Mo. Rev. Stat. § 169.670 — MO Code / Chapter 169 / Section 169.670
169.670 Benefits, how computed — beneficiary benefits, options, election of.
Status: in_force

169.670. Benefits, how computed — beneficiary benefits, options, election of. — 1. The retirement allowance of a member whose age at retirement is sixty years or more and whose creditable service is five years or more, or whose sum of age and creditable service equals eighty years or more, or whose creditable service is thirty years or more regardless of age, shall be the sum of the following items:

(1) For each year of membership service, one and sixty-one hundredths percent of the member's final average salary;

(2) Six-tenths of the amount payable for a year of membership service for each year of prior service;

(3) Eighty-five one-hundredths of one percent of any amount by which the member's average compensation for services rendered prior to July 1, 1973, exceeds the average monthly compensation on which federal Social Security taxes were paid during the period over which such average compensation was computed, for each year of membership service credit for services rendered prior to July 1, 1973, plus six-tenths of the amount payable for a year of membership service for each year of prior service credit;

(4) In lieu of the retirement allowance otherwise provided by subdivisions (1) to (3) of this subsection, a member may elect to receive a retirement allowance of:

(a) One and fifty-nine hundredths percent of the member's final average salary for each year of membership service, if the member's creditable service is twenty-nine years or more but less than thirty years and the member has not attained the age of fifty-five;

(b) One and fifty-seven hundredths percent of the member's final average salary for each year of membership service, if the member's creditable service is twenty-eight years or more but less than twenty-nine years, and the member has not attained the age of fifty-five;

(c) One and fifty-five hundredths percent of the member's final average salary for each year of membership service, if the member's creditable service is twenty-seven years or more but less than twenty-eight years and the member has not attained the age of fifty-five;

(d) One and fifty-three hundredths percent of the member's final average salary for each year of membership service, if the member's creditable service is twenty-six years or more but less than twenty-seven years and the member has not attained the age of fifty-five;

(e) One and fifty-one hundredths percent of the member's final average salary for each year of membership service, if the member's creditable service is twenty-five years or more but less than twenty-six years and the member has not attained the age of fifty-five; and

(5) In addition to the retirement allowance provided in subdivisions (1) to (3) of this subsection, a member retiring on or after July 1, 2001, whose creditable service is thirty years or more or whose sum of age and creditable service is eighty years or more, shall receive a temporary retirement allowance equivalent to eight-tenths of one percent of the member's final average salary multiplied by the member's years of service until such time as the member reaches the minimum age for Social Security retirement benefits.

2. If the board of trustees determines that the cost of living, as measured by generally accepted standards, increases five percent or more in the preceding fiscal year, the board shall increase the retirement allowances which the retired members or beneficiaries are receiving by five percent of the amount being received by the retired member or the beneficiary at the time the annual increase is granted by the board; provided that, the increase provided in this subsection shall not become effective until the fourth January first following a member's retirement or January 1, 1982, whichever occurs later, and the total of the increases granted to a retired member or the beneficiary after December 31, 1981, may not exceed eighty percent of the retirement allowance established at retirement or as previously adjusted by other provisions of law. If the cost of living increases less than five percent, the board of trustees may determine the percentage of increase to be made in retirement allowances, but at no time can the increase exceed five percent per year. If the cost of living decreases in a fiscal year, there will be no increase in allowances for retired members on the following January first.

3. The board of trustees may reduce the amounts which have been granted as increases to a member pursuant to subsection 2 of this section if the cost of living, as determined by the board and as measured by generally accepted standards, is less than the cost of living was at the time of the first increase granted to the member; provided that, the reductions shall not exceed the amount of increases which have been made to the member's allowance after December 31, 1981.

4. (1) In lieu of the retirement allowance provided in subsection 1 of this section, called option 1, a member whose creditable service is twenty-five years or more or who has attained age fifty-five with five or more years of creditable service may elect, in the application for retirement, to receive the actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance in reduced monthly payments for life during retirement with the provision that:

Option 2.

Upon the member's death, the reduced retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the life of and paid to such person as has an insurable interest in the life of the member as the member shall have nominated in the member's election of the option, and provided further that if the person so nominated dies before the retired member, the retirement allowance will be increased to the amount the retired member would be receiving had the member elected option 1; or

Option 3.

Upon the death of the member three-fourths of the reduced retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the life of and paid to such person as has an insurable interest in the life of the member and as the member shall have nominated in an election of the option, and provided further that if the person so nominated dies before the retired member, the retirement allowance will be increased to the amount the retired member would be receiving had the member elected option 1; or

Option 4.

Upon the death of the member one-half of the reduced retirement allowance shall be continued throughout the life of, and paid to, such person as has an insurable interest in the life of the member and as the member shall have nominated in an election of the option, and provided further that if the person so nominated dies before the retired member, the retirement allowance shall be increased to the amount the retired member would be receiving had the member elected option 1; or

Option 5.

