§ 21495 Beneficiary Payment Priority Rules

• •If there are people in a higher priority group (like family members), they get the money first. Others in lower priority groups don’t get paid.
• •Once the board decides who gets the money and pays them, they’re done—no more claims or arguments about that payment.
• •The board pays based on who they believe should get the money, using the rules in the law.

A worker dies, and their spouse and kids are still alive. The worker’s sibling also applies for the death benefit.

The spouse and kids are in a higher priority group, so they get the money. The sibling doesn’t get anything because the law says higher-priority family members come first.