(a) If, before the first anniversary of the death of a member or annuitant, the retirement system does not receive a claim for payment of benefits from a designated beneficiary or a person entitled to benefits under Section 824.103, the retirement system may pay benefits, except an optional retirement annuity under Section 824.204(c)(1), (c)(2), or (c)(5), under the order of precedence in Section 824.103(b), as if the person failing to claim benefits had predeceased the decedent.
(b) Payment under Subsection (a) bars recovery by any other person of the benefits distributed.
(c) If, before the fourth anniversary of the death of a member or annuitant, payment of benefits based on the death has not been made and no claim for benefits is pending with the retirement system, the accumulated contributions of the deceased member or the balance of the reserve for the deceased annuitant is forfeited to the benefit of the retirement system. The retirement system shall transfer funds forfeited under this subsection to the state contribution account.