ORS 238.260
Variable Annuity Account

  • rules

(1)

The purpose of this section is to establish a well balanced, broadly diversified investment program for certain contributions and portions of the member accounts so as to provide retirement benefits for members of the system that will fluctuate as the value and earnings of the investments vary in relation to changes in the general economy. It is anticipated that investment of those contributions and portions of the member accounts in equities will result in the accumulation of larger deposit reserves for those members during their working years, tend to preserve the purchasing power of those reserves and the retirement benefits provided thereby and afford better protection in periods of economic inflation.

(2)

There is established in the Public Employees Retirement Fund an account, separate and distinct from the General Fund, to be known as the Variable Annuity Account. Interest earned by the account shall be credited to the account. The account is part of the Public Employees Retirement System and is not a separate defined contribution plan or account for the purposes of the Internal Revenue Code.

(3)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

A member who is making contributions to the fund may elect at any time to have 25, 50 or 75 percent of contributions by the member to the fund on and after the effective date of the election paid into the Variable Annuity Account, credited to a variable account, and reserved for the purchase of a variable annuity. A member who has elected to have a percentage of contributions so paid, credited and reserved may elect at any time thereafter to have an additional 25 or 50 percent of contributions by the member, but not to exceed a maximum of 75 percent, so paid, credited and reserved. An election shall be in writing on a form furnished by the board and be filed with the board. An election shall be effective on January 1 following the filing thereof.

(b)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a member may not contribute to the Variable Annuity Account after December 31, 2003.

(4)

A member who has elected to have contributions paid into the Variable Annuity Account under subsection (3) of this section may thereafter cause the contributions to cease being paid into the member’s variable account by filing a request in writing on a form furnished by the board and filed with the board. The contributions shall cease being paid into the member’s variable account after December 31 following the filing of the request. Contributions paid into the member’s variable account before the effective date of the request for cessation shall remain in the member’s variable account.

(5)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

An employee who is a member of the system on January 1, 1968, and who thereafter made contributions to the Variable Annuity Account, may elect at any time to have an amount equal to 10 percent per year, for not more than five years, of the balance of the regular account of the member in the fund on the effective date of an election filed under subsection (3) of this section, transferred from the regular account of the member to the Variable Annuity Account, credited to the member’s variable account, and reserved for the purchase of a variable annuity. An election shall be in writing on a form furnished by the board and be filed with the board. An election is final and irrevocable upon the filing thereof. The first transfer pursuant to an election shall be made on July 1 following the filing of the election, but may be made, in the discretion of the board, on an earlier date.

(b)

If the transfers elected by a member under this subsection have not been completed at the time of retirement, a transfer equal to one annual transfer shall be made pursuant to an election by the member made and filed as provided in this subsection.

(c)

No transfer shall be made under this subsection after the first payment of the service retirement allowance of the member becomes normally due.

(d)

Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) to (c) of this subsection, a member may not elect to transfer funds under this subsection after December 31, 2003.

(6)

Moneys in the Variable Annuity Account may be invested in investments authorized by law for investment of moneys in the Public Employees Retirement Fund; but, notwithstanding any other general or specific law, moneys in the account shall be invested primarily in equities, including common stock, securities convertible into common stock, real property and other recognized forms of equities, whether or not subject to indebtedness. Not more than five percent of the amortized value of all the investments of the Variable Annuity Account and of moneys in the account immediately available for investment may be invested in the obligations of or equities in a single, primary obligor or issuer. A pro rata share of the administrative expenses of the system shall be paid from interest earned by the Variable Annuity Account.

(7)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (8) of this section, the policy-making investment authority for the Public Employees Retirement Fund shall enter into contracts with one or more persons whom the authority determines to be qualified, whereby the persons undertake to invest and reinvest moneys in the Variable Annuity Account available for investment and acquire, retain, manage and dispose of investments of the account in accordance with subsections (1) and (6) of this section and to the extent provided in the contracts.

(b)

Performance of functions under contracts so entered into shall be paid for out of the gross interest or other income of the investments with respect to which the functions are performed, and the net interest or other income of the investments after that payment shall be considered income of the Variable Annuity Account.

(c)

The policy-making investment authority may require a person contracted with to give to the state a fidelity bond in a penal sum as may be fixed by law or, if not so fixed, as may be fixed by the authority, with corporate surety authorized to do business in this state.

(d)

Contracts so entered into and functions performed thereunder are not subject to the State Personnel Relations Law or ORS 279A.050 (Procurement authority) (2) and 279A.140 (State procurement of goods and services).

