PLEASE POST UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1, 2004
To: Active and Retired Pension Plan Participants
From: Bill Stefka, Administrator
Date: June 25, 2004
Re: "Survivor" Benefits For Certain Unmarried Members
Dear Plan Participants:
Due to recent inquiries and to keep our participants properly informed, this notice is being sent to our entire membership to remind our firefighters about benefits that are available under Section 7.09 of our pension statute. These particular benefits apply only to unmarried firefighter members who are retired or eligible for retirement. If there is no spouse or children otherwise eligible for benefits, a surviving beneficiary can be designated by such members on a form filed with the fund (Form 500A) making that designee eligible for surviving benefits, payable for life, upon the death of such member. This designee can be anyone the firefighter chooses, but the benefit payable is tied to the age difference between such member and the designee as follows:
Age Difference Between Firefighter
Member and Designated Beneficiary |
|
Percentage Of Member's Retirement Annuity
Payable To Designated Beneficiary For Life |
| Less than 10 years younger than member |
|
75% |
| At least 10, but less than 15 years younger |
|
50% |
| At least 15, but less than 20 years younger |
|
45% |
| At least 20, but less than 35 years younger |
|
40% |
| At least 35 years younger |
|
35% |
If a firefighter member who is eligible for retirement dies in service, before actually retiring, the above benefit payable to the designated beneficiary will be based on the retirement benefit that the firefighter member would have received if the member had retired on the date of death.
Please note all the following must apply before this "survivor" benefit can be payable:
- Firefighter member must be retired or eligible for retirement
- Firefighter member is unmarried, with no spouse or children eligible for benefits under other provisions of our statute
- Firefighter member has designated such "surviving" beneficiary on a form filed with the fund (Form 500A is used for this purpose)
If you have any questions or need a Form 500A for this purpose, please contact our office. The Form 500A is also available for downloading on our website at AFRS.ORG (under the "About Us/Contact Us" section of the website.)
Sincerely,
William E. Stefka,
Administrator
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