61.597 Hybrid cash balance plan for certain members of Kentucky Employees
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/ky/61-597A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Retirement System in nonhazardous duty positions -- Member contributions
and employer pay credits -- Interest credits -- Termination of employment --
Options upon retirement.
(1)A member of the Kentucky Employees Retirement System who is participating in a
nonhazardous position, whose participation in the systems begins on or after
January 1, 2014, and those members making an election pursuant to KRS 61.5955,
shall receive the retirement benefits provided by this section in lieu of the
retirement benefits provided under KRS 61.559 and 61.595. The retirement benefit
provided by this section shall be known as the hybrid cash balance plan and shall
operate as another benefit tier within the Kentucky Employees Retirement System.
(2)The hybrid cash balance plan shall provide a retirement benefit based upon the
member's accumulated account balance, which shall include:
(a)Contributions made by the member as provided by KRS 16.505 to 16.652 and
61.510 to 61.705, except for employee contributions prescribed by KRS
61.702(3)(b);
(b)An employer pay credit of four percent (4%) of the creditable compensation
earned by the employee for each month the employee is contributing to the
hybrid cash balance plan provided by this section; and
(c)Interest credits added annually to the member's accumulated account balance
as provided by this section.
(a)Member contributions and employer pay credits as provided by subsection
(2)(a) and
(b)of this section shall be credited to the member's account
monthly as contributions are reported and posted to the system in accordance
with KRS 61.675.
(b)Interest credits, as provided by subsection (2)(c) of this section, shall be
credited to the member's account annually on June 30 of each fiscal year, as
determined by subsection
(4)of this section.
(a)On June 30 of each fiscal year, the system shall determine if the member
contributed to the hybrid cash balance plan or the County Employees
Retirement System during the fiscal year.
(b)If the member contributed to the hybrid cash balance plan or the County
Employees Retirement System during the fiscal year, the interest credit added
to the member's account for that fiscal year shall be determined by
multiplying the member's accumulated account balance on June 30 of the
preceding fiscal year by a percentage increase equal to:
1. Four percent (4%); plus
2. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the system's geometric average
investment return in excess of the four percent (4%) rate of return.
(c)If the member did not contribute to the hybrid cash balance plan or the
County Employees Retirement System during the fiscal year, the interest
credit added to the member's account for that fiscal year shall be determined
by multiplying the member's accumulated account balance on June 30 of the
preceding fiscal year by a percentage increase equal to four percent (4%).
(d)For purposes of this subsection, "system's geometric average net investment
return":
1. Means the annual average geometric investment return, net of
administrative and investment fees and expenses, over the last five
fiscal years as of the date the interest is credited to the member's
account; and
2. Shall be expressed as a percentage and based upon the system in which
the member has an account.
(e)No employer pay credits or interest credits shall be provided to a member who
has taken a refund of contributions as provided by KRS 61.625 or who has
retired and annuitized his or her accumulated account balance as prescribed
by this section.
(a)Upon termination of employment, a member who has less than five
(5)years
of service credited under KRS 16.543(1), 61.543(1), and 78.615(1), who
elects to take a refund of his or her accumulated account balance as provided
by KRS 61.625, shall forfeit the accumulated employer credit, and shall only
receive a refund of his or her accumulated contributions.
(b)Upon termination of employment, a member who has five
(5)or more years
of service credited under KRS 16.543(1), 61.543(1), and 78.615(1), who
elects to take a refund of his or her accumulated account balance as provided
by KRS 61.625, shall receive a full refund of his or her accumulated account
balance.
(6)A member participating in the hybrid cash balance plan provided by this section
may retire:
(a)At his or her normal retirement date, provided he or she has earned five
(5)or
more years of service credited under KRS 16.543(1), 61.543(1), 78.615(1), or
another state-administered retirement system; or
(b)If the member is at least age fifty-seven
(57)and has an age and years of
service total of at least eighty-seven
(87)years. The years of service used to
determine eligibility for retirement under this paragraph shall only include
years of service credited under KRS 16.543(1), 61.543(1), 78.615(1), or
another state-administered retirement system.
(7)A member eligible to retire under subsection
(6)of this section may elect to:
(a)Receive a monthly retirement allowance payable for life by having his or her
accumulated account balance annuitized by the retirement systems in
accordance with the actuarial assumptions and actuarial methods adopted by
the board and in effect on the member's retirement date;
(b)Receive the actuarial equivalent of his or her retirement allowance calculated
under paragraph
(a)of this subsection payable under one
(1)of the options set
forth in KRS 61.635, except for the option provided by KRS 61.635(11); or
(c)Take a refund of his or her account balance as provided by KRS 61.625.
(8)The provisions of this section shall not apply to members who began participating in the Kentucky Employees Retirement System prior to January 1, 2014, except for those members who make an election pursuant to KRS 61.5955.