Upon the death of the member prior to the member having received one hundred twenty monthly payments of the member's reduced allowance, the remainder of the one hundred twenty monthly payments of the reduced allowance shall be paid to such beneficiary as the member shall have nominated in the member's election of the option or in a subsequent nomination. If there is no beneficiary so nominated who survives the member for the remainder of the one hundred twenty monthly payments, the reserve for the remainder of such one hundred twenty monthly payments shall be paid to the surviving spouse, surviving children in equal shares, surviving parents in equal shares, or estate of the last person, in that order of precedence, to receive a monthly allowance in a lump sum payment. If the total of the one hundred twenty payments paid to the retired individual and the beneficiary of the retired individual is less than the total of the member's accumulated contributions, the difference shall be paid to the beneficiary in a lump sum; or

Option 6.

Upon the death of the member prior to the member having received sixty monthly payments of the member's reduced allowance, the remainder of the sixty monthly payments of the reduced allowance shall be paid to such beneficiary as the member shall have nominated in the member's election of the option or in a subsequent nomination. If there is no beneficiary so nominated who survives the member for the remainder of the sixty monthly payments, the reserve for the remainder of such sixty monthly payments shall be paid to the surviving spouse, surviving children in equal shares, surviving parents in equal shares, or estate of the last person, in that order of precedence, to receive a monthly allowance in a lump sum payment. If the total of the sixty payments paid to the retired individual and the beneficiary of the retired individual is less than the total of the member's accumulated contributions, the difference shall be paid to the beneficiary in a lump sum; or

Option 7.

A plan of variable monthly benefit payments which provides, in conjunction with the member's retirement benefits under the federal Social Security laws, level or near-level retirement benefit payments to the member for life during retirement, and if authorized, to an appropriate beneficiary designated by the member. Such a plan shall be actuarially equivalent to the retirement allowance under option 1 and shall be available for election only if established by the board of trustees under duly adopted rules.

(2) The election of an option may be made only in the application for retirement and such application must be filed prior to the date on which the retirement of the member is to be effective. If either the member or the person nominated dies before the effective date of retirement, the option shall not be effective, provided that:

(a) If the member or a person retired on disability retirement dies after attaining age fifty-five and acquiring five or more years of creditable service or after acquiring twenty-five or more years of creditable service and before retirement, except retirement with disability benefits, and the person named by the member as the member's beneficiary has an insurable interest in the life of the deceased member, the designated beneficiary may elect to receive either survivorship payments under option 2 or a payment of the member's accumulated contributions. If survivorship benefits under option 2 are elected and the member at the time of death would have been eligible to receive an actuarial equivalent of the member's retirement allowance, the designated beneficiary may further elect to defer the option 2 payments until the date the member would have been eligible to receive the retirement allowance provided in subsection 1 of this section.

(b) If the member or a person retired on disability retirement dies before attaining age fifty-five but after acquiring five but fewer than twenty-five years of creditable service, and the person named as the beneficiary has an insurable interest in the life of the deceased member or disability retiree, the designated beneficiary may elect to receive either a payment of the person's accumulated contributions or survivorship benefits under option 2 to begin on the date the member would first have been eligible to receive an actuarial equivalent of the person's retirement allowance, or to begin on the date the member would first have been eligible to receive the retirement allowance provided in subsection 1 of this section.

5. If the total of the retirement or disability allowances paid to an individual before the person's death is less than the person's accumulated contributions at the time of the person's retirement, the difference shall be paid to the person's beneficiary or, if there is no beneficiary, to the surviving spouse, surviving children in equal shares, surviving parents in equal shares, or person's estate, in that order of precedence; provided, however, that if an optional benefit, as provided in option 2, 3 or 4 in subsection 4 of this section, had been elected and the beneficiary dies after receiving the optional benefit, then, if the total retirement allowances paid to the retired individual and the individual's beneficiary are less than the total of the contributions, the difference shall be paid to the surviving spouse, surviving children in equal shares, surviving parents in equal shares, or estate of the beneficiary, in that order of precedence, unless the retired individual designates a different recipient with the board at or after retirement.

6. If a member dies and his or her financial institution is unable to accept the final payment or payments due to the member, the final payment or payments shall be paid to the beneficiary of the member or, if there is no beneficiary, to the surviving spouse, surviving children in equal shares, surviving parents in equal shares, or estate of the member, in that order of precedence, unless otherwise stated. If the beneficiary of a deceased member dies and his or her financial institution is unable to accept the final payment or payments, the final payment or payments shall be paid to the surviving spouse, surviving children in equal shares, surviving parents in equal shares, or estate of the member, in that order of precedence, unless otherwise stated.

