840 CMR, § 3.04 - Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a)(9)

(1) Effective as of January 1, 1989, any retirement system subject to M.G.L. c. 32 will pay all benefits in accordance with a good faith interpretation of the requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a)(9), as applicable to a governmental plan within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 414(d).

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of 840 CMR 3.04(2), effective on and after January 1, 2003, any retirement system subject to M.G.L. c. 32 is subject to the following provisions:

(a) Members must apply for benefits by completing all required forms and benefits must begin by the required beginning date, which is the later of April 1^st of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the member reaches 72 years of age (701/2 years of age if the member was born before July 1, 1949) or April 1^st of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the member terminates employment.

(b) The member's entire interest must be distributed over the member's life or the lives of the member and a designated beneficiary, or over a period not extending beyond the life expectancy of the member or of the member and a designated beneficiary.

(c) The life expectancy of a member, the member's spouse, or the member's beneficiary may not be recalculated after the initial determination for purposes of determining benefits.

(d) If a member dies after the required distribution of benefits has begun, the remaining portion of the member's interest must be distributed at least as rapidly as under the method of distribution before the member's death.

(e) If a member dies before required distribution of the member's benefits has begun, the member's entire interest must be either:

1. distributed (in accordance with federal regulations) over the life or life expectancy of the designated beneficiary, with the distributions beginning no later than December 31^st of the calendar year following the calendar year of the member's death; or

2. distributed within five years of the member's death.

(3) The amount of an annuity paid to a member's beneficiary may not exceed the maximum determined under the incidental death benefit requirement of Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a)(9)(G), and effective for any annuity commencing on or after January 1, 2008, the minimum distribution incidental benefit rule under Treasury Regulation Section 1.401(a)(9)-6, Q&A-2.

(4) The death and disability benefits provided by the retirement system are limited by the incidental benefit rule set forth in Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a)(9)(G) and Treasury Regulation Section 1.401-1(b)(1)(i) or any successor regulation thereto. As a result, the total death or disability benefits payable may not exceed 25% of the cost for all of the members' benefits received from the retirement system.

Notes

840 CMR, § 3.04

Amended by Mass Register Issue 1497, eff. 6/9/2023.