Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 513-7-1-.12 - Retirement
(1) Applications:
Requirements.
(a) Members qualifying for
retirement and seeking to do so shall prepare and submit an application for
retirement in a form prescribed by the Board of Trustees. Such form shall be
submitted 60 days in advance of the planned retirement date. The form shall be
signed by the Chief of the member's fire department. A Chief's retirement
application shall be signed by the Chief's civilian supervisor (e.g. Mayor,
City Manager, etc.).
(b) An
application for retirement shall include the form to select a survivor option,
and a beneficiary (if such has not already been chosen). This shall be verified
during processing by the Pension Fund office. The three options available are:
1. Full Benefits-No survivor- a named
beneficiary is required to receive the final pension payment after the
retiree's death;
2. Option A -
Joint and Survivor - beneficiary must be a legal spouse; and
3. Option B - Ten year Certain and Life -
beneficiary may be a spouse or any non-spousal relationship, but must be an
individual, see Rule
513-7-1.14.
(c) A change in beneficiary designation may
be made only upon forms prescribed by the Board and no change is effective
until said completed form is received by the Fund. To be valid, a change in
beneficiary designation shall be received in the Fund office prior to the
member's death.
(2)
Payments of retirement benefits shall not commence until it has been determined
that all requirements for retirement eligibility have been satisfied and an
application for retirement has been approved by the Board.
(3) All volunteer firefighters, upon
application for retirement, shall complete and submit a notarized Creditable
Service Affidavit, indicating that they have met the requirements for
creditable service since the previous year's affidavit was filed.
(4) Benefits may not commence until the
member is no longer employed by a fire department nor engaged in a compensated
capacity that would qualify him/her for membership in the Fund.
(a) Retired firefighters, after retiring from
service with their respective fire departments and commencing to receive
benefits from this Fund, may then volunteer to donate their time, service and
resources to assist their local fire department in any capacity deemed
appropriate to their expertise. So long as the retired firefighter is not
compensated by the hour, by the call, per diem, or in any manner related to
his/her service, the retired firefighter may continue to receive retirement
benefits. The determinant of whether or not a firefighter is compensated or not
compensated will rest with the production of tax reporting documentation for
the individual. If a Form W-2 or Form 1099 is issued to report taxable income
or transfer payments to a retired firefighter, then compensation shall be
presumed, and benefits shall be suspended.
(b) If a retired firefighter is reimbursed
for purchases made for personal equipment or on behalf of a fire department,
bona fide receipts, certified by the firefighter as correct, shall be
maintained and available to the pension office on request for a period not to
exceed seven years.
(5)
Retired firefighters who are receiving benefits and choose to return to service
with a fire department shall notify the Fund within 30 days of re-employment.
Benefits shall be suspended for the period of re-employment. Such member may
re-join the Fund and earn additional creditable service under O.C.G.A. Sec.
47-7-101. Benefits will be resumed
at the prior level, plus any increases granted in the interim, when the member
subsequently retires.
(6) The
retired member shall notify the Pension Fund office of any of the following
changes: mailing address, direct deposit information, marital status (i.e.
divorce, death of spouse, re-marriage), beneficiary, tax withholding or
re-engagement for compensation in a capacity that qualifies for membership in
the Pension Fund.
Notes
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