2007 Minnesota Statutes

354.44 RETIREMENT BENEFITS.
    Subdivision 1. Requirements as to age and service. Any member or former member who
ceases or has ceased to render teaching services in any school or institution covered by the
provisions of this chapter, and who has attained the age of at least 55 years with not less than three
years allowable service, or who has received credit for not less than 30 years allowable service
regardless of age, is entitled upon written application to a retirement annuity.
    Subd. 1a. Proportionate annuity. A member who terminates employment at any time during
the academic year at the end of which the person is at the normal retirement age or older shall, for
the purpose of determining eligibility for a proportionate retirement annuity, be considered to
have been required to terminate employment at normal retirement age or older pursuant to section
356.32. For purposes of this subdivision, an academic year ends August 31.
    Subd. 2. Computation of money purchase annuity. (a) The amount of retirement annuity is
an amount equal to double the annuity which could be purchased by the member's accumulated
deductions plus interest thereon. The annuity must be determined by the member's age, sex,
double the amount of accumulated deductions, double the amount of interest earned on the
accumulated deductions, and the appropriate mortality tables and interest rates. To determine the
amount of the annuity for a basic member, the accumulated deductions before July 1, 1957, and
the accumulated deductions after July 1, 1957, must be considered separately.
(b) For service rendered before July 1, 1957, the accumulated deductions for a member must
be carried forward at a fixed amount which is shown credited to the member's account as of that
date. That fixed amount must also include any payments in lieu of salary deductions which were
actually so made under an agreement executed between the member and the board as authorized
by section 354.50 or any other authorized payments made by the member to the fund. The annuity
granted with respect to the period must be determined as follows:
(1) the fixed amount of the accumulated deductions for the period including the interest
credited on the amount as earned up to July 1, 1957; and
(2) annuity purchase rates based on the applicable mortality table established by the board
and the interest rate assumption in effect before July 1, 1957, in the case of basic members and an
annuity purchase rate based on an appropriate annuity table of mortality established by the board
as provided in section 354.07, subdivision 1, and using the applicable postretirement interest rate
assumption specified in section 356.215, subdivision 8, in the case of coordinated members.
(c) For service rendered after July 1, 1957, the accumulated deductions for a member must
consist of the amounts actually credited to the member's account by reason of salary deductions.
The annuity granted with respect to the period must be determined by the following:
(1) accumulated deductions for the period;
(2) interest credited on these accumulated deductions from July 1, 1957, to the date of
retirement;
(3) interest credited on accumulated deductions including prior credited interest provided
in paragraph (b) from July 1, 1957, to the date of retirement;
(4) after the amount available for an annuity granted with respect to the person is determined
in accordance with the provisions of this subdivision, an additional amount equal to 20 percent of
the sum of clause (1) plus interest credited to a member's account from July 1, 1957, to date of
retirement is to be added. This added amount is not to be doubled as provided for other amounts
determined in this subdivision; and
(5) the annuity purchase rate based on an appropriate annuity table of mortality established
by the board as provided in section 354.07, subdivision 1, and using the applicable postretirement
interest rate assumption specified in section 356.215, subdivision 8.
    Subd. 3. Application for retirement. A member or a person authorized to act on behalf
of the member may make application for retirement provided the age and service requirements
under subdivision 1 are satisfied on or before the member's retirement annuity accrual date under
subdivision 4. The application may be made no earlier than 120 days before the termination of
teaching service. The application must be made on a form prescribed by the executive director and
is not complete until all necessary supporting documents are received by the executive director.
    Subd. 4. Retirement annuity accrual date. (a) An annuity payment begins to accrue,
provided that the age and service requirements under subdivision 1 are satisfied, after the
termination of teaching service, or after the application for retirement has been filed with the
board, whichever is later, as follows:
(1) on the 16th day of the month of termination or filing if the termination or filing occurs on
or before the 15th day of the month;
(2) on the first day of the month following the month of termination or filing if the
termination or filing occurs on or after the 16th day of the month;
(3) on July 1 for all school principals and other administrators who receive a full annual
contract salary during the fiscal year for performance of a full year's contract duties; or
