FAQ's on Retirement Benefits
How does accumulated sick leave benefit a retiree?
What happens to my sick leave if I cannot use it toward my retirement?
If I die after retirement, do the checks go to my beneficiary? For how long?
How do I apply for Retirement Benefits?
Medical/Dental/Life Benefits as a Retiree
How does accumulated sick leave benefit a retiree?
Once an individual becomes eligible for a retirement benefit, the accumulated sick leave balance will be added to the years of service. For every 21 days of sick leave you will earn an additional month of “service credit”.
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What happens to my sick leave if I cannot use it toward my retirement?
You basically lose any accumulated sick leave if you are at the maximum benefit of 60% which would be 30 years of service X 2% = 60% maximum benefit.
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If I die after retirement, do the checks go to my beneficiary? For how long?
- 60-Month Certain, Beneficiary
- Benefits under the Plan will be paid for a minimum of 60 months from the date of retirement. If you should decease prior to 60 months of benefit being paid, your beneficiary(s) will receive the remainder of the 60 months.
- Benefits under the Plan will be paid for a minimum of 60 months from the date of retirement. If you should decease prior to 60 months of benefit being paid, your beneficiary(s) will receive the remainder of the 60 months.
- Joint & Survivor, Spouse
- To qualify for a joint and surviving spouse pension you must have been part of the Plan for at least eight (8) years and be married for a least one (1) year at the time of death.
- The surviving spouse would receive up to 60% of your monthly pension till their death providing they are not more than five (5) years younger than you.
- For each year younger than five (5) the surviving spouse pension is reduced by 1% for each year:(Example: your age is 65, your spouse’s age is 57 – the spouse pension is reduced by 3% or 57% of your pension).
- Dependents’
- To qualify for a dependents’ pension, you must be part of the Plan for at least eight (8) years and have eligible children and no spouse.
- Benefits will be paid to your dependent(s) at a rate of 60% of your pension.
- Benefits will be paid to your dependent children until they reach age eighteen (18) or twenty-three (23) if they remain in school and are unemployed.
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How do I apply for Retirement Benefits?
The pension department needs at least a thirty (30) day notice in order to prepare the appropriate forms and necessary paperwork for your completion. The forms include:
- Cover Letter
- Form “A” - Application for Retirement (requires your Supervisor’s Signature)
- Form “F” - Verification of Birth
- Form “K” - Contingent Beneficiary
- Federal Withholding Form
- State Withholding Form
- Direct Deposit Form
You will need to supply our office with a copy of your birth certificate, your spouse’s birth certificate, and a copy of your marriage certificate.
Once all the forms are completed and you are off the payroll, our office will begin to calculate your monthly benefit. The Pension Chairperson will verify the calculation and sign off on the pension calculation.
You will receive your first pension check directly deposited in to your bank account approximately three (3) weeks into the next month due to this processing. Each check thereafter will be sent directly to your bank account on the first working day of each month.
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Medical/Dental/Life Benefits as a Retiree:
As an early retiree, you can continue under the medical, dental and life plan for yourself and your eligible dependents until age sixty-five (65) when you become Medicare eligible. Premiums are paid directly to the Douglas County Employee Benefits Office on the first of each month in order to continue your coverage.
Failure to pay your premiums timely can result in a cancellation of your benefits with Douglas County.
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