Section 40 ILCS 5/7-158 - Surviving spouse annuities - OptionsIn lieu of the surviving spouse annuity an eligible surviving spouse shall have the option of receiving other benefits as follows:
1.The surviving spouse of a participating employee may elect to receive either a single sum death benefit or a surviving spouse annuity and the $3,000 death benefit provided in Sections 7-163 and 7-164.2.The surviving spouse of an employee, who has separated from service and would have been entitled to a retirement annuity on date of death, may elect to receive either a single sum death benefit or a surviving spouse annuity and the $3,000 death benefit provided in Sections 7-163 and 7-164.3.If any surviving spouse annuity is payable prior to the earliest age at which the recipient will become eligible for a widows' or widowers' insurance benefit under the Federal Social Security Act, the recipient may elect that the annuity payments from this fund shall exceed those payable after attaining such age by an amount not in excess of the estimated Social Security Benefit, determined as of the effective date of the surviving spouse annuity, provided that in no case shall the total annuity payments made by this fund exceed in actuarial value the annuity which would have been paid had no such election been made.4.The surviving spouse of a participating employee, whose annuity was suspended upon return to employment and who had one year or more of service after his return, may apply the additional service credits to a supplemental surviving spouse annuity and receive the $3,000 death benefit or apply the additional service credits to a single sum death benefit and forego the $3,000 death benefit payable upon the death of an annuitant.5.The surviving spouse of a participating employee, whose annuity was suspended upon return to employment and who had less than one year of service after his return, shall have the additional service credits applied towards a supplemental surviving spouse annuity and shall receive the $3,000 death benefit.