(4) a later date to be either the first or the 16th day of a month occurring within the six-month
period immediately following the termination of teaching service as specified under paragraph
(b) by the member.
(b) If an application for retirement is filed with the board during the six-month period that
occurs immediately following the termination of teaching service, the annuity may begin to
accrue as if the application for retirement had been filed with the board on the date teaching
service terminated or a later date under paragraph (a), clause (4).
    Subd. 5. Resumption of teaching service after retirement. (a) Any person who retired
under the provisions of this chapter and has thereafter resumed teaching in any employer unit
to which this chapter applies is eligible to continue to receive payments in accordance with the
annuity except that annuity payments must be reduced during the calendar year immediately
following any calendar year in which the person's income from the teaching service is in an
amount greater than the annual maximum earnings allowable for that age for the continued receipt
of full benefit amounts monthly under the federal old age, survivors and disability insurance
program as set by the secretary of health and human services under United States Code, title
42, section 403. The amount of the reduction must be one-half of the amount in excess of the
applicable reemployment income maximum specified in this subdivision and must be deducted
from the annuity payable for the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which
the excess amount was earned. If the person has not yet reached the minimum age for the receipt
of Social Security benefits, the maximum earnings for the person must be equal to the annual
maximum earnings allowable for the minimum age for the receipt of Social Security benefits.
(b) If the person is retired for only a fractional part of the calendar year during the initial
year of retirement, the maximum reemployment income specified in this subdivision must
be prorated for that calendar year.
(c) After a person has reached the Social Security full retirement age, no reemployment
income maximum is applicable regardless of the amount of income.
(d) The amount of the retirement annuity reduction must be handled or disposed of as
provided in section 356.47.
(e) For the purpose of this subdivision, income from teaching service includes, but is not
limited to:
(1) all income for services performed as a consultant or an independent contractor for an
employer unit covered by the provisions of this chapter; and
(2) the greater of either the income received or an amount based on the rate paid with respect
to an administrative position, consultant, or independent contractor in an employer unit with
approximately the same number of pupils and at the same level as the position occupied by the
person who resumes teaching service.
    Subd. 5a. Exemption for interim superintendent. A person who performs services as an
interim superintendent because of the death, disability, termination, or resignation of the previous
superintendent is exempt from the earnings limitations and reductions in annuity payments in
subdivision 5 for up to 90 working days of service as an interim superintendent. During this
period of up to 90 working days, the school board may pay the interim superintendent at any rate,
up to the rate paid to the previous superintendent. This exemption applies only if the school
board hiring the interim superintendent submits an application for the exemption on a form
prescribed by the executive director, and the executive director approves the application before
the services as interim superintendent begin. The application must certify that the school board
has unanimously approved the exemption from the earnings limitations and reductions. The
executive director may prescribe a form for the application. A school board shall not apply for
more than one exemption in a fiscal year. No more than three exemptions may be approved for
any person. Only one exemption may be approved for any person in a fiscal year. The exemption
under this subdivision does not apply to a person who retires from a school district and within one
year after retirement returns to the same school district as an interim superintendent.
    Subd. 6. Computation of formula program retirement annuity. (a) The formula retirement
annuity must be computed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the formulas stated
in paragraph (b) or (d) on the basis of each member's average salary under section 354.05,
subdivision 13a , for the period of the member's formula service credit.
    (b) This paragraph, in conjunction with paragraph (c), applies to a person who first became a
member of the association or a member of a pension fund listed in section 356.30, subdivision 3,
before July 1, 1989, unless paragraph (d), in conjunction with paragraph (e), produces a higher
annuity amount, in which case paragraph (d) applies. The average salary as defined in section
354.05, subdivision 13a, multiplied by the following percentages per year of formula service
credit shall determine the amount of the annuity to which the member qualifying therefor is
entitled for service rendered before July 1, 2006:

