Appendix A to Subpart C of Part 29—Examples

This appendix contains sample calculations of Federal Benefit Payments in a variety of situations.

Optional Retirement Examples

Example 1: No Unused Sick Leave

A. In this example, an individual covered by the Police and Firefighters Plan hired before 1980 retires in October 1997. At retirement, he is age 51 with 20 years and 3 days of departmental service plus 3 years, 4 months, and 21 days of military service that preceded the departmental service. The Federal Benefit Payment begins at retirement. It is based on the 19 years, 8 months, and 22 days of departmental service and 3 years, 4 months, and 21 days of military service performed as of June 30, 1997. Thus, the Federal Benefit Payment is based on 23 years and 1 month of service, all at the 2.5 percent accrual rate. The total annuity is based on 23 years and 4 months of service, all at the 2.5 percent accrual rate.

B. In this example, the individual covered by the Police and Firefighters Plan was hired earlier than in example 1A and thus performed more service as of both June 30, 1997, and retirement in October 1997. At retirement, he is age 51 with 21 years, 11 months and 29 days of departmental service plus 3 years, 4 months, and 21 days of military service that preceded the departmental service. The Federal Benefit Payment begins at retirement. It is based on the 21 years, 8 months, and 18 days of departmental service and 3 years, 4 months, and 21 days of military service performed as of June 30, 1997. Thus, the Federal Benefit Payment is based on 25 years and 1 month of service, 1 year and 8 months at the 3.0 percent accrual rate and 23 years and 5 months at the 2.5 percent accrual rate (including 1 month consisting of 18 days of departmental service and 21 days of other service). The total annuity is based on 25 years and 4 months of service, 1 year and 11 months at the 3.0 percent accrual rate and 23 years and 5 months at the 2.5 percent accrual rate (including 1 month consisting of 29 days of departmental service and 21 days of other service).

Example 2: Unused Sick Leave Credit

In this example, an individual covered by the Police and Firefighters Plan and hired before 1980 retires in March 1998. At retirement, she is age 48 with 24 years, 8 months, and 6 days of departmental service plus 6 months and 4 days of other service (deposit paid before June 30, 1997) and 11 months and 11 days of unused sick leave. For a police officer (or a non-firefighting division firefighter) such an amount of sick leave would be 1968 hours (246 days, based on a 260-day year, times 8 hours per day). For a firefighting division firefighter, such an amount would be 2,069 hours (341 days divided by 360 days per year times 2,184 hours per year). The Federal Benefit Payment begins at retirement. It is based on the 23 years, 11 months, and 23 days of departmental service performed as of June 30, 1997, and 6 months and 4 days of other service. Thus, the Federal Benefit Payment is based on 20 years departmental and 6 months of other service at the 2.5 percent accrual rate and 3 years and 11 months of service at the 3.0 percent accrual rate. The total annuity is based on 20 years and 6 months of service at the 2.5 percent accrual rate and 5 years and 7 months of service at the 3 percent accrual rate.

Example 3: Calculated Benefit Exceeds Statutory Maximum

A. In this example, an individual covered by the Police and Firefighters Plan hired before 1980 retires in March 1998. At retirement, he is age 55 with 32 years and 17 days of departmental service. The Federal Benefit Payment begins at retirement. It is based on the 31 years, 3 months, and 17 days of departmental service performed as of June 30, 1997. Thus, the Federal Benefit Payment is based on 20 years of service at the 2.5 percent accrual rate and 11 years and 3 months of service at the 3.0 percent accrual rate. However, the annuity is limited to 80 percent of the average salary at time of retirement. (This limitation does not apply to the unused sick leave credit.) The annuity computed as of June 30, 1997, equals the full benefit payable; therefore, the Federal Benefit Payment is the total benefit.

B. In this example, the individual in example 3A also has 6 months of unused sick leave at retirement. The sick leave credit is not subject to the 80% limitation and does not become creditable service until the date of separation. For a police officer (or a non-firefighting division firefighter) such an amount of sick leave would be 1040 hours (130 days, based on a 260-day year, times 8 hours per day). For a firefighting division firefighter, such an amount would be 1092 hours (180 days divided by 360 days per year times 2184 hours per year). Six months of unused sick leave increases the annual total benefit by 1.5 percent of the average salary, or in the example by $94 per month. The District is responsible for the portion of the annuity attributable to the unused sick leave because it became creditable at retirement, that is, after June 30, 1997.

