§88-74.7 Commencement of benefits on required beginning date. (a) The purpose of this section is to provide for distribution of benefits in accordance with a reasonable and good faith interpretation of section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code requires that the "entire interest" of a member be distributed or that distribution of the member's benefits begin no later than the member's "required beginning date".
(b) For the purposes of this section, "required beginning date" means April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which a member terminates service or attains age seventy and one-half, whichever is later.
(c) A member or former member's accumulated contributions or hypothetical account balance, as defined in section 88-311, shall be paid to the member or former member, or payment of the benefits payable under part II, VII, or VIII of this chapter shall commence, no later than the member's or former member's required beginning date. The payment or payments shall be made on, or beginning no later than, the member's or former member's required beginning date even if the member or former member does not apply for payment or file a retirement application.
(d) If, by a member's or former member's required beginning date:
(1) The member or former member's accumulated contributions or hypothetical account balance, as defined in section 88-311, are not paid to the member or former member; or
(2) Payment of the benefits payable under part II, VII, or VIII of this chapter do not commence,
the system shall pay the service retirement benefits for which the member or former member is eligible pursuant to part II, VII, or VIII of this chapter, as applicable, retroactive to the member's or former member's required beginning date with regular interest.
(e) If the system does not receive a written election from the member or former member under section 88-83, 88-283, or 88-333, as applicable, prior to the later of the member's or former member's required beginning date or sixty days following the receipt by the member or former member of notice from the system that the member or former member is required to make an election, the following election shall be deemed to have been made as of the member or former member's required beginning date:
(1) If the member or former member is unmarried or has no reciprocal beneficiary, the member or former member shall be deemed to have elected the maximum retirement allowance; or
(2) If the member or former member is married or has a reciprocal beneficiary, the member or former member shall be deemed to have elected option 3 under section 88-83, or option A under section 88-283, as applicable, and to have designated the member's or former member's spouse or reciprocal beneficiary as the member's or former member's beneficiary;
provided that if the system receives the written election after the member's or former member's required beginning date, but within sixty days following receipt by the member or former member of notice from the system that the member or former member is required to make the election, the written election shall apply, and the member's or former member's retirement benefit shall be recomputed, based on the written election, retroactive to the member or former member's required beginning date. The amount of any underpayment resulting from recomputing the benefit shall bear regular interest. If recomputing the benefit results in an overpayment, payments shall be adjusted so that the actuarial equivalent of the benefit to which the member or former member was correctly entitled shall be paid.
(f) If the system does not have current information about the member's or former member's marital or reciprocal beneficiary status at the time of a deemed election, the following presumptions shall apply:
(1) If the member or former member was married or had a reciprocal beneficiary at the time the member or former member last provided information to the system about the member's or former member's marital or reciprocal beneficiary status, it shall be presumed that the member or former member is still married to the same spouse or is in the same reciprocal beneficiary relationship. If the system does not have information as to the age of the spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, the spouse or reciprocal beneficiary shall be presumed to be forty years younger than the member or former member for purposes of computing the member's or former member's benefit; and
(2) If the member or former member was unmarried and did not have a reciprocal beneficiary at the time the member or former member last provided information to the system about the member or former member's marital status, it shall be presumed that the member or former member is married and that the spouse of the member or former member is forty years younger than the member or former member.
(g) The presumptions in subsection (f) shall cease to apply when the member or former member provides the system with current information as to the member's or former member's marital or reciprocal beneficiary status and the age of the member or former member's spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, if any, on the member's or former member's required beginning date. The information shall be provided in a form satisfactory to the system. At that time, the member's or former member's retirement allowance shall be recomputed, retroactive to the member's or former member's required beginning date, based on the updated information; provided that, except as provided in subsection (e), the member or former member shall not be permitted to change the member's or former member's retirement allowance option election or beneficiary; provided further that the benefit being paid to any member or former member who, on the member's or former member's required beginning date, was unmarried and did not have a reciprocal beneficiary, but who was deemed to elect option 3 or option A with an assumed spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, shall be converted to the maximum retirement allowance retroactive to the member's or former member's required beginning date. The amount of any underpayment resulting from recomputing the benefit shall bear regular interest. If recomputing the benefit results in an overpayment, payments shall be adjusted so that the actuarial equivalent of the benefit to which the member or former member was correctly entitled shall be paid.
