354.10 Funds not subject to assignment or process; beneficiaries.
Subdivision 1. Exemption; exceptions. The right of a teacher to take advantage of the benefits provided by this chapter, is a personal right only and is not assignable. All money to the credit of a teacher's account in the fund or any money payable to the teacher from the fund belongs to the state of Minnesota until actually paid to the teacher or a beneficiary under this chapter. The association may acknowledge a properly completed power of attorney form. An assignment or attempted assignment of a teacher's interest in the fund, or of the beneficiary's interest in the fund, by a teacher or a beneficiary is void and exempt from taxation under chapter 291 and from garnishment or levy under attachment or execution, except as provided in subdivision 2 or 3, or section 518.58, 518.581, or 518.6111.
Subd. 2. Automatic deposits. Upon receipt of the properly completed forms as provided by the executive director, the annuity, benefit, or refund amount may be electronically transferred or the annuity or benefit check may be mailed to any financial institution associated with the National Automated Clearinghouse Association or a comparable successor organization for deposit to the recipient's individual account or joint account with the recipient's spouse or any other person designated by the recipient. An overpayment to a joint account after the death of the annuity or benefit recipient must be repaid to the fund by the joint tenant if the overpayment is not repaid to the fund by the financial institution associated with the National Automated Clearinghouse Association or its successor. The board may prescribe the conditions which govern these procedures.
Subd. 3. Payment to public bodies. If in the judgment of the executive director conditions so warrant, payment may be made to a public body in behalf of an annuitant, disabilitant, or survivor upon such terms as the executive director may prescribe.
Subd. 4. Changes in designated beneficiaries. Any beneficiary designated by a retiree or member under section 354.05, subdivision 22, may be changed or revoked by the retiree or member on a form provided by the executive director. A change or revocation made under this subdivision is valid only if the properly completed form is received by the association on or before the date of death of the retiree or the member. If a designated beneficiary dies before the retiree or member designating the beneficiary, and a new beneficiary is not designated, the retiree's or member's estate is the beneficiary.
HIST: (2950-10) 1931 c 406 s 10; 1955 c 361 s 8; 1961 c 745 s 1; 1971 c 789 s 6; 1974 c 289 s 14; 1975 c 306 s 9; 1977 c 67 s 5; 1978 c 772 s 62; 1979 c 303 art 3 s 30; 1984 c 547 s 7; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 157 s 6; 1989 c 319 art 2 s 10; 1991 c 340 s 14-16; 1994 c 528 art 3 s 13,14; 1995 c 141 art 3 s 20; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 92; 1999 c 222 art 9 s 6; 2000 c 461 art 3 s 33
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes