Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-183h

(b) Lump sum death benefits. A lump sum death benefit shall be payable to a surviving spouse. Such benefit shall be one thousand dollars for five years or less of service in the public schools of Connecticut, plus two hundred dollars for each year of credited service in the public schools of Connecticut in excess of five years, to a maximum of two thousand dollars. If there is no surviving spouse, such benefit shall be equal to the member's burial expenses but not in excess of what would have been payable to a surviving spouse and shall be payable to the person who paid such expenses. No payment under this subsection shall be made unless application for the payment is filed with the board within two years of such member's death.

(c) Return of accumulated contributions to sole survivor. In lieu of a basic survivor's benefit and a lump sum death benefit, a sole survivor who has attained age eighteen, and is the member's designated beneficiary may elect to receive an amount equal to such member's accumulated contributions together with credited interest.

(d) Surviving spouse's benefit. The surviving spouse of any member who, at the time of death was eligible for a retirement benefit other than a disability benefit and had not filed a waiver of the coparticipant's option, may elect to receive (1) a monthly benefit for life equal to the benefit payable if a one hundred per cent coparticipant's option had been elected or (2) an amount equal to the member's accumulated contributions with credited interest.

(e) Benefit payable when contributions exceed payments. If no coparticipant option has become effective and if the aggregate payments under this section are less than the accumulated mandatory contributions of a deceased member plus credited interest, there shall be paid to such member's designated beneficiary an amount equal to the difference between such aggregate payments and such accumulated mandatory contributions plus credited interest.

(f) Continuation of benefit upon remarriage. Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (B) of subdivision (25) of section 10-183b , benefits payable under this section to a surviving spouse shall not be terminated because of remarriage if such surviving spouse has attained the age of sixty.

(g) Spouse's options when member dies after filing retirement application. If a member who has filed an application for retirement dies prior to the effective date of retirement, such member's spouse, if such spouse is designated on such application as the sole beneficiary, may elect to receive either (1) the preretirement death benefits as set forth in this section, or (2) the benefit payment option selected by the deceased member on such retirement application.