DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY.

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), any member or annuitant may, on a form prescribed by and filed with the retirement system, designate one or more beneficiaries to receive benefits payable by the retirement system on the death of the member or annuitant.

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a member or annuitant may change or revoke a designation of beneficiary in the same manner as the original designation was made.

(c) Only one person may be designated as beneficiary of an optional retirement annuity under Section 824.204(c)(1), (c)(2), or (c)(5), and a designation of beneficiary under any of those options may not be made, changed, or revoked, except as provided by Sections 824.1011, 824.1012, and 824.1013, after the later of the date on which the retirement system makes the first annuity payment to the retiree or the date the first payment becomes due. For purposes of this section, the term "makes payment" includes the depositing in the mail of a payment warrant or the crediting of an account with payment through electronic funds transfer.

(d) Unless a contrary intention is clearly indicated by a written designation of beneficiary and except as otherwise provided by this section, the most recent designation of beneficiary by a member or annuitant applies to all benefits payable on the death of the member or annuitant.

(e) The retirement system by rule may provide for the designation of alternate beneficiaries and may adopt other rules to administer this section.

(f) A beneficiary designation, change in beneficiary, or revocation of beneficiary is not effective unless it is authorized by this subchapter. Except as provided by Subsection (g), any authorized beneficiary designation, change in beneficiary, or revocation of beneficiary, including any modification ordered by a court or contemplated in a trust or testamentary document, must be executed by the member or annuitant in a form prescribed by the retirement system and must be received by the retirement system before the member's or annuitant's death or, for a beneficiary named to receive continued optional service or disability retirement payments, not later than the deadline established elsewhere in this subtitle.

(g) Receipt by the retirement system of a certified copy of a divorce decree between a member or annuitant and a designated beneficiary revokes any designation of the former spouse as beneficiary of any death benefits payable under Subchapter E or F of this chapter that was effective before the date of divorce, if the decree is received by the retirement system before the payment of any part of the death benefit to any beneficiary.