			Coordinated Member		Basic Member
	Each year of service during first ten		the percent specified in section 356.315, subdivision 1, per year		the percent specified in section 356.315, subdivision 3, per year
	Each year of service thereafter		the percent specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2, per year		the percent specified in section 356.315, subdivision 4, per year

    For service rendered on or after July 1, 2006, the average salary as defined in section 354.05,
subdivision 13a, multiplied by the following percentages per year of service credit, determines the
amount the annuity to which the member qualifying therefor is entitled:

			Coordinated Member		Basic Member
	Each year of service during first ten		the percent specified in section 356.315, subdivision 1a, per year		the percent specified in section 356.315, subdivision 3, per year
	Each year of service after ten years of service		the percent specified in section 356.315, subdivision 2b, per year		the percent specified in section 356.315, subdivision 4, per year

    (c)(i) This paragraph applies only to a person who first became a member of the association
or a member of a pension fund listed in section 356.30, subdivision 3, before July 1, 1989, and
whose annuity is higher when calculated under paragraph (b), in conjunction with this paragraph
than when calculated under paragraph (d), in conjunction with paragraph (e).
    (ii) Where any member retires prior to normal retirement age under a formula annuity, the
member shall be paid a retirement annuity in an amount equal to the normal annuity provided in
paragraph (b) reduced by one-quarter of one percent for each month that the member is under
normal retirement age at the time of retirement except that for any member who has 30 or
more years of allowable service credit, the reduction shall be applied only for each month that
the member is under age 62.
    (iii) Any member whose attained age plus credited allowable service totals 90 years is
entitled, upon application, to a retirement annuity in an amount equal to the normal annuity
provided in paragraph (b), without any reduction by reason of early retirement.
    (d) This paragraph applies to a member who has become at least 55 years old and first became
a member of the association after June 30, 1989, and to any other member who has become at least
55 years old and whose annuity amount when calculated under this paragraph and in conjunction
with paragraph (e), is higher than it is when calculated under paragraph (b), in conjunction with
paragraph (c). For a basic member, the average salary, as defined in section 354.05, subdivision
13a , multiplied by the percent specified by section 356.315, subdivision 4, for each year of service
for a basic member shall determine the amount of the retirement annuity to which the basic
member is entitled. The annuity of a basic member who was a member of the former Minneapolis
Teachers Retirement Fund Association as of June 30, 2006, must be determined according to the
annuity formula under the articles of incorporation of the former Minneapolis Teachers Retirement
Fund Association in effect as of that date. For a coordinated member, the average salary, as
defined in section 354.05, subdivision 13a, multiplied by the percent specified in section 356.315,
subdivision 2, for each year of service rendered before July 1, 2006, and by the percent specified
in section 356.315, subdivision 2b, for each year of service rendered on or after July 1, 2006,
determines the amount of the retirement annuity to which the coordinated member is entitled.
    (e) This paragraph applies to a person who has become at least 55 years old and first becomes
a member of the association after June 30, 1989, and to any other member who has become at
least 55 years old and whose annuity is higher when calculated under paragraph (d) in conjunction
with this paragraph than when calculated under paragraph (b), in conjunction with paragraph (c).
An employee who retires under the formula annuity before the normal retirement age shall be
paid the normal annuity provided in paragraph (d) reduced so that the reduced annuity is the
actuarial equivalent of the annuity that would be payable to the employee if the employee deferred
receipt of the annuity and the annuity amount were augmented at an annual rate of three percent
compounded annually from the day the annuity begins to accrue until the normal retirement age if
the employee became an employee before July 1, 2006, and at 2.5 percent compounded annually
if the employee becomes an employee after June 30, 2006.
    (f) No retirement annuity is payable to a former employee with a salary that exceeds 95
percent of the governor's salary unless and until the salary figures used in computing the highest
five successive years average salary under paragraph (a) have been audited by the Teachers
Retirement Association and determined by the executive director to comply with the requirements
and limitations of section 354.05, subdivisions 35 and 35a.
    Subd. 6a. Extension of 1997 permanent increase. (a) A percentage of the permanent
increase for benefit recipients effective July 1, 1997, under Laws 1997, chapter 233, article 1,
section 71, as specified in paragraph (b), is payable to:
(1) a member who terminates service after June 30, 1997, and whose benefit begins to accrue
during the period of July 2, 1997, to July 1, 2002, based on the member's age at retirement;
(2) a member who is determined to be totally and permanently disabled under section 354.05,
subdivision 14 , after June 30, 1997, and whose benefit begins to accrue during the period of July
2, 1997, to July 1, 2002, based on the member's age at disability;
(3) the survivor of a member who terminates service and dies after June 30, 1997, and whose
benefit begins to accrue during the period of July 2, 1997, to July 1, 2002.
(b) The percentage of the permanent increase is the amount designated for the applicable
beginning benefit accrual date, as follows:

