Fact Sheet #5
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Pension Options

Public Employees' Retirement System - Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund

ESTIMATING YOUR RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE

If you are within two years of retirement, you may obtain an estimate of your retirement benefits online using the Member Benefits Online System (MBOS). Estimates obtained through MBOS provide the most accurate information available by using the service and salary information currently posted to your account. Before you can begin using the system, you must be registered with MBOS. Registration is free. To begin the registration process go to: www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/mbosregister.htm.

You can also obtain a retirement estimate by completing a Request for Retirement Estimate form, available from your employer or the Division of Pensions and Benefits. You may also call the Division of Pensions and Benefits' Automated Information System at (609) 777-1777 to hear an Estimate of Your Retirement Benefits over the phone. Please have your Social Security number available when you call.

If you provide us with the birth date of your beneficiary, we will estimate not only the Maximum Option but also alternate payment options described in this fact sheet. (Telephone estimates not available for members of the PERS Prosecutors Part, Workers' Compensation Judges, or PERS Law Enforcement Officers - LEOs.)

If you are more than two years from retirement, you may calculate your own retirement allowance using the online retirement estimate calculators on the Division of Pensions and Benefits Web site: www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions, or using the worksheet and instructions in Fact Sheet #54, Calculating Your Own Retirement Allowance.

RETIREMENT PAYMENT OPTIONS

When planning for retirement, you must be familiar with the retirement payment options available to you from the retirement system. You should also consider your financial needs in retirement, your health, your beneficiary's health, the need to provide survivor benefits, life insurance benefits available, income from other sources, such as Social Security benefits, investments, etc.

When you apply for retirement, you will have to choose one of nine ways to receive your retirement benefits. Please be sure you understand the different payment options available to you because, once you have made your choice and your retirement becomes due and payable (usually when your first check is issued), you cannot change your payment option.

Maximum Option - No Pension Benefit to a Beneficiary

The Maximum Option, also called a single-life annuity, is the highest amount payable and provides a retirement benefit to you for the remainder of your life. If you are not concerned with providing either a lump-sum benefit or providing a monthly income to another person after your death, the Maximum Option may be the most appropriate payment choice for you. The benefit payments continue for your lifetime only. Upon your death, benefits end and your survivors do not receive a pension allowance.

If you die before receiving, through your retirement allowance, the amount that you paid into the retirement system while working (including interest on those contributions), the balance of your contributions will be paid to your beneficiary.

OPTIONS OTHER THAN THE MAXIMUM

Under Options A, B, C, or D you receive a smaller monthly benefit than that provided under the Maximum Option so that, upon your death, your beneficiary will receive a lifetime monthly pension. The percentage of reduction is based on the life expectancies of both you and your beneficiary at the time of your retirement and the option selected. Therefore, the younger your beneficiary, the greater the percentage of reduction in your benefit. Your beneficiary under these options must be an individual. You may not designate a charity, institution, your estate, etc. as a beneficiary.

Option A - 100% to Beneficiary - Increase to Maximum Option

Option A, also called a 100% joint and survivor benefit, provides a lifetime monthly payment to you. If your beneficiary is living at the time of your death, your beneficiary will receive 100% of your monthly retirement allowance for life. If your beneficiary dies before you, your retirement allowance will increase to the Maximum Option. You can name only one beneficiary for this benefit and your beneficiary can never be changed after retirement.

Option B - 75% to Beneficiary - Increase to Maximum Option

Option B, also called a 75% joint and survivor benefit, provides a lifetime monthly payment to you. If your beneficiary is living at the time of your death, your beneficiary will receive 75% of your monthly retirement allowance for life. If your beneficiary dies before you, your retirement allowance will increase to the Maximum Option. You can name only one beneficiary for this benefit and your beneficiary can never be changed after retirement.

Option C - 50% to Beneficiary - Increase to Maximum Option

Option C, also called a 50% joint and survivor benefit, provides a lifetime monthly payment to you. If your beneficiary is living at the time of your death, your beneficiary will receive half of your monthly retirement allowance for life. If your beneficiary dies before you, your retirement allowance will increase to the Maximum Option. You can name only one beneficiary for this benefit and your beneficiary can never be changed after retirement.

Option D - 25% to Beneficiary - Increase to Maximum Option

Option D, also called a 25% joint and survivor benefit, provides a lifetime monthly payment to you. If your beneficiary is living at the time of your death, your beneficiary will receive 25% of your monthly retirement allowance for life. If your beneficiary dies before you, your retirement allowance will increase to the Maximum Option. You can name only one beneficiary for this benefit and your beneficiary can never be changed after retirement.

Option 1 - Reducing Retirement Reserve to a Beneficiary

Option 1 provides a lifetime monthly payment to you. Your retirement allowance is reduced from what you could collect under the Maximum Option. It is also different from the Maximum Option in that it may provide a lump-sum payment to your beneficiary after your death. At the time of your retirement, the amount expected to be paid to you in retirement benefits over your lifetime is calculated. This is called your retirement reserve. If you die before you receive monthly retirement benefits equal to your retirement reserve, your beneficiary is entitled to the balance. The balance will be paid in a lump sum or the beneficiary may request payment in equal monthly payments over 5, 10, 15, or 20 years or as a life annuity.

You may name more than one beneficiary for this option and you can change your beneficiary at any time. Your beneficiary may be a person, a charity, an institution, or your estate.

For example, if your monthly retirement allowance is $2,000 and your retirement reserve is $230,400, your beneficiary would be entitled to the following payment depending on when you died (16 or 120 months after retirement as shown below).

Since the retirement reserve is based on your retirement allowance and your life expectancy, your own reserve may be much different than this example.