(h) If the system cannot locate the member or former member, the member's or former member's benefit shall be payable only until the end of the member's or former member's life expectancy, as determined at the member's or former member's required beginning date. If the member or former member has not by that time made a claim for benefits, the member or former member shall be deemed to be deceased at that time. Interest under subsection (d) shall cease on benefits presumed to be abandoned property, pursuant to part I of chapter 523A, upon payment of the property to the administrator under part I of chapter 523A.
(i) Rules necessary for the purposes of this section shall be adopted as provided in section 88-22.5. [L 2011, c 96, §2; am L 2013, c 123, §4]
Structure Hawaii Revised Statutes
Title 7. Public Officers and Employees
88. Pension and Retirement Systems
88-3 Payment on death of pensioner.
88-4 Medical aid, etc., when free.
88-5 List of pensioners, who shall provide.
88-6 Payment of refunds and retirement benefits.
88-7 County pensioners; post retirement allowance.
88-8 University of Hawaii optional retirement system.
88-11 Bonus; pensioners' special compensation; amounts available.
88-12 Bonus; requirements, limitations.
88-13 Bonus; retirants not eligible for.
88-14 Bonus; authority to pay.
88-15 Bonus; waiver by veteran.
88-17 Bonus payment; limitation.
88-22 System established; name.
88-22.5 Federal tax qualification requirements.
88-23 General administration of system vested in board.
88-27.5 Closed meetings of the board; authorized.
88-29 Officers, employees, legal adviser.
88-33 Prohibited interest of trustees and employees of board.
88-41 Limitation of other statutes.
88-42.5 Membership of employees holding more than one position, appointment, or office.
88-42.6 Membership of elective officers.
88-43 Persons ineligible for membership.
88-45.5 Acceptance of rollovers and transfers from other plans.
88-46 Deducting employee contributions from salary and employer pick up of employee contributions.
88-48 Deduction in class A member's account.
88-49 Employees paid partly from federal funds.
88-49.3 Employees paid from certain federal funds.
88-49.5 Certain employees subject to federal retirement system; election.
88-49.7 East-West center employees.
88-50 Computation of year of service.
88-50.5 Credit for mandatory maternity leave.
88-51 Membership service generally.
88-52 Service while a member of the legislature.
88-54 Service while legislative employee.
88-54.2 Session employees of the legislature; exempt from mandatory enrollment.
88-54.5 Service while a member of the board of trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs.
88-55 Services of field civilian personnel of the Hawaii national guard.
88-57 Prior service generally.
88-58 Prior service credit while per diem employee.
88-59 Acquisition of membership service.
88-59.5 Previous membership service credit for legislative officers.
88-59.6 REPEALED. L 2008, c 47, §12.
88-60 Members whose services are on loan to other governments.
88-61 Termination of membership.
88-62 Return to service of a former member.
88-63 Credit for unused sick leave.
88-70 Third application for retirement; withdrawal prohibited and retirement mandatory.
88-71 Credited service at retirement.
88-74 Allowance on service retirement.
88-74.5 Finalizing of pensions.
88-74.6 Unreduced allowance on service retirement; when applicable.
88-74.7 Commencement of benefits on required beginning date.
88-74.8 Forfeiture of benefits; felony convictions.
88-75 Ordinary disability retirement.
88-76 Allowance on ordinary disability retirement.
88-79 Service-connected disability retirement.
88-80 Allowance on retirement for service-connected disability.
88-81 Average final compensation.
88-81.5 Federal tax limits on annual compensation.
88-83 Election of retirement allowance option.
88-84.5 Federal limits on annual compensation for ordinary death benefit.
88-85 Accidental death benefit.
88-85.5 Applications for accidental death benefits; approval by the system.
88-87 Adjustment for deficiency in accumulated contributions.
88-88 Adjustment of retirement allowances of retirants.
88-90 Post retirement allowances.
88-91 Exemption from taxation and execution.
88-92 Garnishment in certain cases; procedure.
88-94 Withholding of income taxes.
88-95 Withholding of dues and insurance premiums.
88-96 Rights of members separated from service.
88-97 Return to service of a member who has vested benefit status.
88-98 Return to service of a retirant.
