks uncashed at the date of his death and the excess, if any, of an amount equal to his refundable contributions for service or disability retirement pension over pension to the date of death; provided, that if there be filed with the Board prior to the death of the pensioner his written direction, signed and acknowledged before an officer authorized to take acknowledgments, that such payments be paid to designated beneficiaries, they shall be so paid on written application therefor to the Board. If none of several named beneficiaries survives the pensioner and no directive was furnished by the member to cover this contingency, the deceased beneficiary's share shall be paid to the estate of the pensioner.
If a reversionary pension is payable upon death of a pensioner, the determination and payment of any refund of contributions payable under this Section shall be made upon death of the reversionary pensioner. At such time a refund of contributions less (1) the amount contributed for annual increases in pension and (2) total pension payments to the teacher-pensioner and survivor shall be paid in the manner provided in this Section to the designated beneficiaries, or estate of the deceased survivor.
If a pension is payable to a surviving spouse and/or minor children upon death of a pensioner, the determination of any refund of contributions payable under this Section shall be made upon death of the survivor and marriage or attainment of age 18 of minor children. At that time a refund of contributions for retirement and survivors' and children's pensions less total pension payments to teacher-pensioner, survivor and minor children shall be paid in the manner provided in this Section to the designated beneficiaries, or estate of the deceased survivor.
If eligible beneficiaries for survivors' or children's benefits existed at the time of a pensioner's retirement but not on the date of his death thereafter, the excess of total contributions for retirement and survivors' and children's pensions over pensions paid shall be determined upon death of the pensioner and paid in the manner provided in this Section to the designated beneficiaries, or estate of the deceased teacher-pensioner.
Reversionary or survivor's pension payments accrued, temporarily withheld, or represented by uncashed checks to the date of death shall be paid to the reversionary pensioner's or survivor's designated beneficiaries, or estate in the manner provided in this Section.
On death of a retired teacher whose death occurs on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991, there shall be payable a lump sum death benefit equal to 6 times the teacher's salary rate for his last month of service or $10,000, whichever is less, upon death during the first year on pension minus 1/5 of the death benefit, as defined herein, for each year or fraction thereof on pension after the first full year, to a minimum of $5,000.
Notwithstanding Section 17-157, the changes made in this Section and Section 17-123 by this amendatory Act of 1991 shall apply to teachers dying on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991 without regard to whether service terminated prior to that date.
40 ILCS 5/17-124