SECTION 3. DEFINED BENEFIT RETIREMENT SYSTEM SAFE HARBOR FORMULAS

.01 Final and highest average pay formulas.

(1) Periods of 36 months or less. A defined benefit retirement system that calculates benefits by reference to a

participant’s average compensation meets the minimum retirement benefit requirement with respect to an employee if it makes available to the employee a single life annuity payable beginning no later than age 65 that is at least 1.5 percent of average compensation for each year (or fraction thereof) of credited service. For this purpose, average compensation may be defined as the average of the employee’s compensation over the 36 (or fewer) consecutive or non-consecutive months that provides the highest such average, the average of the employee’s compensation for his or her last 36 (or fewer) months of service with the employer, or the average of the employee’s compensation for his or her high consecutive or nonconsecutive or final 3 (or fewer) calendar or plan years of service. (2) Periods of more than 36 months. A defined benefit retirement system that calculates benefits by reference

to a participant’s average compensation over a period of more than 36 months meets the minimum benefit requirement in the same manner as a retirement system described in section 3.01(l) except that the

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.02 Formulas using fractional accrual rule.

A defined benefit retirement system that calculates benefits based on a pro rata accrual towards a projected normal retirement benefit may meet the minimum retirement benefit requirement in the same manner as provided in section 3.01(l) provided the projected normal retirement benefit under the plan formula is greater than or equal to the benefit described in such section.

.03 Additional requirements for defined benefit plan formulas to meet safe harbors.

(1) Calculation of compensation.

(a) To meet the requirements of any of the defined benefit safe harbor formulas for plan years beginning after

July 1, 1991, a retirement system must calculate benefits based on a definition of compensation that meets the requirements of section 31.3121(b)(7)- 2(e)(2)(iii)(B) of the regulations. (b) In the event that the definition of compensation under the retirement system is less inclusive than the

definition otherwise permitted under this section, the applicable benefit percentage in the safe harbor formula of section 3.01 must be increased to account for the lower compensation base. The benefit percentage for employees in a retirement system whose benefits are computed using this definition must be multiplied by the ratio of (i) aggregate compensation (defined as under section 3.03(l)(a) and assuming that compensation considered in determining retirement benefits is limited to the contribution base described in section 3121(x)(1)) of these employees to (ii) aggregate compensation (as defined under the plan) of these employees. This ratio may be determined based upon the compensation during the immediately preceding plan year. In the case of a retirement system sponsored by more than one employer, this ratio must be calculated separately with respect to the employees of each employer whose benefits are computed using this definition. The rule in this section 3.03(l)(b) is illustrated by the following example: Example. A defined benefit retirement system maintained by a political subdivision provides a retirement benefit equal to 2.5 percent of a participant’s average compensation during his or her last calendar year of service. The compensation used for this purpose satisfies section 3.03(l)(a), except that it caps the compensation taken into account at $30,000. Assume that the ratio under section 3.03(t)(b) is 150 percent. This figure is derived by comparing the total compensation of employees in the plan (using the plan definition but capping compensation at the FICA contribution base (rather than at $30,000)) to the total compensation (using only the plan definition of compensation) of employees in the plan. The retirement system meets the requirements of 3.03(l) because the plan benefit percentage of 2.5 percent is more than 150 percent of the applicable safe harbor benefit percentage of 1.5 percent.

(2) Credited service.

(a) In order to meet the requirements of any of the defined benefit safe harbor formulas, a formula must

generally include in credited service the employee’s entire period of actual service with the employer since commencing participation in the retirement system, plus any past service credited under the retirement system. A formula may, however, exclude any periods of actual service for the employer that are treated as employment under section 3121(b) of the Code, provided that during such periods the employee did not participate in the retirement system. A retirement system subject to paragraph (f)(2)(i)(B) of section 31.3121(b)(7)-2 of the regulations (relating to the treatment of benefits accrued in plan years beginning prior to January 1, 1993) may also limit service consistent with the rules contained in that paragraph. (b) A formula may limit the maximum period of service that is credited for accrual purposes under this rule. If

this limit is less than 30 years in the case of formulas described in section 3.01(l) or (2), or 35 years in the case of formulas described in section 3.02, however, the benefit formula must be increased by the ratio of 30 (or 35) years to such lower limit. (c) Except as provided in section 3.03(4) with respect to part-time and other classes of employees, a formula

may limit the periods of actual service actually credited for accrual purposes under this rule to whole years or similar periods, provided the periods are reasonable. (d) The rules in this subsection are illustrated by the following example:

Example. In 1995, an employee is a participant in a retirement system with 5 years of credited service. Assume that the retirement system provides benefits under a formula described in section 3.01. In January 1996, the employee moves to a position that is not covered by the retirement system. Assume that service in the new position constitutes covered employment under section 3121(b) of the Code for purposes of the

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FICA (e.g., because a section 218 voluntary agreement is in effect with regard to such position). In January 1998, the employee returns to the old position and recommences participation under the retirement system. The employee must be treated as being in the employee’s sixth year of credited service in determining whether the benefit under the retirement system meets the minimum retirement benefit requirement. This is because the retirement system may generally disregard the service of an employee that constitutes employment under section 3121(b) for purposes of the FICA.

(3) Treatment of prior distributions from the retirement system.