Example 4: Excess Leave Without Pay

In this example, an individual covered by the Teachers Plan hired before 1996 retires in February 1998. At retirement, she is age 64 with 27 years of departmental service and 6 years, 7 months, and 28 days of other service (creditable before June 30, 1997). However, only 6 months of leave in a fiscal year without pay may be credited toward retirement under the Teachers Plan. She had 3 months and 18 days of excess leave without pay as of June 30, 1997. Since the excess leave without pay occurred before June 30, 1997, the time attributable to the excess leave without pay is subtracted from the service used in both the Federal Benefit Payment and the total benefit computations. The Federal Benefit Payment begins at retirement. It is based on the 32 years and 8 months of service (32 years, 11 months, and 28 days minus 3 months and 18 days and the partial month dropped); 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate, and 22 years and 8 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate. The total annuity is based on 33 years and 4 months of service (33 years, 7 months and 28 days minus 3 months and 18 days and the partial month dropped) 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate and 23 years and 4 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate.

Example 5: Service Credit Deposits

A. An individual covered by the Teachers Plan hired before 1996 retires in October 1997. At retirement, he is age 61 with 30 years and 3 days of departmental service plus 3 years, 4 months, and 21 days of other service that preceded the departmental service for which the deposit was fully paid on or before June 30, 1997. The Federal Benefit Payment begins at retirement. It is based on the 29 years, 8 months, and 22 days of departmental service and 3 years, 4 months, and 21 days of service performed as of June 30, 1997. Thus, the Federal Benefit Payment is based on 33 years and 1 month of service; 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate, and 23 years and 1 month of service at the 2 percent accrual rate. The total annuity is based on 33 years and 4 months of service; 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate and 23 years and 4 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate.

B. In this example, the employee in example 5A did not pay any of the deposit to obtain credit for the 3 years, 4 months, and 21 days of other service as of June 30, 1997. Thus, none of the other service is used in the computation of the Federal Benefit Payment. An individual covered by the Teachers Plan hired before 1996 retires in October 1997. At retirement, he is age 61 with 30 years and 3 days of departmental service plus 3 years, 4 months, and 21 days of other service that preceded the departmental service for which the deposit was paid in full in October 1997 (at retirement). The Federal Benefit Payment begins at retirement. It is based on only the 29 years, 8 months, and 22 days of departmental service performed as of June 30, 1997; 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate, and 19 years and 8 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate. The total annuity is based on 33 years and 4 months of service; 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate and 23 years and 4 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate.

C. In this example, the employee in examples 5A and B began installment payments on the deposit to obtain credit for the 3 years, 4 months, and 21 days of other service as of June 30, 1997, but did not complete the deposit until October 1997 (at retirement). The other service is not used in the computation of the Federal Benefit Payment because the payment was not completed as of June 30, 1997. Thus, the result is the same as in example 5B.

Disability Retirement Examples

Example 6: Disability Occurs Before Eligibility for Optional Retirement

A. In this example, an individual covered by the Police and Firefighters Plan hired before 1980 retires based on a disability in the line of duty in October 1997. At retirement, he is age 45 with 18 years, 5 months, and 11 days of departmental service. Since he had performed less than 20 years of service and had not reached the age of eligibility for an optional retirement, the Federal Benefit Payment does not begin at retirement. When the disability annuitant reaches age 55, he satisfies the age and service requirements for deferred retirement. At that time (August 20, 2007), the Federal Benefit Payment begins. It is based on the 18 years, 1 month, and 17 days of departmental service performed as of June 30, 1997, all at the 2.5 percent accrual rate.

B. In this example, an individual covered by the Teachers Plan hired before 1996 retires based on a disability in December 1997. At retirement, she is age 49 with 27 years and 4 months of departmental service which includes 3 years, 3 months and 14 days of excess leave without pay (prior to June 30, 1997). Since she does not qualify for optional retirement at separation, the Federal Benefit Payment does not begin at separation. When the disability annuitant reaches age 62, she will satisfy the age and service requirements for deferred retirement. At that time (March 9, 2010), the Federal Benefit Payment begins. The time attributable to the excess leave without pay is subtracted from the service used to compute the Federal Benefit Payment. Since the excess leave without pay occurred before June 30, 1997, the deferred Federal Benefit Payment is based on the 23 years and 6 months of service; 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate, and 13 and 6 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate.

