Sec. 22. The fund shall satisfy the qualification requirements in Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code as applicable to the fund. In order to meet those requirements, the fund is subject to the following provisions, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter:

(1) The board shall distribute the corpus and income of the fund to participants and their beneficiaries in accordance with this chapter.

(2) A part of the corpus or income of the fund may not be used for or diverted to any purpose other than the exclusive benefit of the participants and their beneficiaries.

(3) Forfeitures arising from severance of employment or death, or for any other reason, may not be applied to increase the benefits a participant would otherwise receive under the retirement fund law.

(4) If the fund is terminated, or if all contributions to the fund are completely discontinued, the rights of each affected participant to the benefits accrued at the date of the termination or discontinuance, to the extent then funded, are nonforfeitable.

(5) All benefits paid from the fund shall be distributed in accordance with the requirements of Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations under that section. In order to meet those requirements, the fund is subject to the following provisions:

(A) The life expectancy of a participant, the participant's spouse, or the participant's beneficiary shall not be recalculated after the initial determination for purposes of determining any benefits.

(B) If a participant dies before the distribution of the participant's benefits has begun, distributions to beneficiaries must begin no later than December 31 of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the member died.

(6) The board may not:

(A) determine eligibility for benefits;

(B) compute rates of contribution; or

(C) compute benefits of participant's beneficiaries;

in a manner that discriminates in favor of participants who are considered officers, supervisors, or highly compensated, as prohibited under Section 401(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(7) Benefits paid under this chapter may not exceed the maximum benefits specified by Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code. If a participant's benefits under this chapter would exceed that maximum benefit, the benefit payable under this chapter shall be reduced as necessary.

(8) The salary taken into account under this chapter may not exceed the applicable amount under Section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(9) The board may not engage in a transaction prohibited by Section 503(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.

[Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-14-9-20.]

As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.18.