(a)  Upon retirement from service pursuant to § 45-21.2-5, a member receives a retirement allowance which is a life annuity terminable at the death of the annuitant and shall be an amount equal to two percent (2%) of final compensation multiplied by the years of total service, provided that a member who retires upon the attainment of age of fifty-seven (57) years and has completed at least thirty (30) years of total service shall receive a retirement allowance which is a life annuity terminable at the death of the annuitant and shall be an amount equal to the greater of: (i) Two and one quarter percent (2.25%) of final compensation multiplied by total years of service; or (ii) The member’s accrued benefit determined as of June 30, 2012, plus two and one quarter percent (2.25%) of final compensation multiplied by member’s years of service after June 30, 2012; provided further that the life annuity under this subsection (a) shall not exceed seventy-five percent (75%) of final compensation.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 45-21.2-6

  • Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • final compensation: means for members who retire on or prior to June 30, 2012, the average annual compensation, pay or salary of a member for services rendered during the period of three (3) consecutive years within the total service of the member when that average was highest. See Rhode Island General Laws 45-21.2-2
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6

(b)  Upon retirement, the member may elect to receive the actuarial equivalent of his or her retirement allowance in a lesser retirement allowance as determined by actuarial calculation, which is payable throughout life with the provision that:

(1) Option 1.  A reduced retirement allowance payable during the member’s life with the provisions that after his or her death it shall continue during the life of and be paid to the person that he or she nominated by written designation duly acknowledged and filed with the retirement board at the time of retirement; or

(2) Option 2.  A reduced retirement allowance payable during the member’s life with the provision that after his or her death an allowance equal to one-half (½) of his or her reduced allowance shall continue during the life of and be paid to the person that he or she nominated by written designation duly acknowledged and filed with the board at the time of retirement.

(c)  If prior to July 1, 2012, a member elected an optional form of benefit other than a life annuity in accordance with paragraph (b)(1) or (2) above, the member may elect to change his or her form of benefit to a life annuity by filing an election with the retirement board on or before June 30, 2013, provided that the member’s beneficiary is still alive at the time the election is filed.

History of Section.
P.L. 1968, ch. 230, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 513, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 408, § 12; P.L. 2011, ch. 409, § 12; P.L. 2015, ch. 141, art. 21, § 26.