Example 7: Disability Occurs After Eligibility for Optional Retirement

A. In this example, an individual covered by the Police and Firefighters Plan hired before 1980 retires based on a disability in the line of duty in October 1997. At retirement, she is age 55 with 24 years, 5 months, and 11 days of departmental service. Since she was also eligible for optional retirement at the time of separation, the Federal Benefit Payment commences at retirement. It is based on the 24 years, 1 month, and 17 days of departmental service performed as of June 30, 1997. Thus, the Federal Benefit Payment is based on 20 years of service at the 2.5 percent accrual rate and 4 years and 1 month of service at the 3 percent accrual rate. The total annuity is based on the disability formula and is equal to two-thirds of average pay because that amount is higher than the 63.25 percent payable based on total service.

B. In this example, an individual covered by the Teachers Plan hired before 1996 retires based on a disability in December 1997. At retirement, he is age 60 with 27 years and 4 months of departmental service which includes 3 years, 3 months and 14 days of excess leave without pay (prior to June 30, 1997). Since he qualifies for optional retirement at separation, the Federal Benefit Payment begins at retirement. Since the excess leave without pay occurred before June 30, 1997, and the total annuity is based on actual service (that is, exceeds the guaranteed disability minimum), the time attributable to the excess leave without pay is subtracted from the service used to compute the Federal Benefit Payment and total benefit. The Federal Benefit Payment is based on 23 years and 6 months of service; 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate, and 13 years and 6 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate. The total annuity payable is based on 24 years of service; 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate, and 14 years of service at the 2 percent accrual rate.

Deferred Retirement Examples

Example 8: All Service Before June 30, 1997

In this example, an individual covered by the Police and Firefighters Plan hired before 1980 separated in March 1986 with title to a deferred annuity. In November 1997, he reaches age 55 and becomes eligible for the deferred annuity based on his 15 years, 9 months, and 8 days of departmental service, all at the 2.5 percent accrual rate. The total annuity is based on the same 15 years, 9 months, and 8 days of service all at the 2.5 percent accrual rate. Since all the service is creditable as of June 30, 1997, the Federal Benefit Payment equals the total annuity.

Example 9: Service Straddles June 30, 1997

In this example, an individual covered by the Police and Firefighters Plan hired before 1980 separated in December 1997 with title to a deferred annuity. In November 2007, he will reach age 55 and becomes eligible to receive a deferred annuity. At that time, the Federal Benefit Payment begins. It is based on the 18 years and 1 month of departmental service performed as of June 30, 1997, all at the 2.5 percent accrual rate. The total annuity begins at the same time, based on his 18 years, 6 months, and 8 days of departmental service, all at the 2.5 percent accrual rate.

Reduction To Provide a Survivor Annuity Examples

Example 10: Survivor Reduction Calculations

Both of the following examples involve a former teacher who elected a reduced annuity to provide a survivor benefit:

A. In this example, the employee elects to provide full survivor benefits of 55% of the employee's unreduced annuity. The total annuity is reduced by 21⁄2 percent of the first $3600 and 10 percent of the balance. The reduced Federal Benefit Payment is determined by multiplying the reduced total annuity (rounded) by the ratio of the unreduced Federal Benefit Payment to the unreduced total annuity. Military service occurred prior to June 30, 1997 and purchase of other service was completed prior to June 30, 1997.

B. In this example, the employee elects to provide a partial survivor annuity of 26% of the employee's unreduced annuity. The total annuity is reduced by 21⁄2 percent of the first $3,600 of $20,073.95 and 10 percent of the balance. The reduced Federal Benefit Payment is determined by multiplying the reduced total annuity (rounded) by the ratio of the unreduced Federal Benefit Payment to the unreduced total annuity.

Early Optional or Involuntary Retirement Examples

Example 11: Early Optional With Age Reduction

In this example, an individual covered by the Teachers Plan hired before 1996 retires voluntarily in February 1998, under a special program that allows early retirement with at least 20 years of service at age 50 older, or at least 25 years of service at any age. At retirement, she is 6 full months short of age 55. She has 25 years and 5 months of departmental service; 6 years, 2 months, and 19 days of other service (creditable before June 30, 1997); and 2 months and 9 days of unused sick leave. Since she is not eligible for optional retirement and she is eligible to retire voluntarily only because of the District-approved special program, the Federal Benefit Payment is calculated similar to a disability retirement. It does not begin until she becomes eligible for a deferred annuity at age 62. When it commences the Federal Benefit Payment will be based on the service creditable as of June 30, 1997: 30 years and 11 months of service; 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate, and 20 years and 11 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate. The total annuity is based on 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate and 21 years and 9 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate (including the unused sick leave). Because the Federal Benefit Payment is based on the deferred annuity, rather than the early voluntary retirement, it is not reduced by the age reduction factor used to compute the total benefit.

