97B.49A Monthly payments of allowance — general calculation.

1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section:

a. “Applicable percentage” means sixty percent or, for each active or inactive vested member retiring on or after July 1, 1996, sixty percent plus, if applicable, an additional one-fourth of one percentage point for each additional calendar quarter of membership and prior service beyond thirty years of service, not to exceed a total of five additional percentage points.

b. “Fraction of years of service” means a number, not to exceed one, equal to the sum of the years of membership service and the number of years of prior service divided by thirty years.

2. Entitlement to monthly allowance. Each member, upon retirement on or after the member’s normal retirement date, is entitled to receive a monthly retirement allowance determined under this section. For an inactive vested member the monthly retirement allowance shall be determined on the basis of this section and section 97B.50 as they are in effect on the date of the member’s retirement.

3. Calculation of monthly allowance. For each active or inactive vested member retiring on or after July 1, 1994, who is vested by service, a monthly benefit shall be computed which is equal to one-twelfth of an amount equal to the applicable percentage of the final average covered wage multiplied by a fraction of years of service. However, if benefits under this section commence on an early retirement date, the amount of the benefit shall be reduced in accordance with section 97B.50.

4. Alternative calculations.

a. For each active member employed before January 1, 1976, and retiring on or after January 1, 1976, and for each member who was a vested member before January 1, 1976, with four or more complete years of service, a formula benefit shall be determined equal to the larger of the benefit determined under this paragraph and paragraph “b” of this subsection, as applicable, the benefit determined under subsection 3, or the benefit determined under section 97B.49G, subsection 1. The amount of the monthly formula benefit for each such active or vested member who retired on or after January 1, 1976, shall be equal to one-twelfth of one and fifty-seven hundredths percent per year of membership service multiplied by the member’s average annual covered wages. In no case shall the amount of monthly formula benefit accrued for membership service prior to July 1, 1967, be less than the monthly annuity at the normal retirement date determined by applying the sum of the member’s accumulated contributions, the member’s employer’s accumulated contributions on or before June 30, 1967, and any retirement dividends standing to the member’s credit on or before December 31, 1966, to the annuity tables in use by the system with due regard to the benefits payable from such accumulated contributions under sections 97B.52 and 97B.53.

b. For each member employed before January 1, 1976, who has qualified for prior service credit in accordance with section 97B.43, subsection 1, a formula benefit shall be determined equal to the larger of the benefit determined under this paragraph and paragraph “a” of this subsection, as applicable, the benefit determined under subsection 3, or the benefit determined under section 97B.49G, subsection 1. The amount of the monthly formula benefit under this paragraph shall be equal to eight-tenths of one percent per year of prior service credit multiplied by the monthly rate of the member’s total remuneration not in excess of three thousand dollars annually during the twelve consecutive months of the member’s prior service for which that total remuneration was the highest. An additional three-tenths of one percent of the remuneration not in excess of three thousand dollars annually shall be payable for prior service during each year in which the accrued liability for benefit payments created by the abolished system is funded by appropriation from the Iowa public employees’ retirement fund.

c. For each active and vested member retiring who cannot have a benefit determined under the formula benefit of paragraph “a” or “b” of this subsection, subsection 3, or section 97B.49G, subsection 1, a monthly annuity for membership service shall be determined by applying the member’s accumulated contributions and the employer’s matching accumulated contributions as of the effective retirement date and any retirement dividends standing to the member’s credit on or before December 31, 1966, to the annuity tables in use by the system according to the member’s age and contingent annuitant’s age, if applicable.

98 Acts, ch 1183, §35; 2001 Acts, ch 68, §21, 24; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §286; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §26, 27; 2011 Acts, ch 34, §24; 2016 Acts, ch 1011, §120

Referred to in §97B.46, 97B.48, 97B.48A, 97B.49B, 97B.49C, 97B.49D, 97B.49G, 97B.50, 97B.50A, 97B.51, 97B.53, 602.11115, 602.11116