DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
FOR YOUR TIAA-CREF ACCOUNTS
Page 1 of 3
F1387 (11/06)
GETTING STARTED
DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
FOR YOUR TIAA-CREF ACCOUNTS
Making sure your beneficiary designations for your TIAA-CREF and other financial accounts are
up-to-date is a critical component of your estate plan: Your beneficiaries will receive the value in
your accounts as a death benefit if you die before receiving retirement income from your accounts.
If you know who you'd like to be your beneficiary, you can designate your beneficiaries by:
1. Logging into your TIAA-CREF accounts with your user ID and password at
www.tiaa-cref.org. (You can set up a user ID and password online.)
NOTE: You cannot designate beneficiaries online if you name an irrevocable beneficiary, or
if your designation requires a waiver. A waiver is needed if you name someone other than
your spouse for more than 50% of the benefits and your plan is subject to ERISA, or your
institution has plan provisions with spousal rights. Your spouse's signature is required on
the waiver and it cannot be "e-signed" according to federal law.
2. Completing the "Designating Beneficiaries" form and mailing it to
TIAA-CREF, P.O. Box 1259, Charlotte, NC 28201.
You can use this form to name beneficiaries for funds in TIAA-CREF retirement accounts through
employers' plans that are subject to ERISA or plans that have spousal rights provisions. These
plans include Retirement Annuities and Supplemental Retirement Annuities as well as Transfer
Payout Annuities and Keogh Annuities. You may also include designations for beneficiaries for funds
in IRAs or plans not subject to ERSIA or without spousal rights provisions.
NOTE: Do not use this form if your funds are only in an IRA, from employer-sponsored retirement
plans not subject to ERISA or are from plans without spousal rights provisions. You should com-
plete Form 11136, which is available online at www.tiaa-cref.org or by calling us at 800 842-2776.
You can also designate your beneficiaries by logging into your accounts at www.tiaa-cref.org.
STEPS FOR YOUR BENEFICIARIES
You should designate someone to notify TIAA-CREF promptly of your death. This individual should
call us at 800 842-2776. In turn, we will prepare illustrations and information for your beneficiar-
ies so that ownership is transferred to them and they may take control of their share of the benefits.
Once ownership is transferred, your beneficiaries can reallocate assets among accounts and receive
their survivor benefits.
Generally your beneficiaries can choose to receive their survivor benefits using one or more of our
income options. We offer the Savings & Investment Plan, which is designed to preserve assets while
complying with minimum distribution rules; lump-sum withdrawals, which offer maximum flexibili-
ty; and lifetime annuity income, which guarantees an income that your beneficiaries cannot outlive.
However, please keep in mind that TIAA-CREF reserves the right to pay survivor benefits in a lump
sum in the following situations:
i
f the beneficiary is a trust corporation, association, partnership, executor, or administrator;
if the amount does not meet contractual minimums (usually $25 a month for payments or
$5,000 for selecting income options).
QUESTIONS?
Contact us at
www.tiaa-cref.org
--
Available 24/7 for access to your accounts, forms and other features.
800 842-2776
--
Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ET).
F1387 (11/06)
Page 2 of 3
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SPOUSE’S RIGHTS
If you’re married and since August 23, 1984 you have participated in retirement plans or tax-deferred
annuity plans subject to federal pension law (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974),
your spouse may have certain rights to funds in those plans. Federal
pension law provides your spouse, as a primary beneficiary,
the right to receive at least 50% of your qualified preretirement
survivor annuity death benefits.
Retirement or tax-deferred annuity plans not subject to federal pen-
sion law may have plan provisions that entitle your spouse, as a pri-
mary beneficiary, to a death benefit of up to 100% of your retire-
ment funds. If your designation does not satisfy your institutions
policy, we will notify you when we review your designation request.
If you name someone other than your spouse as a primary benefici-
ary for more than 50% of the benefits (or more than the amount
required under plan provisions), your spouse must consent
to this primary beneficiary designation by completing the spouse’s
waiver. If this is not completed, then 50% (or the amount stated
in the plan provisions) of those qualified preretirement survivor
annuity death benefits to which your spouse is entitled, will be
payable to your spouse regardless of your beneficiary designation
in effect at the time of your death. The remainder of the death
benefit, if any, will be payable to your other named beneficiaries.
THE SPOUSAL WAIVER
If you are married and want more than 50% of your death benefit
(or the required amount as stated by plan provisions) to go to
someone other than your spouse, you must meet one of the exceptions listed above, or your spouse
must authorize your beneficiary designations by signing a waiver.
The spouse’s waiver section must be signed by your spouse, and the signing must be either
notarized by a Notary Public or verified by your plan representative. Also the date your spouse
signs must be on or after the date you sign the beneficiary designations. An e-signature is not
acceptable for a spouses waiver.
If you are under age 35, you cannot complete a spouses waiver under federal law unless your plan
allows you to. Please note: If your plan allows you to complete a waiver, you also must complete
another spouses waiver once you attain age 35. (We will notify you at that time.)
Exceptions to spousal rights to
survivor benefits requirements
You are not subject to the spousal
benefits rules, and may designate
whomever you wish as beneficiary,
if:
You are not married;
You are legally separated with a
court order to that effect;
Your participation was in plans not
subject to federal pension law, or
in plans with no spousal rights
provisions;
or
The funds to which this designation
applies are attributable to self-
remitted, after-tax contributions,
or solely to contributions made
under a retirement plan or
tax-deferred annuity plan prior to
August 23, 1984.
DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
FOR YOUR TIAA-CREF ACCOUNTS
F1387 (11/06)
MAKING BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS
A beneficiary can be an individual, an institution, a trust, or your estate. Your primary beneficiary
(Class I) receives the benefits to be paid when you die. If no primary beneficiary (Class I) is living,
the benefits become payable to your contingent beneficiary (Class II). If a class includes more than
one person, the benefits are divided equally among the living beneficiaries of the class unless you
provide other instructions. If none of the beneficiaries is living, the benefits go to your estate.
EXAMPLE
Primary (Class I): Your spouse
Contingent (Class II): Your son and daughter
Upon your death, your spouse, as primary beneficiary, will receive the entire
amount. If your spouse had already died before you, your two children would
each receive half the amount. If no beneficiaries are living at your death,
benefits become payable to your estate.
EXAMPLE
Primary (Class I): Your spouse 50%, son 25%, and daughter 25%
Contingent (Class II): A niece
Upon your death, as primary beneficiaries, your spouse will receive 50%, and each of your
children will receive 25%. If your spouse had already died, the remaining beneficiaries,
your son and daughter, would split the benefits and each receive 50%. Your niece would
receive benefits only if there were no surviving primary beneficiaries.
SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR PASSING ON BENEFITS TO CHILDREN OF A DECEASED CHILD
OR BENEFICIARY
By choosing one of these provisions, you may elect to have benefits paid to the children of a
deceased child of yours (your grandchildren) or to the children of any deceased beneficiary. You may
add one of these provisions to your primary beneficiary designations, your contingent beneficiary
designations, or both designations. To add these provisions, complete the section at the top of Page 3
of the form.
EXAMPLE
Provision: "Payment to children of a deceased beneficiary" applied to your
primary beneficiary.
If your primary beneficiary is also deceased at your death, the benefits will
instead be paid to his or her children. Your contingent beneficiaries would
receive benefits only if your primary beneficiary and his or her children have
also died.
EXAMPLE
Provision: "Payment to children of a deceased child of mine" applied to your
contingent beneficiaries.
If your primary beneficiary is not living at your death, benefits will be payable
to your contingent beneficiaries. If a contingent beneficiary of yours is also deceased
at the time of your death, this individual's children (your grandchildren)would share
those benefits equally.
Page 3 of 3
DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
FOR YOUR TIAA-CREF ACCOUNTS
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F1387 (11/06)
DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
P.O. Box 1259
Charlotte, NC 28201
PAGE 1 OF 5
Important: Please use a pen with blue or black ink and print in capital letters. If you have questions, call us toll-free
at 800 842-2776 Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ET) or visit us online
at www.tiaa-cref.org.
YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
First Name MI Last Name
#
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy)
Daytime Telephone Number Evening Telephone Number
Your Country of Citizenship is
Your U.S. State
of Residence is: OR Your Country of Residence is:
PROVIDE YOUR ANNUITY/ACCOUNT NUMBERS
Important: This form is for funds in employers' plans that are subject to ERISA or have plan provisions providing spousal
rights. This form does not cover mutual fund accounts not part of a retirement plan, life insurance contracts, and contracts
through which you are currently receiving retirement income. If you have questions or need a form for these situations, call us
or visit us online.
Check either A or B below. Check the first box (A) if you want the same beneficiary designation(s) for all your applicable
TIAA-CREF annuities. Check the second box (B) if you want the beneficiary designation(s) applied to specific annuities. If you
have additional annuities for which the designation(s) apply, check the box below and attach a signed and dated page listing your
additional annuity numbers.
A. These beneficiary designations will apply to all of your TIAA and accompanying CREF annuity numbers,
which are described on Page 1 of “Designating Beneficiaries for Your TIAA-CREF Accounts.
OR
B. These designations of beneficiaries are to apply only to the following TIAA and accompanying
CREF annuity numbers.
Check this box and attach a signed and dated page to list additional annuity numbers.
TIAA Numbers CREF Numbers
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DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
PAGE 2 OF 5
CHOOSE YOUR BENEFICIARIES
Tell us who should receive any payments due after you die. Unless you specify otherwise, your benefits will be allocated equally
among your beneficiaries. The total allocation to the beneficiaries of each class must equal 100%.
Check this box and attach either the optional page(s) provided with this form, or a signed and dated page, to list
additional primary and/or contingent beneficiaries, a trust, or to provide additional instructions.
PRIMARY BENEFICIARY (CLASS I) -
First Name MI Last Name
#1
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) Gender (M or F)
Percentage Relationship
First Name MI Last Name
2
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) Gender (M or F)
Percentage Relationship
CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY (CLASS II) - First Name MI Last Name
#1
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) Gender (M or F)
Percentage Relationship
First Name MI Last Name
2
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) Gender (M or F)
Percentage Relationship
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DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
PAGE 3 OF 5
DESIGNATING PAYMENT TO CHILDREN OF A DECEASED CHILD OF MINE/BENEFICIARY
If you want to apply the Payment to children of a deceased child of mine/Payment to children of a deceased beneficiary
designations, complete A and/or B as appropriate. If you don’t select a class of beneficiaries for a provision, we will apply
this provision to your primary beneficiary(ies). See “Making Beneficiary Designations” on Page 3 of “Designating Beneficiaries
for Your TIAA-CREF Accounts” for more information on these provisions.
A. Apply the provision “Payment to children of a deceased child of mine” to my
Primary (Class I) beneficiaries Contingent (Class II) beneficiaries.
AND/OR
B. Apply the provision “Payment to children of a deceased beneficiary” to my
Primary (Class I) beneficiaries Contingent (Class II) beneficiaries.
YOUR AGREEMENT
Please provide your signature and the date below. Also be sure to complete the following pages which request
information about your marital status as required by your plan. Please mail this completed form to TIAA-CREF, P.O. Box 1259,
Charlotte, NC 28201.
I, the undersigned, agree that:
All prior beneficiary designations and methods of payment requested for the annuities indicated on this “Designating
Beneficiaries” form will be revoked, and any benefits due by reason of my death will be payable to the beneficiary(ies)
named on this form.
I understand that this “Designating Beneficiaries” form is subject to all of the terms and conditions of the annuities and
as described in "Designating Beneficiaries for Your TIAA-CREF Accounts" provided with this form.
I request that any provision that requires the annuities to be submitted for endorsement of this change be waived.
I reserve the right to make further changes to my beneficiary designations. However, if I previously named an
irrevocable beneficiary for any benefits, I will need to obtain a consent or release from the beneficiary before a change
can be made.
I understand that if I elect to have this designation apply to all my referenced annuities, it will apply to those issued as
of the date this form is accepted by TIAA-CREF.