Beginning Benefit Accrual Date

Percentage of Permanent Increase

	July 2, 1997, to July 1, 1998		50 percent
	July 2, 1998, to July 1, 1999		40 percent
	July 2, 1999, to July 1, 2000		30 percent
	July 2, 2000, to July 1, 2001		20 percent
	July 2, 2001, to July 1, 2002		10 percent

    Subd. 7. [Repealed, 1990 c 570 art 12 s 64]
    Subd. 8. Annuity payment; evidence of receipt. An annuity or benefit for a given month
must be paid during the first week of that month. Evidence of receipt of the check issued or
acknowledgment of the amount electronically transferred in payment of an annuity or benefit may
be required from the payee on a form prescribed by the executive director. The evidence of receipt
form may be required periodically at times specified by the board. In the event the evidence of
receipt form is required, future annuities or benefits must be withheld until the form is submitted.
    Subd. 9. Determining applicable law. An employee who returns to covered service
following a termination and who is not receiving a retirement annuity under this section must have
earned at least 85 days of credited service following the return to covered service to be eligible for
improved benefits resulting from any law change enacted subsequent to that termination.
History: Ex1957 c 16 s 6; Ex1959 c 50 s 10-12; 1961 c 745 s 3; Ex1961 c 17 s 11; 1963 c
246 s 1; 1965 c 821 s 11; 1967 c 693 s 2; 1969 c 485 s 18,19; 1971 c 40 s 16; 1973 c 270 s 10;
1973 c 728 s 17-19; 1974 c 289 s 24-28; 1975 c 306 s 16-18; 1976 c 329 s 30; 1977 c 67 s 8; 1977
c 429 s 37; 1978 c 781 s 4; 1979 c 40 s 6; 1979 c 50 s 46,47; 1980 c 342 s 10-12; 1980 c 509 s
135; 1981 c 160 s 6,7; 1981 c 210 s 54; 1981 c 224 s 106-111; 1Sp1981 c 4 art 1 s 21; art 2 s 33;
1983 c 148 s 3; 1984 c 564 s 30; 1Sp1985 c 7 s 17,18; 1986 c 444; 1986 c 458 s 16; 1987 c 259 s
35; 1987 c 284 art 2 s 5; art 6 s 6; 1987 c 372 art 9 s 24; 1989 c 319 art 2 s 13-16; art 13 s 56-59;
1990 c 570 art 12 s 31; 1994 c 524 s 2; 1994 c 528 art 3 s 17-19; 1995 c 141 art 3 s 10,20; 1996 c
438 art 3 s 1,2; 1997 c 233 art 1 s 51,52; 2000 c 461 art 2 s 6; 2002 c 392 art 11 s 52; 2004 c 267
art 7 s 4-6; 1Sp2005 c 8 art 1 s 18; art 10 s 60; 2006 c 277 art 2 s 6; art 3 s 8; 2007 c 134 art 1 s 5