88-99 Moratorium on benefit enhancements
88-100 Payment by employers of costs associated with significant non-base pay increases.
88-101 Payment of existing pensions.
88-102 Classification of members.
88-105 Actuarial investigations, valuations.
88-105.5 Stress test; annual report.
88-106.5 Compromise and settlement
88-108 Cash for meeting disbursements.
88-110 Board; trustees of funds.
88-111 Custodian of the funds.
88-112 Annuity savings fund; annual statement.
88-113 Payments from annuity savings fund.
88-114 Pension accumulation fund.
88-115.5 REPEALED. L 1998, c 151, §18.
88-119.5 Investment guidelines.
88-121 Power to make agreements to protect securities on reorganization or otherwise.
88-121.5 Power to enter into security loan agreements.
88-122 Determination of employer normal cost and accrued liability contributions.
88-123 Amount of annual contributions by the State and counties.
88-124 Payment of state contributions to the system.
88-125 Contributions by certain state agencies.
88-126 Payment of county contributions to the system.
88-126.5 Advance payments of state and county contributions to the system.
88-132 Service credit; payment of contributions.
88-133 Benefits and conditions applicable to service member.
88-134 Service retirement benefit.
88-135 Ordinary disability retirement benefit.
88-136 Accidental disability benefit.
88-137 Ordinary death benefit.
88-138 Accidental death benefit.
88-139 Return of contributions.
88-140 Duration of service member's status.
88-141 Computation of compensation earned or earnable.
88-142 Right of amendment or repeal reserved; retroactive effect.
88-152 Certain other employees included.
88-153 Police officers, firefighters, and bandsmen pension system; trustees, powers.
88-154 Officers of the board; duties.
88-156 Appropriations and expenditure.
88-157 Use of donations, contributions, gifts, or bequests.
88-158 Disability retirement benefits.
88-159 Reexamination of disability beneficiary; hearing.
88-160 Service retirement benefits.
88-161 Dismissal after twenty years' service; pensions.
88-162 Dismissal after ten years' service; pension.
88-163 Death benefits: funeral expenses; payments to dependents.
88-164 Benefits in lieu of other payments.
88-165 Adjustments of pensions.
88-166 Computation; service as police officer, firefighter, or bandsman.
88-167 Computation; prior credits.
88-168 Orders, discipline, medical examination, etc.
88-169 Payments of pensions; inalienable.
88-171 Public hearings; notice.
88-181 Pension boards created.
88-182 Members: appointment, terms, removals.
88-184 Expenses; appropriations.
88-185 Assistants; county clerk, attorney, and treasurer.
88-189 Widow's, widower's, and reciprocal beneficiary's pensions.
88-191 Computation of service.
88-192 Examination by physician.
88-193 Compliance with law required.
88-202 Restrictions as to personnel.
88-204 County appropriations directed.
88-212 Federal-state agreement.
88-213 Division of retirement systems.
88-214 Modifications to agreement.
88-215 Contributions by state employees.
88-216 Collection of contributions.
88-218 Plans for coverage of employees of political subdivision.
88-220 Refusal or termination of plans.
88-221 Payments by political subdivisions.
88-222 Contributions by employees of political subdivisions.
88-224 Contribution fund; established.
88-225 Purpose of contribution fund.
88-226 Payments to federal government.
88-228 Appropriations to contribution fund.
88-273 Break in service; reemployment.
88-321 Election and membership.
88-322 Conversion of previous credited service.
88-323 Class H credited service.
88-324 Acquisition of membership service.
88-325 Employee contributions.
88-326 Deducting employee contributions from salary and employer pick up of employee contributions.
88-282 Service retirement allowance.
88-283 Election of retirement allowance option.
88-284 Ordinary disability retirement.
88-285 Service-connected disability retirement.
88-332 Service retirement allowance.
88-333 Election of retirement allowance option.
88-334 Ordinary disability retirement.
88-335 Ordinary disability retirement allowance.
88-336 Service-connected disability retirement.
88-337 Service-connected disability retirement allowance.
88-338 Ordinary death benefit.
88-339 Accidental service-connected death benefit
88-340 Termination of membership.
88-341 Rights of members separated from service.
88-342 Return to service of a former member without vested benefit status.
88-343 Return to service of a former member who has vested benefit status.