(e)

A person contracted with shall report to the policy-making investment authority as often as the authority may require, but at least annually, the earnings of the moneys invested during the period covered by the report, the capital gains and losses of the Variable Annuity Account during the period, the changes in the market value of the investments of the account during the period and such other information as the authority may require.

(8)

The policy-making investment authority for the Public Employees Retirement Fund, for and on behalf of the Public Employees Retirement System and Public Employees Retirement Board, may enter into group annuity contracts with one or more insurance companies authorized to do business in this state. In lieu of any investment of moneys in the Variable Annuity Account as provided in subsections (6) and (7) of this section, the authority may pay, from time to time under contracts so entered into, any moneys in that account available for investment purposes. Contracts so entered into:

(a)

May provide that annuities purchased thereunder be payable in variable dollar amounts, but if that provision is made, provision also shall be made that a member of the system who has a variable account, upon retiring from service and before the first payment of retirement allowance becomes normally due, may elect an option to have the annuities payable to the member or the beneficiary of the member in fixed or variable dollar amounts or both.

(b)

May provide that payment of annuities purchased thereunder may be made by the insurance company directly to persons entitled thereto or to the Variable Annuity Account for payment therefrom to those persons.

(c)

Are not subject to ORS 279A.050 (Procurement authority) (2) and 279A.140 (State procurement of goods and services).

(9)

Upon retiring from service but within 60 days after the date of the first benefit payment, a member of the system who has a variable account may elect to transfer the balance in the variable account to the regular account of the member, and by that transfer the annuity shall be based on the amount in the regular account of the member as otherwise provided in this chapter and the member shall not receive a variable annuity as provided in this section.

(10)

When an annuity is payable under this chapter to a member of the system who has a variable account, or is payable to a beneficiary of that person, the portion of the annuity payable from the Variable Annuity Account shall be proportionately increased or decreased for a calendar year when, as of October 31 of the preceding calendar year, the balance of the member’s variable account exceeds or is less than the current value of the annuity, determined in accordance with the rate of interest and approved actuarial tables then in effect.

(11)

Notwithstanding subsection (10) of this section, the board, in the event of extraordinary fluctuation in the market value of investments of the Variable Annuity Account and in order to avoid substantial inequities, may increase or decrease the portions of annuities paid from the account for periods less than a calendar year and determined as of dates other than October 31.

(12)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the retirement allowance to which a member of the system who has a variable account or who made contributions on salary in excess of $4,800 per year during the period January 1, 1956, through December 31, 1967, and whose effective date of retirement is January 1, 1982, or later, is otherwise entitled under this chapter shall be subject to the following adjustment:

(a)

The board shall determine the difference between the member account of the member and what the member account of the member would have been had the member not participated in the variable annuity program on or after January 1, 1982, plus the contributions made on salary in excess of $4,800 per year during the period January 1, 1956, through December 31, 1967.

(b)

If the member account of the member due to participation in the variable annuity program or due to the contributions made on salary in excess of $4,800 per year is greater, the monthly retirement allowance of the member shall be increased by the value of the difference, using the annuity tables applicable to the plan selected by the member.

(c)

If the member account of the member due to participation in the variable annuity program or due to the contributions made on salary in excess of $4,800 per year is lesser, the monthly retirement allowance of the member shall be decreased by the value of the difference, using the annuity tables applicable to the plan selected by the member.

(13)

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this section, the rights and benefits under this chapter of an active or retired member of the system or of a beneficiary of the member are not affected by this section and the provisions of this chapter applicable to regular accounts of active and retired members of the system in the fund are also applicable to variable accounts.

(14)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

In addition to the transfer provided for in subsection (9) of this section, a member of the system who has a variable account may at any time prior to retirement elect to transfer the balance in that account to the regular account of the member in the fund if:

(A)

The member is other than a police officer or firefighter and has attained the age of 50;

(B)

The member is a police officer or firefighter and has attained the age of 45; or

(C)

The member has a combined total of 25 years or more of creditable service in the system and prior service credit.

(b)

An election under paragraph (a) of this subsection is irrevocable, and a member who has so elected may not thereafter elect to make contributions to the Variable Annuity Account under subsection (3) of this section.

(c)

An election under paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be in writing and shall be filed with the board. The board by rule shall prescribe a form for the purposes of application. An election so made shall be effective on January 1 of the year following the year in which the election is made. If the member account of the member as of the effective date of the election is less than what the member account of the member would have been had the member not participated in the variable annuity program, not including the contributions made on salary in excess of $4,800 per year during the period January 1, 1956, through December 31, 1967, the monthly retirement allowance of a member calculated under ORS 238.300 (Service retirement allowance) (2)(a) or (b)(B) shall be decreased by the value of the difference.

