Ariz. Admin. Code § R2-8-513 - Purchasing Service Credit by Irrevocable PDA

A. An Eligible Member may purchase Service Credit by Irrevocable PDA.

B. By the due date specified on the SP invoice, the member shall ensure that the ASRS receives the completed Service Purchase Payment Request form with the information specified in R2-8-502(D)(2) .

C. B. If the Eligible Member elects to pay for Service Credit by Irrevocable PDA, the Eligible Member shall elect the terms of the Irrevocable PDA and submit the Irrevocable PDA to the ASRS and the Employer with the following:

1. Acknowledgements:

a. This Irrevocable PDA is binding and irrevocable;

b. This Irrevocable PDA shall remain in effect until the earlier of:

i. The authorized payroll deductions are completed; or

ii. The Eligible Member terminates employment.

c. The ASRS cannot terminate the Irrevocable PDA due to financial hardship;

d. The amount of Irrevocable PDA payments the Eligible Member makes is subject to federal laws;

e. The cost to purchase Service Credit by Irrevocable PDA includes an administrative interest charge at the Assumed Actuarial Investment Earnings Rate in effect at the time of the authorization as specified in R2-8-118(A);

f. Payments specified in this Irrevocable PDA are in addition to the regular contributions required pursuant to A.R.S. §§ 38-736 and 38-797.05;

g. The ASRS shall apply credited service to the Eligible Member's account upon receipt of payments authorized by the Eligible Member under this Irrevocable PDA; and

h. The ASRS shall not transfer, refund, or disburse the administrative interest that the ASRS charges pursuant to subsection (B)(1)(e); and

2. Statements of Understanding:

a. It is the Eligible Member's responsibility to ensure the Eligible Member's Employer properly deducts payments and submits contributions as provided by the terms of the Irrevocable PDA;

b. Payments specified by the terms of this Irrevocable PDA shall be made directly to the ASRS from the Eligible Member's Employer and the Eligible Member does not have the option of receiving such payments directly from the Employer;

c. The Eligible Member's Employer shall make payments pursuant to this Irrevocable PDA after other mandatory deductions are made;

d. The Eligible Member's Employer cannot accept an election to change this Irrevocable PDA;

e. The Eligible Member has up to 14 days to request the ASRS calculate the remaining balance of this Irrevocable PDA after the earlier of:

i. Terminating employment;

ii. Terminating LTD without returning to work with an Employer; or

iii. The effective ASRS retirement date;

f. The Eligible Member must complete a purchase of the remaining balance on this Irrevocable PDA by the due date specified on the PDA Pay-off Invoice;

g. It is the Eligible Member's responsibility to notify the ASRS of any changes in the Eligible Member's employment that may affect the status of this Irrevocable PDA;

h. If the Eligible Member terminates employment and returns to work with an Employer within 120 days of terminating employment, this Irrevocable PDA must continue with the new Employer pursuant to R2-8-513.01; and

i. If the Eligible member terminates employment and does not return to work with an Employer within 120 days of terminating employment, the ASRS shall terminate this Irrevocable PDA pursuant to R2-8-513.01.

C. By submitting the Irrevocable PDA to the ASRS, the Irrevocable PDA is deemed to be signed by the Eligible Member.

D. At the time the Eligible Member elects the Irrevocable PDA, the Eligible Member may elect to use Termination Pay towards the balance of the Irrevocable PDA if the Eligible Member terminates employment. If the Eligible Member elects to use Termination Pay, the Eligible Member shall submit the Irrevocable PDA to the ASRS with the following information:

