(1) The normal retirement date of each firefighter will be the first day of the month coincident with or next following the date on which he or she has completed 10 or more years of creditable service and attained age 55 or completed 25 years of creditable service and attained age 52.

(2)(a)1. The amount of monthly retirement income payable to a full-time firefighter who retires on or after his or her normal retirement date shall be an amount equal to the number of his or her years of credited service multiplied by 2.75 percent of his or her average final compensation as a full-time firefighter.

2. Effective July 1, 2015, a plan that is in compliance with this chapter except that the plan provides a benefit that is less than 2.75 percent of the average final compensation of a full-time firefighter for all years of credited service or provides an effective benefit that is less than 2.75 percent as a result of a maximum benefit limitation:

a. Must maintain, at a minimum, the percentage amount or maximum benefit limitation in effect on July 1, 2015, and is not required to increase the benefit to 2.75 percent of the average final compensation of a full-time firefighter for all years of credited service; or

b. If the plan changes the percentage amount or maximum benefit limitation to 2.75 percent or more of the average final compensation of a full-time firefighter for all years of credited service, the plan may not thereafter decrease the percentage amount or maximum benefit limitation to less than 2.75 percent of the average final compensation of a full-time firefighter for all years of credited service.

(b) The amount of monthly retirement income payable to a volunteer firefighter who retires on or after his or her normal retirement date shall be an amount equal to the number of his or her years of credited service multiplied by 2 percent of his or her average final compensation as a volunteer firefighter.

(3) The monthly retirement income payable in the event of normal retirement will be payable on the first day of each month. The first payment will be made on the firefighter’s normal retirement date, or on the first day of the month coincident with or next following his or her actual retirement, if later, and the last payment will be the payment due next preceding the firefighter’s death; except that, in the event the firefighter dies after retirement but before he or she has received retirement benefits for a period of 10 years, the same monthly benefit will be paid to the beneficiary (or beneficiaries) as designated by the firefighter for the balance of such 10-year period. If a firefighter continues in the service of the municipality or special fire control district beyond his or her normal retirement date and dies prior to his or her date of actual retirement, without an option made pursuant to s. 175.171 being in effect, monthly retirement income payments will be made for a period of 10 years to a beneficiary (or beneficiaries) designated by the firefighter as if the firefighter had retired on the date on which his or her death occurred.

(4) Early retirement under the plan is retirement from the service of the municipality or special fire control district, with the consent of the municipality or special fire control district, as of the first day of any calendar month which is prior to the firefighter’s normal retirement date but subsequent to the date as of which he or she has both attained the age of 50 years and has been a member of this fund for 10 continuous years. In the event of early retirement, payment of retirement income shall be governed as follows: The monthly amount of retirement income payable to a firefighter who retires prior to his or her normal retirement date shall be in the amount computed as described in subsection (2), taking into account the firefighter’s credited service to his or her date of actual retirement and final monthly compensation as of such date, such amount of retirement income to be actuarially reduced to take into account the firefighter’s younger age and the earlier commencement of retirement income benefits. The amount of monthly income payable in the event of early retirement will be paid in the same manner as in subsection (3). In no event shall the early retirement reduction exceed 3 percent for each year by which the member’s age at retirement preceded the member’s normal retirement age, as provided in subsection (1).

History.—s. 1, ch. 63-249; s. 1, ch. 70-129; s. 9, ch. 81-168; s. 11, ch. 86-41; s. 26, ch. 93-193; s. 923, ch. 95-147; s. 16, ch. 99-1; s. 6, ch. 2015-39.