TITLE 22. PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT CODE
CHAPTER 22-300. RETIREMENT BENEFITS
§22-305. Maximum Benefit Limitations.
(1) General Limitation. Except as otherwise provided in
this section, the annual retirement benefit payable to any member shall not
exceed $90,000 or such other limit as may be the maximum permissible pursuant to
Section 415(d) of the Tax Code.
(2) Adjustment of
Limitations.
(a) To the extent the limitations set forth herein may be
from time to time adjusted by statutes, regulations or other publications issued
by the Internal Revenue Service or successor agency or department, such adjusted
amounts shall be substituted for the amounts set forth in this section, provided
that no such adjustment shall reduce a member's accrued benefit unless
such adjustment is required to preserve the qualified status of the Retirement
System. To the extent that the limitations under this section become unnecessary
by amendment of law, the limitations shall be deemed inoperative under this
Title.
(b) If a benefit is to be distributed in a form other than a
single or straight life annuity or joint and survivor annuity (including any
death benefit payable as a survivor's annuity), the actuarial equivalent
(using an interest rate, however, not less than the greater of five percent (5%)
or the valuation rate adopted by the Board upon recommendation by the
Board's actuary) of a single life annuity of such benefit must satisfy the
limitations set forth in this section. Further adjustments may be made by the
Board, as permitted by Section 415 of the Tax Code and the regulations
promulgated thereunder, under the appropriate circumstances including, if
authorized by ordinance of Council, receipt by the Retirement System of rollover
contributions or assets or liabilities transferred from another qualified plan.
If the Retirement System receives contributions from members, such contributions
shall be considered as having been contributed to a separate defined
contribution plan for purposes of the limitations set forth in this
section.
(c) In the event that a member's benefit is to be
distributed prior to the member's Social Security Retirement Age but on or
after the attainment of age 62, the currently effective dollar amount in
subsection (1)(a) of this section shall be actuarially reduced, in accordance
with regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service, in a manner consistent
with the reduction for old-age insurance benefits commencing before the
member's Social Security Retirement Age. In the event that a
member's benefit is to be distributed prior to age 62, the currently
effective dollar amount in subsection (1)(a) of this section shall be
actuarially reduced to the actuarial equivalent (using an interest rate, however
not less than the greater of five percent (5%) or the valuation rate adopted by
the Board upon recommendation of the Board's actuary) of an annual benefit
equal to the dollar amount commencing at age 62, as determined under the
preceding sentence.
(d) In the event that a member's benefit is
to be distributed after the member's Social Security Retirement Age, the
currently effective dollar amount in subsection (1)(a) of this section shall be
actuarially increased to the actuarial equivalent (using an interest rate,
however, not greater than the lesser of five percent (5%) or the valuation rate
adopted by the Board upon recommendation by the Board's actuary) of an
annual benefit equal to such dollar amount commencing at the member's
Social Security Retirement Age.
(e) With regard to any Police Employee
or Fire Employee, subsection (3) above shall not serve to reduce the limitation
set forth in subsection (1)(a) below $50,000 (or such other limit as may be the
maximum permissible amount pursuant to Section 415(d) of the Tax
Code).
(f) Any purchase of service on or after August 5, 1997 must
satisfy one of the following requirements: (1) the purchase of additional
credited service cannot cause the annual retirement benefit payable to the
member to exceed the limitation set forth in Section 22-305(1); or (2) the total
contribution made in any plan year for the purchase of service, when combined
with other amounts contributed by or on behalf of the member, cannot exceed
$30,000 or any other limitation set forth in Section 415(c)(1)(A) of the Tax
Code.