1. In lieu of the payment of a service retirement allowance under section 411.6, subsection 2, and the payment of a pension to the spouse of a deceased pensioned member under section 411.6, subsection 11, a member may select an option provided under this section. The board of trustees shall adopt rules under section 411.5, subsection 3, providing the optional forms of payment that may be selected by the member. The optional forms of payment may provide adjustments to the amount of the retirement allowance paid to the member, may alter the pension amount and period of payment to the member’s spouse after the death of the member, and may provide for payments to a designated recipient other than the member’s spouse for a designated period of time or an unlimited period of time.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 411.6A

  • Actuarial equivalent: means a benefit of equal value, when computed upon the basis of mortality tables adopted by the system, and interest computed at the rate established by the actuary. See Iowa Code 411.1
  • Board of trustees: means the board created by section 411. See Iowa Code 411.1
  • Child: includes only an individual who is under the age of eighteen years, an individual who is under the age of twenty-two years and is a full-time student, or an individual who is disabled at the time under the definitions used in section 202 of the Social Security Act as amended if the disability occurred to the individual during the time the individual was under the age of eighteen years and the parent of the individual was an active member of the system. See Iowa Code 411.1
  • Member: means a member of the retirement system as defined by section 411. See Iowa Code 411.1
  • Retirement allowance: shall mean the pension, or any benefits in lieu thereof, granted to a member upon retirement. See Iowa Code 411.1
  • Surviving spouse: shall mean the surviving spouse of a deceased member. See Iowa Code 411.1
 2. Prior to the member’s retirement and as a part of the application for a service retirement allowance, the member shall elect, in writing, either the benefits provided under section 411.6, subsections 2 and 11, or one of the optional forms adopted by the board of trustees. If the member is married at the time of application and the member elects an optional form, the member’s spouse must consent in writing to the optional form selected and to the receipt of payments to a designated recipient, if applicable. Upon acceptance by a member of an initial retirement benefit paid in accordance with the election under this section, the election of the member is irrevocable.
 3. The optional forms of payment determined by the board of trustees under this section, shall be the actuarial equivalent of the amount of retirement benefits payable to the member and the member’s spouse pursuant to section 411.6, subsections 2 and 11. The actuarial equivalent shall be based upon the actuarial assumptions adopted for this purpose pursuant to section 411.5. Election of an optional form adopted by the board of trustees shall not affect the benefits, if any, payable to the member’s child or children pursuant to section 411.6, subsection 11.
 4. Optional benefits shall be adjusted annually in a manner consistent with that provided in section 411.6, subsection 12. However, if the member has selected a designated recipient other than the member’s spouse, the designated recipient shall be deemed to be the member’s surviving spouse for the purpose of calculating the annual adjustment in the manner provided in section 411.6, subsection 12.
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