Reporting Death of Retiree or Beneficiary

The payout option (A, B or C) chosen when you retired determines the benefit available to your named beneficiary(s).

Please advise your family or other beneficiaries that benefits may be available to them and to notify the Hampshire County Retirement Office at (413) 584-9100 upon your death. They will need to provide us with a copy of the death certificate for us to appropriately pay benefits to them.

If you chose either “Option A” or “Option B” at retirement you may change your named beneficiary(s) at any time by completing and submitting a specific Change of Beneficiary form. It is important to note a specific form, obtained from the Hampshire County Retirement System, is required to change a named beneficiary(s). Please note that your signature on beneficiary form needs to be witnessed (preferably someone other than beneficiary) to affect a change of beneficiary. No change will take effect unless and until that form is received by the Hampshire County Retirement Office prior to your death.

If you chose an “Option C” benefit at retirement you cannot change your beneficiary. However, if your named beneficiary predeceases you, you will be eligible for an increased benefit (Pop-Up) equivalent to the “Option A” calculation. In such a case you need to notify us and provide us with a copy of the beneficiary’s death certificate. Upon notification and receipt of the death certificate, we will adjust (increase) your allowance retroactive to the date of your beneficiary’s death.

It is also important to keep us informed of changes in address(es) for your beneficiaries in the event we need to contact/locate them upon your death. To change a beneficiary’s address a specific form is not required, simply contact us with changes.

Phone: 413-584-9100, email: info@hampshireretirementma.org, mail or visit: 99 Industrial Drive, Northampton MA 01060.