Designate Your Beneficiary

Designating a beneficiary is one of the most important things you can do for your loved ones. When you designate your beneficiary, you identify who is entitled to receive your benefits when you die. This ensures that TMRS benefits will be paid to the person you have named.

When to designate a beneficiary

You should designate a beneficiary as soon as you are enrolled in TMRS. When you vest with TMRS, you must redesignate your beneficiary even if you don’t change who you name because prior beneficiary designations are no longer valid.

How to designate a beneficiary

You can designate a beneficiary online 24/7 using MyTMRS. If you don’t have a MyTMRS account, you can create one at tmrs.com. You can also complete a TMRS Beneficiary Designation Before Retirement form.

Beneficiary types

You can designate anyone as your beneficiary. Most common beneficiaries include a spouse, children, an estate or trust, or a charity. If you are married and want to name anyone other than your spouse, you may need your spouse’s consent.

You can designate a minor as a beneficiary. If you designate a minor, TMRS will pay the benefits to the parent or legal guardian, or you can designate a custodian for the minor.

Changing a beneficiary

You can change your beneficiary at any time. If a beneficiary dies or you divorce your beneficiary, your designation becomes invalid for that person. You should review your beneficiaries every year and after any major life event such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child or a death.