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CITY OF LITTLE CANADA, MINNESOTA NOTES TO BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS DECEMBER 31, 2015 (58) NOTE 7 DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS – STATE-WIDE (CONTINUED) B. Benefits Provided PERA provides retirement, disability, and death benefits. Benefit provisions are established by state statute and can only be modified by the state legislature. Benefit increases are provided to benefit recipients each January. Increases are related to the funding ratio of the plan. Members in plans that are at least 90% funded for two consecutive years are given 2.5% increases. Members in plans that have not exceeded 90% funded, or have fallen below 80%, are given 1% increases. The benefit provisions stated in the following paragraphs of this section are current provisions and apply to active plan participants. Vested, terminated employees who are entitled to benefits but are not receiving them yet are bound by the provisions in effect at the time they last terminated their public service. 1. GERF Benefits Benefits are based on a member’s highest average salary for any five successive years of allowable service, age, and years of credit at termination of service. Two methods are used to compute benefits for PERA’s Coordinated and Basic Plan members. The retiring member receives the higher of a step-rate benefit accrual formula (Method 1) or a level accrual formula (Method 2). Under Method 1, the annuity accrual rate for a Basic Plan member is 2.2% of average salary for each of the first ten years of service and 2.7% for each remaining year. The annuity accrual rate for a Coordinated Plan member is 1.2% of average salary for each of the first ten years and 1.7% for each remaining year. Under Method 2, the annuity accrual rate is 2.7% of average salary for Basic Plan members and 1.7% for Coordinated Plan members for each year of service. For members hired prior to July 1, 1989, a full annuity is available when age plus years of service equal 90 and normal retirement age is 65. For members hired on or after July 1, 1989, normal retirement age is the age for unreduced Social Security benefits capped at 66. Disability benefits are available for vested members and are based upon years of service and average high-five salary. C. Contributions Minnesota Statutes Chapter 353 sets the rates for employer and employee contributions. Contribution rates can only be modified by the state legislature. 1. GERF Contributions Basic Plan members and Coordinated Plan members were required to contribute 9.1% and 6.50%, respectively, of their annual covered salary in calendar year 2015. The City was required to contribute 11.78% of pay for Basic Plan members and 7.50% for Coordinated Plan members in calendar year 2015. The City contributions to the GERF for the year ended December 31, 2015 were $84,688. The City contributions were equal to the required contributions as set by state statute.