Member FAQ's - Montana Public Employee Retirement Administration

Montana Public Employee Member Questions and Answers

How do I find out my account balance?
I just got married, how do I change the beneficiaries listed on my retirement account?
How can I buy service for retirement?
What are the steps I need to take to retire?
I am seriously considering retiring. How can I find out what my monthly benefit would be and when I can start? What do I need to do? How does my vacation and sick leave impact my retirement benefit?
I have a serious illness and may need to terminate my employment. Am I eligible to receive early retirement? What about a disability retirement, what are the requirements? How do I apply for disability retirement?

How do I find out my account balance?

Contact our office at 406-444-3154 or 1-877-275-7372 (1-877-ASKPERB) and we will tell you the balance of your account. If you are an active member, you will receive a personal statement of account after fiscal year end, (around the beginning of August). This statement of account will include your years of service and a summary of your contributions. If you are an inactive member (no longer working for a system covered employer and have left your contributions on account) you can call our office and we will produce a statement for you.

I just got married, how do I change the beneficiaries listed on my retirement account?

Whenever you wish to change the beneficiaries on your retirement account (IE when you marry, divorce, have a new child, or a death in your family), obtain a membership card from your payroll clerk. Complete the card and return it to your payroll clerk. The clerk will forward the new membership card to our office with their next payroll report. Be sure to check on the front of the card the box next to change of beneficiary. Complete all the information for your beneficiaries and indicate whether the beneficiary is a primary or contingent beneficiary. Sign your membership with your signature and have your signature witnessed by someone other than a beneficiary.

How can I buy service for retirement?

Many people work for a public agency and when they terminate, they apply to receive a refund of this service. If a member had previous employment that has been refunded, they can repay the amount withdrawn plus interest and gain the service again for retirement credit. If a member of the Sheriffs’ Retirement System (SRS) had a previous refund from the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), they can also qualify the PERS service into the SRS by paying the actuarial cost required. With seven different retirement systems, there are many scenarios possible. If you worked before retirement was withheld, you may also qualify this previous service. If you have worked in another state, you may be able to purchase service from that state.

All active members have the right to qualify active military service for retirement purposes. The cost of this type of qualification is based on the actuarial rates required to fund the service purchase in each system. Some systems require at least ten years of service prior to reaching eligibility while others require 15 years. A copy of your DD 214 is required and individual requirements must be met.

"One for Five" service is available to all. Under this program you can purchase one year of additional service for every five years of service credit you have.

As always, we require a written request to initiate the cost statements. These written requests should include as much information about the service you are trying to qualify as possible and include your home address and social security number.

What are the steps I need to take to retire?

The Montana Public Employee Retirement Administration(MPERA) has prepared a checklist to help you make the retirement process as easy as possible. Click here for a list of things you should do before you retire.

I am seriously considering retiring. How can I find out what my monthly benefit would be and when I can start? What do I need to do? How does my vacation and sick leave impact my retirement benefit?

When you have identified a potential retirement date, call or write our office. (When you are ready to retire you are responsible for requesting retirement estimates and completing the retirement application, your payroll clerk isn't.) We will need the following information:

name
home address
social security number
anticipated retirement date
the name and birth date of your beneficiary

After we have received this information, we will send your retirement estimates with the options available. You will also receive a form to request a retirement application, tax withholding form and a direct deposit form. If all of these forms are properly completed and received prior to your retirement date, you can expect to receive your first check at the end of your first month of retirement. If you terminate June 30, your retirement is effective July 1 and your first check will be mailed the last working day of July. If you terminate July 10, your retirement is effective August 1 and your first check will be mailed the last working day of August. This assumes all of the required forms are properly completed and have been submitted to the MPERA office.

Your retirement is based on your total years of service credit, your age and your highest average compensation (HAC--36 month consecutive salary average). If you terminate on December 31, 1999, your HAC usually would consist of 1999, 1998 and 1997. If you have a lump sum payment of vacation and sick leave that represents 4 months of your current salary, we would utilize them as January - April of 2000, and remove January -April of 1997 from our 36 month salary scale. Lump sum payments are not included as one month of compensation by statute.

When you are finally retired, your benefit will continue to you for life. If you have selected an optional form of benefit payments to include a spouse or significant other, they will continue to receive a monthly benefit after your death. Choosing an option is a very individual decision only you can make. If you select direct deposit (we highly recommend direct deposit), your payment will be in the bank on the last working day of every month. If we need to change your benefit amount for any reason (such as taxes or insurance changes), you will receive a notification from our office indicating the new net amount of your payment. If you don't hear from us, you will know that your benefit amount will not change.

When you retire, you have an option to have federal and state taxes and medical insurance premiums withheld from your retirement benefit. The amount of taxes withheld will depend on the information you provide. If you claim single and 1 dependent, you will pay more taxes than claiming single and 3 dependents. You can also set a specific amount of taxes to be withheld each month.

I have a serious illness and may need to terminate my employment. Am I eligible to receive early retirement? What about a disability retirement, what are the requirements? How do I apply for disability retirement?

If you have over five years of service, you are eligible to apply for a disability retirement. Members in need of disability estimates need to contact Kathleen Linjatie, Disability Examiner, at 444-5444. Kathleen will determine eligibility for disability and provide you with the required application. Your employer must complete a statement describing the essential elements of your position. Your employer must also verify information concerning what accommodations were requested, provided and successful. Your physicians must complete physician’s statements. All forms must be completed and medical records from the onset of your condition (or for the last 3 years) must be forwarded to our office. Any cost to provide medical documentation is your responsibility. If you are a member of another system and have a duty-related illness or injury, you may be eligible for a disability retirement, even if you have less than five years of service.