7. If a member dies before receiving a retirement allowance, the member's accumulated contributions at the time of the member's death shall be paid to the member's beneficiary or, if there is no beneficiary, to the surviving spouse, surviving children in equal shares, surviving parents in equal shares, or to the member's estate; provided, however, that no such payment shall be made if the beneficiary elects option 2 in subsection 4 of this section, unless the beneficiary dies before having received benefits pursuant to that subsection equal to the accumulated contributions of the member, in which case the amount of accumulated contributions in excess of the total benefits paid pursuant to that subsection shall be paid to the surviving spouse, surviving children in equal shares, surviving parents in equal shares, or estate of the beneficiary, in that order of precedence.

8. If a member ceases to be an employee as defined in section 169.600 and certifies to the board of trustees that such cessation is permanent or if the person's membership is otherwise terminated, the person shall be paid the person's accumulated contributions with interest.

9. Notwithstanding any provisions of sections 169.600 to 169.715 to the contrary, if a member ceases to be an employee as defined in section 169.600 after acquiring five or more years of creditable service, the member may, at the option of the member, leave the member's contributions with the retirement system and claim a retirement allowance any time after the member reaches the minimum age for voluntary retirement. When the member's claim is presented to the board, the member shall be granted an allowance as provided in sections 169.600 to 169.715 on the basis of the member's age and years of service.

10. The retirement allowance of a member retired because of disability shall be nine-tenths of the allowance to which the member's creditable service would entitle the member if the member's age were sixty.

11. Notwithstanding any provisions of sections 169.600 to 169.715 to the contrary, any member who is a member prior to October 13, 1969, may elect to have the member's retirement allowance computed in accordance with sections 169.600 to 169.715 as they existed prior to October 13, 1969.

12. Any application for retirement shall include a sworn statement by the member certifying that the spouse of the member at the time the application was completed was aware of the application and the plan of retirement elected in the application.

13. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person retired prior to August 14, 1984, who is receiving a reduced retirement allowance under option 1 or 2 of subsection 4 of this section, as the option existed prior to August 14, 1984, and whose beneficiary nominated to receive continued retirement allowance payments under the elected option dies or has died, shall upon application to the board of trustees have the person's retirement allowance increased to the amount the person would have been receiving had the person not elected the option actuarially adjusted to recognize any excessive benefits which would have been paid to the person up to the time of the application.

14. Benefits paid pursuant to the provisions of the public education employee retirement system of Missouri shall not exceed the limitations of Section 415 of Title 26 of the United States Code, except as provided under this subsection. Notwithstanding any other law, the board of trustees may establish a benefit plan under Section 415(m) of Title 26 of the United States Code. Such plan shall be credited solely for the purpose described in Section 415(m)(3)(A) of Title 26 of the United States Code. The board of trustees may promulgate regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this subsection and to create and administer such benefit plan.

15. Any member who has retired prior to July 1, 1999, and the designated beneficiary of a deceased retired member upon request shall be made, constituted, appointed and employed by the board as a special consultant on the matters of education, retirement and aging. As compensation for such duties the person shall receive a payment equivalent to seven and four-tenths percent of the previous month's benefit, which shall be added to the member's or beneficiary's monthly annuity and which shall not be subject to the provisions of subsections 2 and 3 of this section for the purposes of the limit on the total amount of increases which may be received.

16. Any member who has retired prior to July 1, 2000, and the designated beneficiary of a deceased retired member upon request shall be made, constituted, appointed and employed by the board as a special consultant on the matters of education, retirement and aging. As compensation for such duties the person shall receive a payment equivalent to three and four-tenths percent of the previous month's benefit, which shall be added to the member's or beneficiary's monthly annuity and which shall not be subject to the provisions of subsections 2 and 3 of this section for the purposes of the limit on the total amount of increases which may be received.

17. Any member who has retired prior to July 1, 2001, and the designated beneficiary of a deceased retired member upon request shall be made, constituted, appointed and employed by the board as a special consultant on the matters of education, retirement and aging. As compensation for such duties the person shall receive a payment equivalent to seven and one-tenth percent of the previous month's benefit, which shall be added to the member's or beneficiary's monthly annuity and which shall not be subject to the provisions of subsections 2 and 3 of this section for the purposes of the limit on the total amount of increases which may be received.

(L. 1965 p. 298 § 8, A.L. 1969 p. 284, A.L. 1973 H.B. 411, A.L. 1977 H.B. 135, A.L. 1981 S.B. 242, A.L. 1984 S.B. 407, A.L. 1986 S.B. 616, A.L. 1988 H.B. 1100, et al., A.L. 1990 H.B. 1347, et al., A.L. 1991 S.B. 242, et al., A.L. 1993 S.B. 126, A.L. 1994 H.B. 1544 merged with S.B. 575, A.L. 1995 S.B. 378, A.L. 1996 S.B. 860, A.L. 1997 S.B. 309, A.L. 1998 S.B. 501, S.B. 733, A.L. 1999 S.B. 308 & 314, A.L. 2000 H.B. 1808, A.L. 2001 H.B. 660, A.L. 2003 H.B. 346 & 174, A.L. 2005 H.B. 443, A.L. 2007 S.B. 406, A.L. 2009 H.B. 265, A.L. 2013 S.B. 17)