Irrevocable successor payee.
71 Pa.C.S. § 5953.6
in effect(a) Condition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, a domestic relations order pertaining to a participant may provide for an irrevocable successor payee if the participant is receiving a payment under a payment option provided by the board that allows for a successor payee.
(b) Determination.--A domestic relations order requiring the designation of an irrevocable successor payee is an order which:
(1) requires a participant who is receiving payments from an annuity or other distribution option to designate an alternate payee as a successor payee; and
(2) except by operation of law, prohibits the removal or change of the successor payee without approval of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(c) Certification.--A domestic relations order under subsection (b) may be certified as an approved domestic
relations order by the secretary of the board or his designated representative. If a domestic relations order is certified under this subsection, the irrevocable successor payee ordered by the court shall not be changed by the participant without approval by the court.
(d) Ineligibility.--A person ineligible to be designated as a successor payee shall not be designated as an irrevocable successor payee. A court shall not name an irrevocable successor payee if the alternate payee is eligible to receive a lump sum distribution of the alternate payee's portion of the marital portion of the pension benefit. (June 12, 2017, P.L.11, No.5, eff. imd.) 2017 Amendment. Act 5 added section 5953.6. Cross References. Section 5953.6 is referred to in section 5812 of this title.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM&ttl=71Fetched: 10/16/2026