1. A statement that the Eligible Member:

a. Understands and agrees that the Eligible Member must continue working at least Three Full Calendar Months after the date of submission of the form before Termination Pay may be used on a pre-tax basis;

b. Understands that if the Termination Pay exceeds the balance owed on the Irrevocable PDA, the overage will be returned to the Employer to be distributed to the Eligible Member;

c. Elects to irrevocably agree to have termination pay that may be payable to the member upon termination of employment sent to the ASRS on a pre-tax basis and used toward any remaining balance of the Irrevocable Payroll Deduction Authorization if all scheduled payroll deductions have not been completed upon termination of service; and

c. Understands that the election to use Termination Pay is binding and irrevocable;

d. The Eligible Member's Termination Pay must be received and processed before the ASRS will accept any other form of payment;

e. The Eligible Member's Employer is required to make payment directly to the ASRS after mandatory deductions are made, and the Eligible Member does not have the option of receiving the funds directly from the Employer;

f. It is the Eligible Member's responsibility to ensure that the Eligible Member's Employer properly deducts Termination Pay;

g. The amount of Termination Pay the Eligible Member elects is irrevocable pursuant to § 414(h)(2) of the IRC;

h. If the Eligible Member terminates employment and immediately retires, the Eligible Member's retirement processing may be delayed; and

2. Whether the Eligible Member is electing either all Termination Pay or a specified amount of Termination Pay to be applied to the balance of the Irrevocable PDA.

E. The ASRS shall:

1. Charge interest on the unpaid balance at the Assumed Actuarial Investment Earnings Rate in effect at the time the Eligible Member submitted the request to purchase service as specified in R2-8-118(A);

2. Limit the payroll deduction time period to a maximum of 520 payments; and

3. Require a minimum payment of $10.00 per payroll period, or payment in an amount to purchase at least .001 years of Service Credit per payroll period, whichever is greater.

F. The Employer shall implement the payroll deduction on the first pay period after receiving the Irrevocable PDA.

G. If a deduction is not made under an Irrevocable PDA within six months after the Eligible Member submits the authorization, the authorization lapses and the Eligible Member may make another request, which is recalculated based on the new request date unless the failure to begin deductions is due to an ASRS error.

H. A period of leave of absence, LT D, or military call-up shall not cancel the Irrevocable PDA. The Employer shall resume deductions immediately upon the Eligible Member's return to that Employer. The period during which the Eligible Member is on leave of absence, on LT D, or leaves work because of a military call-up is not included in the payment time limitation under subsection (D)(2). If the Eligible Member does not return to active working status, whether due to termination of employment or retirement, the Eligible Member may elect to purchase the balance of unpaid service under the Irrevocable PDA at the time of termination or retirement as specified in this Section.

I. Deductions made pursuant to an Irrevocable PDA continue until the:

1. Irrevocable PDA is completed;

2. Eligible Member retires, whether or not the Eligible Member continues employment as allowed in A.R.S. §§ 38-766.01 and 38-764(I);

3. Eligible Member terminates all ASRS employment without transferring employment; or

4. Date of the Eligible Member's death.

J. If an Eligible Member retires or terminates employment from all Employers without transferring employment as stated in R2-8-513.01 before all deductions are made as authorized by the Irrevocable PDA, the ASRS shall cancel the Eligible Member's Irrevocable PDA unless the Eligible Member notifies the ASRS of the Eligible Member's intent to purchase the remaining amount within 14 days after the earlier of either termination or retirement .

K. When the Eligible Member notifies the ASRS of retirement or termination from all ASRS employment and requests to pay off the Irrevocable PDA, the ASRS shall send the Eligible Member a PDA Pay-off Invoice through the Eligible Member's secure ASRS account. The ASRS shall calculate the amount owed by the Eligible Member.

L. By the date payment election is due, the Eligible Member shall ensure that the ASRS receives the information specified in R2-8-502(C).

M. The Eligible Member may purchase the remaining Service Credit by one or more of the following methods by the due date specified on the PDA Pay-off Invoice:

1. By any method specified in R2-8-512;

2. By making a request to the ASRS for a rollover or transfer under R2-8-514 and completing the rollover or transfer by the due date specified on the PDA Pay-off Invoice; or

3. By Termination Pay under R2-8-519, if the Eligible Member authorized this option at the time the Eligible Member signed the Irrevocable PDA.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R2-8-513

New Section made by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 2640, effective June 30, 2005 (Supp. 05-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 12 A.A.R. 4667, effective December 5, 2006 (Supp. 06-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 18 A.A.R. 3130, effective January 6, 2013 (Supp. 12-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 25 A.A.R. 303, effective 3/18/2019.