Example 12: Involuntary With Age Reduction

In this example, an individual covered by the Teachers Plan hired before 1996 retires involuntarily in February 1998. At retirement, she is 6 full months short of age 55. She has 25 years and 5 months of departmental service; 6 years, 2 months, and 19 days of other service (creditable before June 30, 1997); and 2 months and 9 days of unused sick leave. The Federal Benefit Payment begins at retirement. It is based on the 30 years and 11 months of service; 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate, and 20 years and 11 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate. The total annuity is based on 5 years of service at the 1.5 percent accrual rate, 5 years of service at the 1.75 percent accrual rate and 21 years and 9 months of service at the 2 percent accrual rate (including the unused sick leave). Both the Federal Benefit Payment and the total benefit are reduced by the age reduction factor.

Death Benefits Example

Example 13: Death Benefits Calculation

Examples A and B involve service-based death benefits calculations. Examples C–F involve non-service-based death benefits calculations. Examples G and H involve disability death benefit calculations.

A. In this example, an individual covered by the Teachers Plan retires in December 1997 and elects to provide a full survivor annuity. He dies in June 1998. The survivor's Federal Benefit Payment is 98.4 percent ($3,483 ÷ $3,539) of the total survivor benefit.

B. In this example, a teacher dies in service on June 30, 1998 after 31 years of departmental service. Since the survivor annuity is based on actual service, the Federal Benefit Payment is 96.5 percent ($1,818 ÷ $1,883) of the total survivor benefit.

C. In this example, as in Example A, an individual covered by the Teachers Plan retires in December 1997 but elects to provide a survivor annuity of $12,000. He dies in June 1998. Because the amount of the survivor annuity is not service-based, the Federal Benefit Payment is a prorated portion of the total benefit. Since the teacher had 398 months of service as of the freeze date and 404 months of service, at retirement, the Federal Benefit Payment equals 398/404ths of the total benefit.

D. In this example, a teacher dies in service on April 1, 1998 after 14 years and 6 months of departmental service. Because the survivor annuity is based on the guaranteed minimum, the Federal Benefit Payment is a prorated portion of the total benefit. Since the teacher had 165 months of service as of the freeze date and 180 months of service, including unused sick leave, at death, the Federal Benefit Payment equals 165/180ths of the total benefit.

E. In this example, as in the prior example, a teacher dies in service on April 1, 1998 after 15 years of departmental service. However, in this example, the teacher was age 40 on the hire date. The amount of service used in the survivor annuity calculation equals the amount of service that the teacher would have had if the teacher continued covered employment until age 60. Because the survivor annuity is based on projected service, a form of the guaranteed minimum, the Federal Benefit Payment is a prorated portion of the total benefit. Since the teacher had 171 months of service as of the freeze date and 180 months of service at death, the Federal Benefit Payment equals 171/180ths of the total benefit.

F. In this example, a police officer dies in the line of duty on July 31, 2001 after 18 years of departmental service. The survivor annuity is equal to 100 percent of the officer's pay at the time of death, as provided by District legislation effective October 1, 2000. However, the Federal Benefit Payment is calculated based on plan provisions in effect on June 29, 1997, which provided for a survivor annuity equal to 40 percent of the officer's pay at the time of death. Because the Federal Benefit Payment is not service-based and the officer had 167 months of service as of the freeze date and 216 months of service, including unused sick leave, at death, the Federal Benefit Payment equals 167/216ths of the total benefit calculated according to plan provisions in effect on July 1, 1997. The difference between the total benefit paid and the Federal Benefit Payment calculated according to plan provisions in effect on June 29, 1997 is the responsibility of the District government.

G. In this example, a firefighter dies on July 1, 1999 at age 47 after retiring based on a disability in the line of duty in November 1997. At separation, the firefighter was not eligible for optional retirement but was eligible to receive a deferred retirement annuity at age 55. Therefore, the survivor's Federal Benefit Payment is calculated based on the plan rules for deferred retirees. Under the Police and Firefighters Plan, if a separated police officer or firefighter eligible for deferred retirement dies before reaching age 55, the survivor is eligible to receive an annuity. The survivor annuity is based on the firefighter's adjusted average pay. Therefore, the survivor's Federal Benefit Payment is a prorated portion of the survivor annuity. Since the firefighter had 217 months of service as of the freeze date and 222 months of service at retirement, the survivor's Federal Benefit Payment equals 217/222nds of the total survivor benefit.