(d)

As of the effective date of an election under this subsection, the board shall credit all earnings to the member’s variable account based on the actual calendar year variable earnings rate for the year in which the election is made. This account balance shall:

(A)

Be used by the board in determining whether the member’s election is effective under paragraph (c) of this subsection; and

(B)

Be the account balance credited by the board to the regular account of the member in the fund if the election is determined to be effective.

(e)

Subject to paragraph (c) of this subsection, the annuity of a member who makes an effective transfer under this subsection shall be based on the amount in the regular account of the member in the fund as otherwise provided in this chapter, and the member shall not receive a variable annuity as provided in this section. [Formerly 237.197; 2001 c.945 §47; 2003 c.67 §3; 2003 c.625 §36; 2003 c.794 §218; 2005 c.808 §§2,3]
Note: Section 19, chapter 625, Oregon Laws 2003, provides:
Sec. 19. The amendments to ORS 238.260 (Variable Annuity Account) by section 3, chapter 67, Oregon Laws 2003, do not apply to any judge member who is a judge member of the system on June 30, 2003. A person who is a judge member of the system on June 30, 2003, may continue to make contributions to the Variable Annuity Account for services as a judge member performed on or after January 1, 2004. [2003 c.625 §19]

Source: Section 238.260 — Variable Annuity Account; rules, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors238.­html.

Notes of Decisions

Elimination of ability to continue making purchases of variable annuity did not violate Contract Clause of United States Constitution. Robertson v. Kulongoski, 359 F. Supp. 2d 1094 (D. Or. 2004)

Amendment terminating member ability to make further contributions to variable annuity account is consistent with earlier legislative promise to reserve moneys contributed to variable annuity account for purpose of purchasing variable annuity. Strunk v. Public Employees Retirement Board, 338 Or 145, 108 P3d 1058 (2005)

When interest earned on Variable Annuity Account cannot pay for account’s pro rata share of administrative expenses of Public Employees Retirement System, difference must be paid by interest earned on Public Employees Retirement Fund and employer contributions. Murray v. Public Employees Retirement Board, 235 Or App 262, 230 P3d 993 (2010), Sup Ct review denied

