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Making decisions about financial issues can be daunting after the death of a family member or friend. When you
receive a call alerting you to the demise of an employee, former employee or annuitant, you can help make it
easier on the survivor by knowing the answers to their questions and just what steps you need to take:
First, notify TIAA-CREF of a participant's (or annuitant's) death, by calling our Telephone Center (1 800 842-2776)
or by writing to us at TIAA-CREF, 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. We in turn will send you a survivor
benefits package, usually within four working days to the beneficiary on record; or to the beneficiary's other authorized representative, if previously requested. The
survivor benefit package includes:
- A letter from the TIAA-CREF staff member who will work with the beneficiary(ies), including a
calculation of the amount of the death benefit due
- If contracts have not yet been converted to the payout stage, a booklet that discusses the range of TIAA-CREF survivor benefit choices,
- If we are supplying the beneficiary or annuity partner with forms, we will request a copy of the death certificate
Necessary Documentation
Once the beneficiary or beneficiaries is/are ready to claim benefits, TIAA-CREF will require:
- A completed marital status verification form (for accumulations applicable to institutions governed by ERISA)
- An application for the method of payment selected (discussed below)
- A certified copy of the death certificate or a statement by an attending physician
- A record of age form for any beneficiary who takes survivor payments in the form of a life annuity
- Consent to tax authority (only required in certain states)
- W-4 tax withholding election form (for spouses, 20 percent withholding is automatic for lump sum payments; see below)
Beneficiaries can take their survivor benefits in any of several ways. Some create guaranteed income streams
for life, or for a designated number of years. Others hold the funds on-deposit for use at a later date.
Beneficiary Payment Deferred Annuity Options
Survivor options offered to beneficiaries of plan participants with TIAA-CREF Deferred Annuity contracts are:
- TIAA-CREF's Savings and Investment Plan, designed to pay the minimum amount required under the federal
minimum distribution rules and allow for continued tax deferral on the proceeds that remain with TIAA-CREF.
- Rollover to a TIAA-CREF IRA (spouses only)
- One-life annuity with or without a 10-, 15-, or 20-year guaranteed period payment
- Fixed-period payments from 2 to 30 years
- Single-sum payment
If the beneficiary is the employee's spouse, he or she may roll over all or part of the taxable benefits to a
TIAA-CREF IRA. Distributions are subject to 20 percent federal income tax withholding
unless the money is rolled over directly to an IRA. The spouse should consult a tax advisor before making a
rollover. He or she can also leave the funds with TIAA-CREF and later take advantage of a wide range of
payment choices. We do not offer the beneficiary the option of leaving the funds in the deceased name.
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Go to the TIAA-CREF Administrator Web Center. |
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Select "Get Access" |
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Complete the application: sign it, print it & fax to 1 800-842-5916. |
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You will receive an e-mail with your user ID and password. |
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