§454. Excess benefit arrangement

A. A separate, nonqualified, unfunded excess benefit arrangement is hereby created outside the trust fund of the retirement system. This excess benefit arrangement shall be administered as a governmental excess benefit arrangement under Section 415(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The purpose of the excess benefit arrangement is to pay to retirees of the retirement system benefits otherwise payable by the retirement system that exceed the limitations on benefits imposed by Section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

B. The board of trustees shall be responsible for the administration of the arrangement provided for in this Section. Except as otherwise provided by this Section, the board has the same rights, duties, and responsibilities concerning the excess benefit arrangement as it has to the trust fund and may adopt rules and regulations necessary to administer this arrangement in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act and in compliance with Section 415(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

C. Benefits under this Section are exempt from execution to the same extent as provided by R.S. 11:405, subject to the exceptions in R.S. 11:291 and 292, and the benefits are completely unassignable. Contributions to this arrangement are not held in trust and may not be commingled with other funds of the retirement system.

D. A retiree is entitled to a monthly benefit under this Section in an amount equal to the amount by which the benefit otherwise payable by the retirement system has been reduced by the limitation on benefits imposed by Section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The benefit payable by this arrangement is payable at the time and in the form that the benefit payable under the trust fund is paid.

E. The benefit payable under this Section shall be paid from contributions that otherwise would be made to the trust fund under this Title. In lieu of deposit in the trust account, an amount determined by the retirement system to be necessary to pay benefits under this Section shall be paid monthly to the credit of a separately dedicated account maintained only for the excess benefit arrangement. The account may include amounts needed to pay reasonable and necessary expenses of administering this arrangement. The monthly amount to be paid to the credit of the account shall be transferred to the account prior to the date of a monthly disbursement under this Section.

F. The board reserves the right to amend, terminate, or reestablish the arrangement at any time. Such amendment or termination may be retroactive to the extent that the board deems such action necessary to maintain the tax-qualified status of the pension plan or the status of this arrangement as an excess benefit arrangement or to avoid jeopardizing the funded status of the pension plan. In addition, the arrangement may be amended or terminated to eliminate all benefits with respect to any member or other person who has not become eligible to participate in an excess benefit plan arrangement as of the date of such amendment or termination.

Acts 1999, No. 26, §1, eff. May 21, 1999.