238.005
Definitions
238.008
Computation of salary
238.015
Membership generally
238.025
Effect of service interruptions on membership
238.035
Membership of part but not all employees of a public employer
238.045
Membership of certain circuit court judges
238.055
Membership of judges previously receiving retirement pay from Judges’ Retirement Fund
238.062
Membership of deputy district attorneys
238.068
Membership of legislators
238.072
Membership of certain legislative employees
238.074
Membership of community college employees
238.078
Reemployment of retired members
238.082
Limits on hours worked by retired members
238.088
Appointment or election of retired member to public office
238.092
Option of legislators to receive certain benefits
238.095
Termination of membership
238.105
Restoration of credit forfeited by reason of termination of membership
238.115
Alternate method of restoring credit forfeited by reason of termination of membership
238.125
Credit for probationary period of employment
238.135
Credit for probationary periods in seasonal positions
238.145
Credit for service as police officer or firefighter with nonparticipating employer
238.148
Credit for service as public safety officer in another state
238.156
Contributions, benefits and retirement credit for periods of service in uniformed services or Armed Forces
238.157
Alternative provision for retirement credit for periods of service in uniformed services
238.160
Retirement credit for service while on loan to federal government
238.162
Retirement credit for service as teacher in public schools of another state
238.165
Credit for certain periods of employment by Legislative Assembly
238.175
Retirement credit for periods of disability
238.200
Employee contributions generally
238.205
Payment of employee contribution by employer
238.210
Payment of certain circuit court judge employee contributions by employer
238.215
Contributions by certain higher education employees
238.220
Employee rollover contributions
238.222
Trustee-to-trustee transfers to fund restoration of forfeited service or purchase of retirement credit
238.225
Employer contributions
238.227
Pooling of employers for purpose of computing employer contributions
238.229
Effect of lump sum payment to side account on contributions of pooled employer
238.232
Choice of amortization period for certain lump sum payments to side accounts
238.235
Unfunded liability or surplus after employee transfer or employer merger, consolidation or split
238.250
Regular accounts
238.255
Credits to regular accounts when earnings less than assumed interest rate
238.260
Variable Annuity Account
238.265
Withdrawal of member account
238.270
Transfer of member account to other public employee retirement system
238.280
Eligibility for retirement
238.285
Verification of retirement data
238.300
Service retirement allowance
238.305
Optional service retirement allowance calculations
238.310
Minimum service retirement allowance
238.315
Lump sum payment in lieu of small allowance
238.320
Disability retirement allowance
238.325
Optional disability retirement allowance calculations
238.330
Minimum disability retirement allowance
238.335
Medical examination for disability retirement allowance
238.340
Return to work
238.345
Optional service-connected disability retirement allowance for police officers and firefighters
238.350
Use of unused leave to increase retirement allowance
238.355
Computation of unused sick leave for community college employees
238.360
Cost-of-living adjustments
238.361
Consumer price index for calculation of cost of living adjustments
238.362
Increased benefits payable in compensation for certain damages attributable to taxation of benefits
238.364
Calculation of increased benefit payable under ORS 238.362
238.366
Retirement allowance increase based on years of service
238.368
Retirement allowance increases for members who retired before January 1, 1991
238.372
Increased benefits not payable to nonresidents
238.374
Applicant’s statement
238.376
Nonresidency after benefits commenced
238.378
Information from Department of Revenue
238.382
Statements constitute declaration under penalty of perjury
238.384
Rules
238.390
Death benefit
238.395
Additional death benefit
238.400
Payment upon death of retired member who dies before making election of retirement benefits
238.405
Death benefit payable to survivors of certain police officers or firefighters
238.407
Distribution of death benefit as rollover distribution
238.410
Board may contract for insurance for retirees
238.415
Payment toward cost of pre-Medicare insurance
238.420
Payment toward cost of Medicare supplemental insurance
238.425
Benefits payable to vested inactive member
238.430
Limitation on benefits payable to persons establishing membership on or after January 1, 1996
238.435
Provisions applicable to persons establishing membership on or after January 1, 1996
238.440
Optional purchase of benefit units by police and firefighters
238.442
Prior service credit
238.445
Benefits exempt from execution, bankruptcy and certain taxes
238.447
Execution or assignment of benefits to collect restitution or compensatory fine for felony
238.450
Computation of retirement allowance or benefit
238.455
Estimated benefit payments
238.458
Unclaimed benefits
238.460
Waiver of retirement allowance
238.462
Spousal consent required for certain optional forms of retirement allowance
238.465
Benefits payable to others under certain judgments
238.470
Interest on payments from fund
238.475
Effect of transfer of employee to another participating employer
238.480
Effect of change to calendar year on contributions and credit of members
238.485
Fund established
238.488
Payment of benefits
238.490
Administrative expenses
238.492
Rules for administration of fund
238.500
Definitions for ORS 238.500 to 238.585
238.505
Judges as PERS members
238.515
Contributions
238.525
Compulsory retirement age
238.535
Service retirement allowance
238.538
Health benefit plans for certain retired judge members
238.545
Withdrawal of member account
238.555
Disability retirement allowance
238.565
Judge’s beneficiaries
238.575
Cost-of-living adjustments
238.580
Application of PERS laws to judges
238.585
Use of creditable service by person who serves as both member and judge member
238.600
System established
238.601
Legislative findings and intent
238.605
Actuarial report on system
238.606
Independent review of actuarial report on system
238.607
Actuarial equivalency factor tables
238.608
Separate actuarial equivalency factor tables for certain police officers and firefighters
238.610
Administrative expenses of system
238.615
Revolving fund for payment of administrative expenses
238.618
Exclusion of employer or employee from system to maintain tax qualification
238.622
Report on changes to actuarial methods and assumptions
238.630
Board generally
238.635
Board consideration of system goals and objectives
238.640
Qualifications of board members
238.645
Director and staff
238.646
Authority of Director of Public Employees Retirement System to require fingerprints
238.650
Rules of board
238.655
Procedure for board hearings
238.657
Board counsel
238.660
Fund generally
238.661
Moneys in fund appropriated to board
238.665
Contributions and interest not included in board’s budget
238.670
Reserve accounts in fund
238.671
Proposal to legislative review agency for crediting of interest or income
238.672
Crediting of earnings to employer upon death or retirement of member
238.675
Transfer of unclaimed death benefit or account balance to other account or reserve
238.680
Integration of other retirement systems
238.685
Method of payment of unfunded obligation under integration contract
238.690
Integration of retirement plan of mass transit district
238.692
Definitions for ORS 238.692 to 238.698
238.694
Certain public bodies authorized to issue bonds to finance pension liabilities
238.695
Intergovernmental agreements for collective issuance, administration or payment of bonds
238.696
Debt service trust fund
238.697
Requirements for issuance of bonds
238.698
Funds diversion agreement
238.700
Enforcement of requirements of ORS chapters 238 and 238A
238.705
State departments to remit contributions and furnish reports
238.710
Mandamus against defaulting employer
238.715
Recovery of overpayments
238.720
Rollover contributions
238.730
Unfunded Actuarial Liability Resolution Program
238.750
Short title
Green check means up to date. Up to date