In determining whether the requirements of any of the defined benefit safe harbor formulas are met, prior distributions may continue to be considered as part of the benefit accrued under the retirement system unless they were distributed by the employer without any election by the employee. In addition, if a retirement system gives a former employee credit for benefit determination purposes for periods of prior service with respect to which a prior distribution was made only if the employee contributes to the system an amount equal to all or a portion of the prior distribution (with or without interest), and this option is provided on reasonable terms, such prior service is not required to be taken into account in determining whether the requirements of any of the defined benefit safe harbors are met until the required contribution is actually made. If prior service is not taken into account under this rule, the prior distribution may not be taken into account either. The rules of this paragraph is illustrated by the following example:

Example. An employee retires under the early retirement option under a retirement system maintained by a state government. The employee elects to receive a single sum distribution representing the entire accrued benefit under the plan. Subsequently, the employee is rehired by the same employer. The plan does not provide for any recontribution of the prior distribution. Whether the employee is a member of the retirement system from which the employee received the distribution is determined without regard to the single sum distribution. That is, a single life annuity that is the actuarial equivalent of the single sum may be treated as part of the accrued benefit under the plan. Similarly, all periods of service credited under the plan during the employee’s previous service must be considered.

(4) Credited service for part-time, seasonal, and temporary employees.

To meet the requirements of any of the defined benefit safe harbor formulas with respect to a part-time, seasonal or temporary employee for plan years beginning after December 31, 1992, a safe harbor formula may not permit double proration of the employee’s benefits under the retirement system. See 29 CFR §2530.2042(d) for a description of double proration of benefit accruals. Under this rule, the benefit under the retirement system may be prorated either on the basis of full-time service or on the basis of full-time compensation, but may not be prorated based on both service and compensation. In addition, a safe harbor formula may not subject the crediting of service used in calculating the benefit of any part-time, seasonal or temporary employee to any conditions, such as a requirement that the employee attain a minimum age, perform a minimum period of service, be credited with a minimum number of hours of service, make an election in order to participate, or be present at the end of the plan year. The requirements of this section 3.03(4) will be deemed met with respect to an employee, however, if the requirements of section 31.3121(b)(7)-2(d)(2)(ii) of the regulations relating to amounts distributable upon certain events are met with respect to such employee. See section 31.3121(b)(7)2(d)(2)(iii) of the regulations for the definitions of part-time, seasonal, and temporary employee for this purpose.

.04 Examples of application of safe harbor formulas.

The application of the defined benefit safe harbors are illustrated in the following examples:

Example 1. An employee has been a participant in a state retirement system for 9 years and several months at the beginning of a plan year of the system. The employee has only 9 years of credited service under the system at the beginning of the plan year, however, because the retirement system calculates service for accrual purposes on the basis of whole years of actual service. Under the retirement system, each participant is credited with a retirement benefit based upon the participant’s highest average compensation over 36 consecutive months times his or her years of service (as so determined). Assume the retirement system imposes no other conditions on the accrual of benefits and meets the service crediting requirements of section 3.03(2). If at all times during the plan year prior to being credited with a tenth year of service the employee has a total accrued benefit of at least 13.5 percent of his or her highest average compensation (1.5 percent times 9 years), and at all times during the plan year after being credited

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with the tenth year of service the employee has a total accrued benefit of at least 15 percent of his or her highest average compensation (1.5 percent times 10 years), and the retirement otherwise meets the requirements of this revenue procedure and the regulations, the employee will be treated as a qualified participant throughout the plan year. This analysis applies without regard to whether the participant actually accrues a benefit in the plan year or is credited with an additional year of service for accrual purposes (e.g., if future accruals under the plan have been frozen or if the participant has obtained the maximum level of benefits under the plan).

Example 2. Assume the same facts as in Example 1, except that the plan grants 1 month of credited service for every whole month of actual service, and that the employee had 111 months of service (9 years and 3 months) at the beginning of the plan year. If at all times during the first month of the plan year prior to being credited with the 112th month of service the employee has a total accrued benefit of at least 13.875 percent of his highest average compensation (1.5 percent times 111 months, divided by 12), and at all times during the first month of the plan year after being credited with the 112th month of service the employee has a total accrued benefit of at least 14 percent of his highest average compensation (1.5 percent times 112 months, divided by 12), and the retirement system otherwise meets the requirements of this revenue procedure and section 31.3121(b)(7)-2(e) of the regulations, the participant is a qualified participant in the plan within the meaning of section 31.3121(b)(7)-2(d)(1) for the entire first month of the plan year.

Example 3. Assume the same facts as in Example 1, except that, instead of crediting only whole years of participation for accrual purposes, the retirement system credits only service during plan years in which a participant has at least 1,000 hours of service. Thus, as in Example 1, the participant has 9 years of credited service at the beginning of the plan year. If at all times during the plan year prior to meeting the 1,000-hour requirement the employee has a total accrued benefit of at least 13.5 percent of his or her highest average compensation (1.5 percent times 9 years), and at all times during the plan year after meeting the 1,000-hour requirement the employee has a total accrued benefit of at least 15 percent of his or her highest average compensation (1.5 percent times 10 years), the employee will be treated as a qualified participant in the retirement system within the meaning of section 31.3121(b)(7)-2(d)(1) of the regulations throughout the plan year.