H. In this example, a teacher dies on August 3, 1999 at age 58 after retiring based on a disability in April 1998. At separation, the teacher was not eligible for optional retirement but was eligible to receive a deferred retirement annuity at age 62. Therefore, the survivor's Federal Benefit Payment is calculated based on the plan rules for deferred retirees. Under the Teachers Plan, if a separated teacher eligible for deferred retirement dies before reaching age 62, the survivor is not eligible to receive an annuity. Therefore, the survivor's Federal Benefit Payment is zero and the survivor annuity is the full responsibility of the District.

Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Examples

Example 14: Application of Cost of Living Adjustments

In cases in which the District plan applies the same cost of living adjustment that is provided for the Federal Benefit Payment, the federal percentage is applied to the new total benefit after the adjustment to determine the new Federal Benefit Payment after the adjustment.

A. In this example, a teacher retiree receives a cost of living adjustment that is the same for the federal and District portions of the total benefit. The federal percentage for the retiree is applied to the new total benefit after the adjustment to determine the new Federal Benefit Payment after the adjustment.

B. In this example, a survivor of a deceased teacher retiree receives a cost of living adjustment that is the same for the federal and District portions of the total benefit. Since the survivor benefit is service related, the federal percentage for the retiree is applied to the new total benefit of the survivor after the adjustment to determine the new Federal Benefit Payment after the adjustment.

C. In this example, a survivor of a deceased teacher retiree receives a cost of living adjustment that is the same for the federal and District portions of the total benefit. Since the survivor annuity is non-service related, the federal percentage for the survivor is applied to the new total benefit of the survivor after the adjustment to determine the new Federal Benefit Payment after the adjustment.

D. In this example, a survivor of a deceased teacher receives a cost of living adjustment that is the same for the federal and District portions of the total benefit. Since the survivor annuity is service related, the federal percentage based on the deceased teacher's service is applied to the new total benefit of the survivor after the adjustment to determine the new Federal Benefit Payment after the adjustment.

E. In this example, a survivor of a deceased teacher receives a cost of living adjustment that is the same for the federal and District portions of the total benefit. Since the survivor annuity is non-service related, the federal percentage for the survivor is applied to the new total benefit of the survivor after the adjustment to determine the new Federal Benefit Payment after the adjustment.

F. In this example, a survivor of a deceased retired police officer receives a cost of living adjustment that is the same for the federal and District portions of the total benefit. Since the survivor annuity is non-service related, the federal percentage for the survivor is applied to the new total benefit of the survivor after the adjustment to determine the new Federal Benefit Payment after the adjustment.

G. In this example, a survivor of a deceased firefighter receives a cost of living adjustment that is the same for the federal and District portions of the total benefit. Since the survivor annuity is non-service related, the federal percentage for the survivor is applied to the new total benefit of the survivor after the adjustment to determine the new Federal Benefit Payment after the adjustment.

H. In this example, a new District plan provision applies a different cost of living adjustment than is provided for the Federal Benefit Payment. In Variation 1, the federal cost of living adjustment is applied to the Federal Benefit Payment and the District cost of living adjustment is applied to the total benefit. In Variation 2, the federal cost of living adjustment is applied to the Federal Benefit Payment and the District cost of living adjustment is applied to the District benefit payment. A new federal percentage equal to the ratio of the Federal Benefit Payment to the total benefit is established after the adjustments.

Retroactive Payment of Accrued Annuity Example

Example 15: Accrual of Federal Benefit Payment

The Federal Benefit Payment begins to accrue on the annuity commencing date, regardless of whether the employee is added to the annuity roll in time for the regular payment cycle. If the employee is due a retroactive payment of accrued annuity, the portion of the retroactive payment that would have been a Federal Benefit Payment (if it were made in the regular payment cycle) is still a Federal Benefit Payment. In this example, a teacher retired effective September 11, 1998. She was added to the retirement rolls on the pay date November 1, 1998 (October 1 to October 31 accrual cycle). Her Federal Benefit Payment is $3000 per month and her total benefit payment is $3120 per month. Her initial check is $5200 because it includes a prorated payment for 20 days (September 11 to September 30). The Federal Benefit Payment is $5000 of the initial check ($3000 for the October cycle and $2000 for the September cycle).