N.J. Stat. § 43:15A-50
At the time of retirement, a member shall receive benefits in a retirement allowance payable throughout life, or the member may, on retirement, elect to receive the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance, in a lesser retirement allowance payable throughout life, with the provision that:
Option 1. If the member dies before the member has received in payments the present value of the retirement allowance as it was at the time of retirement, the balance shall be paid to a legal representative or to such person as the member shall nominate by written designation acknowledged and filed with the retirement system, either in a lump sum or by equal payments over a period of years at the option of the payee. If the member shall have designated a natural person as the payee, said payee may elect to receive such payments in the form of a life annuity.
Option 2. Upon the member's death, the member's retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the life of and paid to such person as the member shall nominate by written designation duly acknowledged and filed with the retirement system at the time of retirement.
Option 3. Upon the member's death, one-half of the member's retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the life of and paid to such person as the member shall nominate by written designation duly acknowledged and filed with the retirement system at the time of retirement.
Option 4. Some other benefit or benefits shall be paid either to the member or to whomever the member nominates, if such other benefit or benefits, together with the lesser retirement allowance, shall be certified by the actuary to be of equivalent actuarial value. In no case, however, shall the lesser retirement allowance be smaller than that provided under Option 2.
Option 5. Some other benefit, which is equivalent to the full amount, three-quarters, one-half or one-quarter of the member's retirement allowance, shall be paid to whomever the member nominates and if that nominee dies before the member, the member's retirement allowance shall increase to the maximum retirement allowance for the member's lifetime, provided that such other benefit together with the member's lesser and maximum retirement allowances shall be certified by the actuary to be of equivalent actuarial value.
If the total amount of benefits paid to a retirant who does not elect to receive benefits in the form of an optional settlement, or to the retirant and the designated beneficiary in the case of a retirant who does so elect, before the death of the retirant or the retirant and the beneficiary is less than the deductions accumulated in the retirant's account at the time of retirement, including regular interest, the balance shall be paid in one lump sum to the retirant's designated beneficiary or estate in the manner provided in section 51 of P.L. 1954, c.84 (C.43:15A-51).
Except in the case of members who have elected to receive (1) a deferred retirement allowance pursuant to section 38 of P.L. 1954, c.84 (C.43:15A-38) or (2) early retirement allowances pursuant to subsection b. of section 41 of P.L. 1954, c.84 (C.43:15A-41) after separation from service pursuant to section 38, if a member dies within 30 days after the date of retirement or the date of board approval, whichever is later, the member's retirement allowance shall not become effective and the member shall be considered an active member at the time of death. However, if the member dies after the date the application for retirement was filed with the system, the retirement will become effective if:
The board may select an Option 3 settlement, on behalf of the beneficiary of a member who applied for and was eligible for retirement but who died prior to the effective date of the retirement allowance, if all of the above conditions, with the exception of c., are met.
N.J.S. § 43:15A-50