KRS § 67A.402 — KY Code / Title IX / Chapter 67A / Section 67A.402
67A.402 Employee purchase of service credit -- Payment procedures
Status: in_force

67A.402 Employee purchase of service credit -- Payment procedures.

(1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (d) of this subsection, any member

whose participation date in the fund is prior to March 14, 2013, who has at

least five (5) years of total service credit as a member of the fund may

purchase service credit, that is not otherwise purchasable, for up to a

maximum of four (4) years of service.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (d) of this subsection, any member

whose participation date in the fund is on or after March 14, 2013, who has at

least five (5) but no more than ten (10) years of membership service may,

subject to the limitations provided by this section, purchase periods of active

military duty service in the Armed Forces of the United States, not to exceed

four (4) years, that are not otherwise credited under KRS 67A.400(2)(c). The

member shall provide verification of the period of active military duty as

prescribed by the board.

(c) The member shall not be entitled to purchase any service credit under this

section for which he or she has been given credit in another defined benefit

retirement fund; however, the member may purchase government service

credit by transferring funds directly from another public defined benefit

retirement plan if the member provides proof that he or she is not eligible for a

retirement benefit from the other public defined benefit retirement fund.

(d) Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding:

1. No service credit purchase under this subsection shall be counted toward

the accrual of a health or other medical insurance retirement benefit in

this fund;

2. No service purchased under this section by a member whose

participation date in the fund is on or after March 14, 2013, shall be used

to determine the member's eligibility to retire or to withdraw on a

certificate under KRS 67A.410(2) or (3)(b); and

3. The amount of service a member can purchase under this section shall

not exceed the amounts specified by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this

subsection.

(2) A member who purchases service credit shall file an application with the board no

later than sixty (60) days prior to the anticipated service purchase payment date. The

member shall pay to the fund an amount which shall be determined by actuarial

method consistent with the methods prescribed for determining the purchase of

prior service credit which shall be the principal.

(3) Payment of the principal shall be made in a lump sum or payment of the principal

and interest may be made by installments. Interest, at the annual rate of return on

investments of the fund for the preceding year, shall be established by the

commissioner of finance on or before August 31 of each year and shall be based on

financial statements of the fund for the year ending June 30, except that the interest

shall not be less than three percent (3%). Interest shall be added to the principal for

the time period for which installments are to be made.

(4) If payments are made by installment, the cost of purchasing the service credit shall

be recalculated annually based upon the member's current salary, the interest rate

established by the commissioner of finance, and other factors required by the

actuarial method. The member's payments shall be adjusted annually to reflect the

annual recalculation of the cost of purchasing service credit. Installment payments

shall be consecutive and the total number of monthly installments shall not be less

than twelve (12) or more than two hundred forty (240). The member shall pay the

installments by payroll deduction.

(5) Payments shall not be picked up by the urban-county government. No employer

contribution shall be paid on the installments. The board shall determine how much

of the total cost represents payment for one (1) quarter of the service to be

purchased and the member shall receive service credit for one (1) quarter of the

service each time this amount is paid.

(6) If the member dies, retires, or ceases to be a member of the fund before he or she

has made all installment payments for the purchase of service credit, the fund shall

refund to the member, his or her qualified surviving spouse, or his or her estate, the

portion of any payment that does not represent a full quarter of service.

(7) A member whose participation date in the fund is prior to March 14, 2013, who

does not repay a refund of contributions, as provided in KRS 67A.500(3), shall be

entitled to purchase service credit for prior membership service.

(8) The member may cancel a purchase obligation at any time, but once canceled, a

member shall have forever forfeited, waived, and relinquished the right to purchase

service credit.