I. Group I Members.
(a) If, upon the receipt by the board of trustees of proper proof of the death of a group I member in service indicating that such death was the natural and proximate result of an accident occurring while in the performance of duty at some definite time and place, the board decides that death was the result of an accident in the performance of duty and not caused by willful negligence on the part of the member, a state annuity shall be paid to the member’s surviving spouse; or if there is no surviving spouse, or if the surviving spouse dies before the youngest child of the deceased member has attained age 18, then to the deceased member’s child or children under such age, divided in such manner as the board in its discretion shall determine, to continue as a joint and survivorship state annuity for the benefit of such child or children under said age until every child dies or attains said age; or if there is no surviving spouse or child under age 18 living at the death of the member, then to the member’s dependent father or dependent mother as the board shall determine, to continue for life; provided that if none of the aforementioned beneficiaries is living or eligible for benefits under the provisions of this section, there shall be payable to the person or persons nominated by the member, if living, otherwise to the member’s estate, a lump sum amount which is equal to the deceased member’s base salary plus accrued benefits not paid at the time of death, in addition to the amount payable under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:11.

Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:8

  • Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
  • Average final compensation: shall mean :
    (a) For members who have attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012, the average annual earnable compensation of a member during his or her highest 3 years of creditable service, or during all of the years in his or her creditable service if less than 3 years. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
  • board: shall mean the board provided for in N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
  • Board of trustees: or "board" shall mean the board provided for in N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Earnable compensation: shall mean :
    (a) For members who have attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012 the full base rate of compensation paid, as determined by the employer, plus any overtime pay, holiday and vacation pay, sick pay, longevity or severance pay, cost of living bonus, annual attendance stipend or bonus, additional pay for extracurricular and instructional activities for full-time teachers and full-time employees who are employed in paraprofessional or support position, additional pay for instructional activities of full-time faculty of the community college system, and any military differential pay, plus the fair market value of non-cash compensation paid to, or on behalf of, the member for meals or living quarters if subject to federal income tax, but excluding other compensation except cash incentives paid by an employer to encourage members to retire, supplemental pay paid by the employer while the member is receiving workers' compensation, and teacher development pay that is not part of the contracted annual salary. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
  • Group I members: shall mean employees and teachers. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
  • Group II members: shall mean permanent policemen and permanent firemen. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
  • Member: shall mean any person included in the membership of the retirement system, as provided in N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies corporate and politic as well as to individuals. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:9
  • Service: shall mean service as an employee, a teacher, a permanent policeman or a permanent fireman which is paid for by an employer. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
  • State: shall mean the state of New Hampshire. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
  • State annuity: shall mean annual payments for life derived from contributions by an employer. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1

(b) Upon the accidental death of a group I member the amount of the state annuity payable shall be equal to 50 percent of the member’s average final compensation.
II. Group II Members.
(a) If, upon the receipt by the board of trustees of proper proof of the death of a group II member in service indicating that such death was the natural and proximate result of an accident occurring while in the performance of duty at some definite time and place, or as the natural and proximate result of repeated trauma or gradual degeneration occurring while in the actual performance of duty or arising out of and in the course of employment or of any occupational disease arising out of or in the course of employment, as defined by N.H. Rev. Stat. § 281-A:2, XI and found to be compensable by the commissioner of labor pursuant to N.H. Rev. Stat. § 281-A:43; the board decides that death was the result of an accident in the performance of duty and not caused by willful negligence on the part of the member, a state annuity shall be paid to the member’s surviving spouse, or if there is no surviving spouse, or if the surviving spouse dies before the youngest child of the deceased member has attained age 18, then to the deceased members’ child or children under such age, divided in such manner as the board in its discretion shall determine, to continue as a joint and survivorship state annuity for the benefit of such child or children under said age until every child dies or attains said age; or if there is no surviving spouse or child under age 18 living at the death of the member, then to the member’s dependent father or dependent mother as the board shall determine, to continue for life; provided that if none of the aforementioned beneficiaries is living or eligible for benefits under the provisions of this section, there shall be payable to the person or persons nominated by the member, if living, otherwise to the member’s estate, a lump sum amount which is equal to the deceased member’s base salary plus accrued benefits not paid at the time of death, in addition to the amount payable under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:11.
(b) Upon the accidental death of a group II member the amount of the state annuity payable shall be equal to 50 percent of the member’s annual rate of earnable compensation at the date of the member’s death.
III. Workers’ Compensation. Any amounts paid or payable under the provisions of any workers’ compensation or similar law on account of the death of the member shall not be offset against or payable in lieu of any state annuity payable under the provisions of this section on account of the same death.