Iowa Code § 411.8 — IA Code / Title IX / Chapter 411 / Section 411.8
Method of financing.
Status: in_force

All the assets of the retirement system created and established by this chapter shall be credited to the fire and police retirement fund, which is hereby created. As used in this section, “fund” means the fire and police retirement fund.

(1) All moneys for the payment of all pensions and other benefits payable from contributions made by the participating cities, the state, and the members shall be accumulated in the fund. The refunds and benefits for all members and beneficiaries shall be payable from the fund. Contributions to and payments from the fund shall be as follows:

(1) (a) On account of each member there shall be paid annually into the fund by the participating cities an amount equal to a certain percentage of the earnable compensation of the member to be known as the “normal contribution”. The rate percent of such contribution shall be fixed on the basis of the liabilities of the retirement system as shown by annual actuarial valuations.

(1) (b) On the basis of the actuarial methods and assumptions, rate of interest, and of the mortality, interest and other tables adopted by the system, the actuary engaged by the system to make each valuation required by this chapter pursuant to the requirements of section 411.5, shall immediately after making such valuation, determine the normal contribution rate. Except as otherwise provided in this lettered paragraph, the “normal contribution rate” shall be the rate percent of the earnable compensation of all members equal to the rate required by the system to discharge its liabilities, stated as a percentage of the earnable compensation of all members, and reduced by the employee contribution rate provided in paragraph “f” of this subsection and the contribution rate representing any state appropriation made. However, the normal contribution rate shall not be less than seventeen percent.

(1) (b) The normal contribution rate shall be determined by the actuary after each valuation.

(1) (c) The total amount payable in each year to the fund shall be not less than the rate percent known as the normal contribution rate of the total compensation earnable by all members during the year, but the aggregate payment by the participating cities must be sufficient when combined with the amount in the fund to provide the pensions and other benefits payable out of the fund during the then current year.

(1) (d) All lump-sum death benefits on account of death in active service payable from contributions of the said cities shall be paid from the fund.

(1) (e) Reserved.

(1) (f) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph “h”:

(1) (f) An amount equal to three and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1989.

(1) (f) An amount equal to four and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990.

(1) (f) An amount equal to five and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1991.

(1) (f) An amount equal to six and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1992.

(1) (f) An amount equal to seven and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1993.

(1) (f) An amount equal to eight and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1994, through December 31, 1994, and an amount equal to eight and thirty-five hundredths percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal period beginning January 1, 1995, through June 30, 1995.

(1) (f) An amount equal to nine and thirty-five hundredths percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1995.

(1) (f) Beginning July 1, 1996, and each fiscal year thereafter, an amount equal to the member’s contribution rate times each member’s compensation shall be paid to the fund from the earnable compensation of the member. For the purposes of this subparagraph, the member’s contribution rate shall be nine and thirty-five hundredths percent until June 30, 2009, nine and four-tenths percent until June 30, 2024, nine and fifty-five hundredths percent until June 30, 2025, and, beginning July 1, 2025, nine and six hundred seventy-five thousandths percent. However, the system shall increase the member’s contribution rate as necessary to cover any increase in cost to the system resulting from statutory changes which are enacted by any session of the general assembly meeting after January 1, 1991, if the increase cannot be absorbed within the contribution rates otherwise established pursuant to this paragraph, but subject to a maximum employee contribution rate of eleven and three-tenths percent until June 30, 2009, eleven and thirty-five hundredths percent until June 30, 2025, and, beginning July 1, 2025, eleven and four hundred seventy-five thousandths percent. The contribution rate increases specified in 1994 Iowa Acts, ch. 1183, pursuant to this chapter and chapter 97A shall be the only member contribution rate increases for these systems resulting from the statutory changes enacted in 1994 Iowa Acts, ch. 1183, and shall apply only to the fiscal periods specified in 1994 Iowa Acts, ch. 1183. After the employee contribution reaches the applicable maximum employee contribution rate, sixty percent of the additional cost of such statutory changes shall be paid by employers under paragraph “c” and forty percent of the additional cost shall be paid by employees under this paragraph.

(1) (g) The system shall certify to the superintendent of public safety as defined in this chapter and the superintendent of public safety as defined in this chapter shall cause to be deducted from the earnable compensation of each member the contribution required under this subsection and shall forward the contributions to the system for recording and for deposit in the fund.

(1) (g) The deductions provided for under this paragraph shall be made notwithstanding that the minimum compensation provided by law for any member is reduced. Every member is deemed to consent to the deductions made under this paragraph.

(1) (h) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph “f”, the following transition percentages apply to members’ contributions as specified:

(1) (h) For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-nine years or more, an amount equal to nine and one-tenth percent of each member’s compensation from the earnable compensation of the member shall be paid to the fund for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1990, through October 15, 1992, and commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.

(1) (h) For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-eight years but have not attained the age of forty-nine years, an amount equal to eight and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990, and an amount equal to nine and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1991, through October 15, 1992, and commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.

(1) (h) For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-seven years but have not attained the age of forty-eight years, an amount equal to seven and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990, an amount equal to eight and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1991, and an amount equal to nine and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1992, through October 15, 1992, and commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.

(1) (h) For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-six years but have not attained the age of forty-seven years, an amount equal to six and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990, an amount equal to seven and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1991, an amount equal to eight and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1992, through October 15, 1992, and commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.

(1) (h) For members who on July 1, 1990, have attained the age of forty-five years but have not attained the age of forty-six years, an amount equal to five and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1990, an amount equal to six and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1991, and an amount equal to seven and one-tenth percent shall be paid for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1992, through October 15, 1992. Commencing October 16, 1992, and for each subsequent fiscal period, the rates specified in paragraph “f”, subparagraphs (4) through (8), shall apply.

(1) (i) Notwithstanding paragraph “g” or other provisions of this chapter, beginning January 1, 1995, for federal income tax purposes, and beginning January 1, 1999, for state income tax purposes, member contributions required under paragraph “f” or “h” which are picked up by the city shall be considered employer contributions for federal and state income tax purposes, and each city shall pick up the member contributions to be made under paragraph “f” or “h” by its employees. Each city shall pick up these contributions by reducing the salary of each of its employees covered by this chapter by the amount which each employee is required to contribute under paragraph “f” or “h” and shall pay the amount picked up in lieu of the member contributions to the board of trustees for recording and deposit in the fund.

(1) (i) Member contributions picked up by each city under subparagraph (1) shall be treated as employer contributions for federal and state income tax purposes only and for all other purposes of this chapter shall be treated as employee contributions and deemed part of the employee’s earnable compensation or salary.

(2) Annually the board of trustees shall budget the amount of money necessary during the ensuing year to provide for the expense of operation of the retirement system. The operating expenses shall be financed from the income derived from the system’s investments. Investment management expenses shall be charged directly to the investment income of the system.

[C35, §6326-f8; C39, §6326.10; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.8; 82 Acts, ch 1261, §41]90 Acts, ch 1240, §69 – 77; 92 Acts, ch 1201, §70; 94 Acts, ch 1183, §74 – 76; 98 Acts, ch 1174, §4, 6; 2008 Acts, ch 1171, §51; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §122; 2009 Acts, ch 99, §4; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §49; 2024 Acts, ch 1138, §10; 2025 Acts, ch 146, §6