Under Options 2, 3, or 4 you receive a smaller monthly benefit than that provided under the Maximum Option so that, upon your death, your beneficiary will receive a lifetime monthly pension. The percentage of reduction is based on the life expectancies of both you and your beneficiary at the time of your retirement and the option selected. Therefore, the younger your beneficiary, the greater the percentage of reduction in your benefit. Your beneficiary under these options must be an individual. You may not designate a charity, institution, your estate, etc. as a beneficiary.

Option 2 - 100% to Beneficiary - Permanent Reduction

Option 2, also called a 100% joint and survivor benefit, provides a lifetime monthly payment to you. If your beneficiary is living at the time of your death, your beneficiary will receive 100% of your monthly retirement allowance for life. You can name only one beneficiary for this benefit and your beneficiary can never be changed after retirement. This is similar to Option A except that if your beneficiary dies before you, you will continue to receive the reduced retirement allowance you had been receiving under this option.

Option 3 - 50% to Beneficiary - Permanent Reduction

Option 3, also called a 50% joint and survivor benefit, provides a lifetime monthly payment to you. If your beneficiary is living at the time of your death, your beneficiary will receive one-half of your monthly retirement allowance for life. You can name only one beneficiary to receive this benefit and the beneficiary can never be changed after retirement. This is similar to Option C except that if your beneficiary dies before you, you will continue to receive the reduced retirement allowance you had been receiving under this option.

Option 4 - Choice of Amount to Beneficiary - Permanent Reduction

If the preceding payment options do not meet your financial needs, you may want to consider this option. Option 4 provides a lifetime monthly payment to you. If your beneficiary is living at the time of your death, your beneficiary will receive whatever monthly allowance you decide for life. (This can be no more than your own allowance.) You can name one beneficiary or multiple beneficiaries to receive this benefit and the beneficiary(ies) can never be changed after retirement. If your beneficiary dies before you, you will continue to receive the reduced retirement allowance you had been receiving under this option.

Pension Benefit to Beneficiary Upon Death of Retiree

Age Limits on Nonspouse Beneficiaries

For all options, you can name your spouse* as your beneficiary regardless of your spouse's age. For Options 1, 3, C, or D, you can name someone other than your spouse as beneficiary regardless of age.

For Options 2, A, or B, if you are naming a beneficiary who is not your spouse, Internal Revenue Service regulations restrict the age of your beneficiary.

*Note: Because the Internal Revenue Service is a federal agency, a civil union partner, or domestic partner as defined under New Jersey State law does not qualify as a "spouse" under these circumstances and would be subject to the age limitations described.

For Options 2 and A (100% to beneficiary):

• If you are age 70 or older at retirement, your nonspouse beneficiary can be no more than 10 years younger than you.
  
  
• If you are under age 70 at retirement, determine 1.) the number of years difference between your age at retirement and age 70; and 2.) the number of years difference between your age at retirement and the age of your nonspouse beneficiary. Subtract the age 70 difference from the difference in age between yourself and your beneficiary. The resulting age difference can be no more than 10 years (younger than you).

For Option B (75% to beneficiary):

• If you are age 70 or older at retirement, your nonspouse beneficiary can be no more than 19 years younger than you.
  
  
• If you are under age 70 at retirement, determine 1.) the number of years difference between your age at retirement and age 70; and 2.) the number of years difference between your age at retirement and the age of your nonspouse beneficiary. Subtract the age 70 difference from the difference in age between yourself and your beneficiary. The resulting age difference can be no more than 19 years (younger than you).

If you name a nonspouse beneficiary under Option 4, and the dollar amount of your beneficiary's pension is more than half of your allowance, restrictions on your beneficiary's age apply.

Proof of Age Documentation

If you choose Option 2, 3, 4, A, B, C, or D, proof of age documentation is required for both you and your designated beneficiary. You should submit photocopies of the proof of age documentation at the time you submit your Application for Retirement Allowance.

Power-of-Attorney

A person acting on behalf of a member, other than a legal guardian, cannot choose a pension other than the Maximum Option (and cannot name themselves as a life insurance beneficiary). However, a person with legal Power-of-Attorney on behalf of a retiring member can:

• Apply for retirement on behalf of a member;
• Choose any Pension Option; and
• Name themselves as the beneficiary for that Pension Option.

Note: For the Group Life Insurance, the Power-of-Attorney documentation must specifically state that the person acting as Power-of-Attorney has the right to designate or change beneficiaries for group life insurance and, additionally, must specifically grant them the right to name themselves.

WHAT HAPPENS TO RETIREE ALLOWANCE IF BENEFICIARY DIES BEFORE RETIREE?

Under Options 2, 3, and 4, if your beneficiary dies before you, your retirement allowance remains at the reduced option level. Under Options A, B, C, and D, if your beneficiary dies before you, your retirement increases to the Maximum Option. Options A through D provide a smaller retirement allowance to you and your beneficiary, when compared to similar Options 2, 3, and 4, to pay for the larger retirement allowance you would collect if your beneficiary dies before you.

Retiree Allowance Upon Death of Beneficiary

LIFE INSURANCE AFTER RETIREMENT

Most members of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) and Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) are covered by group life insurance while employed. At retirement, those members will receive a reduced life insurance benefit to be paid to their beneficiary upon their death, provided that they have credit for at least 10 years of service in the pension plan.

You may want to leave a pension option benefit to your beneficiary in addition to the life insurance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If, after reading this fact sheet, you have questions about your pension options, contact the Division of Pensions and benefits Office of Client Services at (609) 292-7524, or send e-mail to: pensions.nj@treas.state.nj.us

Fact Sheet #54, Calculating Your Own Retirement Allowance, is available from your employer, by contacting the Division of Pensions and Benefits, or over the Internet at the Division of Pensions and Benefits home page: www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions.

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