19-20-1215. Statute of limitations. (1) If overpaid benefits or unpaid contributions resulted solely from an error made by the retirement system, the retirement system may recover amounts owed for overpayments or unpaid contributions only for benefits or other amounts actually paid by the retirement system or for contributions that were actually due in the timeframe beginning 24 months prior to the date on which the retirement system issues an initial notice and ending when all amounts owed for overpayments or unpaid contributions are fully paid.

Terms Used In Montana Code 19-20-1215

  • Benefit recipient: means a benefit recipient as defined in 19-20-101, an alternate payee, or any other person or entity that is entitled to a future payment or that received an overpayment on behalf of the member. See Montana Code 19-20-1201
  • Employer: means :

    (a)the state of Montana;

    (b)a public school district, as provided in 20-6-101 and 20-6-701;

    (c)the office of public instruction;

    (d)the board of public education;

    (e)an education cooperative;

    (f)the Montana school for the deaf and blind, as described in 20-8-101;

    (g)the Montana youth challenge program, as defined in 10-1-101;

    (h)a correctional facility, as defined in 41-5-103;

    (i)the Montana university system;

    (j)a community college; or

    (k)any other agency, political subdivision, or instrumentality of the state that employs a person who is designated a member of the retirement system pursuant to 19-20-302. See Montana Code 19-20-101

  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Error: means any of the following, whether or not intended, that has resulted in or may result in the retirement system paying more or less on behalf of a member than is authorized to be paid or in the retirement system receiving more or less in contributions than is required to be paid to the retirement system pursuant to plan terms:

    (a)a clerical mistake;

    (b)a failure to fully and correctly perform a required act or provide required information;

    (c)an assertion or other representation of fact or circumstance that is not complete and accurate; or

    (d)an incorrect understanding, construction, or application of plan terms or other applicable law or policy. See Montana Code 19-20-1201

  • Member: means a person who has an individual account in the annuity savings account. See Montana Code 19-20-101
  • overpayment: means the total amount of all monthly retirement benefits or other amounts paid by the retirement system on behalf of a member due to an error. See Montana Code 19-20-1201
  • retirement benefit: means a monthly payment due to a retired member who has qualified for service or disability retirement or due to a joint annuitant or beneficiary. See Montana Code 19-20-101
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
  • Unpaid contributions: means the total amount of all monthly contributions or other contribution amounts not received by the retirement system due to an error. See Montana Code 19-20-1201

(2)If overpaid benefits or unpaid contributions resulted solely or partially from an error made by an employer, a member, or a benefit recipient, the retirement system may recover all amounts owed for the overpayment or unpaid contributions beginning on the date that the first erroneous payment was made or that contributions were first due. The retirement system may not recover amounts owed under this subsection unless the retirement system issues an initial notice no later than 24 months after the date on which the last payment of a retirement benefit or other amount was made by the retirement system on behalf of the member.

(3)No other statute of limitations or legal or equitable defense to the application of a statute of limitations may be applied to shorten the timeframes in which or for which the retirement system may seek recovery of amounts owed for overpayments or unpaid contributions.