I understand that if any or all of my accumulation for which this designation applies is attributable to contributions
under a retirement or tax-deferred annuity plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of
1974, as amended, and I have been credited with an hour of service or paid leave under the plan after August 22, 1984
or as provided for by the terms of my non-ERISA-governed retirement plan, then my right to exclude naming my
spouse as a primary beneficiary for at least 50% of these death benefits (or the required amount, if greater) is subject
to my spouses consent.
Your Signature Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
)
200//
*MNTSG01*
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DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
PAGE 4 OF 5
DETERMINATION FOR UNMARRIED INDIVIDUALS
Check the box if you are not married.
# I am not married.
OR
SPOUSE’S WAIVER FOR MARRIED INDIVIDUALS
To the Participant: If, on this form, you named your spouse as primary beneficiary for at least 50% (or the required amount, if
greater) of the survivor benefits, or you completed the "Unmarried Determination" section above, this section does not need to
be completed.
Otherwise, your spouse must read the information below, and your spouse must provide written consent within 90 days after
the date you signed this designation. Your spouse must sign this waiver after you sign this designation, and your spouse's
signature must be witnessed by your plan administrator or a notary public.
To the Participant's Spouse: Under federal law or the terms of your spouse's retirement and/or tax-deferred annuity plan,
you have the right to receive a qualified preretirement survivor death benefit of at least 50% (or more as provided by plan
provisions) if your spouse dies before you. In order for your spouse to name someone other than you as the primary beneficiary
for more than 50% (or the amount required by the plan), you must provide your written consent to your spouse's waiver of your
right to this qualified preretirement survivor death benefit.
If you consent to the waiver of your rights and your spouse (the annuity owner) dies before annuity income payments begin, you
will not be entitled to a qualified preretirement survivor death benefit. Instead, benefits will be paid to the designated
beneficiaries listed on this form in accordance with the provisions of the annuities listed on Page 1 of 5 on this form.
To provide your consent, your signature must be:
witnessed by either the plan representative or a notary public, and
the date of your signature must be the same as or later than the date of your spouse’s signature, and
we must receive this completed request within 90 days of the date you and your spouse have signed this designation.
If you have questions, call us toll-free at 800 842-2776 Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m. (ET).
I understand and agree that I am giving up my right to receive qualified preretirement survivor death benefits from
the TIAA-CREF annuity(ies) described on Page 1 of this form. I release TIAA and CREF from all liability for making
payment based on this authorization.
Spouse’s Signature
Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
)
200//
continued on next page
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DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
PAGE 5 OF 5
The Plan Representative completes this portion.
Name of Plan Representative (please print) Title
#
Signature of Plan Representative
Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
)
OR
The Notary Public completes this portion.
State of County of Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
#
Name of Spouse
before me personally appeared the subscriber known to me to be the person described in and who executed the
foregoing instrument and he/she acknowledged to me that he/she executed the same.
Signature of Notary Public
)
Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
# For Notary Publics in MA —
Indicate the type of identification:
Valid federal or state photo ID
Testimony of a credible witness
Personal knowledge of the subscriber
Verified by
)
In the space above, the Notary Public must provide
his/her notarial number and the date the appoint-
ment expires. Provide the notarial seal if outside
New York State.
200//
200//
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SPOUSE’S WAIVER FOR MARRIED INDIVIDUALS CONTINUED
*MNTW201*
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DESIGNATING A TRUST
OPTIONAL - FOR DESIGNATING A TRUST
YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
First Name MI Last Name
#
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number
NAME OF TRUST
#
Tax Identification Number Date Trust was established (mm/dd/yyyy)
Additional Information
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F1387 (11/06)
DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
OPTIONAL - FOR DESIGNATING ADDITIONAL BENEFICIARIES
YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
First Name MI Last Name
#
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number
PRIMARY BENEFICIARY (CLASS I) - First Name MI Last Name
#3
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) Gender (M or F)
Percentage Relationship
First Name MI Last Name
4
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) Gender (M or F)
Percentage Relationship
CONTINGENT BENEFICIARY (CLASS II) - First Name MI Last Name
#3
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) Gender (M or F)
Percentage Relationship
First Name MI Last Name
4
Social Security Number/Tax Identification Number Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy) Gender (M or F)
Percentage Relationship
//
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*MNTB201*