The ASRS currently serves over 660,000 members, including retirees, active members, and inactive account holders. With that many members, complicated account situations are not uncommon. One of the most frequent is when a family member contacts us after a member’s death, trying to manage the now-deceased member’s ASRS account. What can make this situation particularly difficult is when the deceased member never registered their myASRS account and did not list any beneficiaries.
While the ASRS can help resolve these issues, missing information in a deceased member’s account can cause unnecessary delays and complications during an already difficult time. It may also result in the account being distributed in a way that doesn’t reflect the member’s wishes.
If a member does not have a beneficiary on file, Arizona law directs the ASRS to distribute benefits in this order:
1. Surviving spouse
2. Surviving children (including adopted) in equal shares
3. Surviving parents
4. The member’s estate
Keeping your ASRS account up-to-date, especially registering your myASRS account, maintaining accurate contact information, and designating beneficiaries, can make a meaningful difference for both you and your loved ones and help avoid potential complications or delays in the future.
For more information, visit “Choosing Beneficiaries” where we have additional resources, including frequently asked questions, or log into your secure myASRS account.
