23-2518.02. Transfer of employees; retirement benefits; calculation; funding.

(1) For transfers involving a retirement system which maintains a defined benefit plan, the transfer value of the transferring employee's accrued benefit shall be calculated by one or both of the retirement systems involved as follows:

(a) If the retirement system of the state or political subdivision maintains a defined benefit plan, an initial benefit transfer value of the employee's accrued benefit shall be determined by calculating the present value of the employee's retirement benefit based on the employee's years of service as of the date of transfer and the other actuarial assumptions of the retirement system of the state or political subdivision so that the effect on the retirement system of the state or political subdivision will be actuarially neutral; and

(b) If the retirement system of the county maintains a defined benefit plan, the final benefit transfer value of the employee's accrued benefit shall be determined by calculating the present value of the employee's retirement benefit as if the employee were employed on the date of transfer and had completed the same amount of service with the same compensation as the employee actually completed at the state or political subdivision prior to transfer. The calculation shall then be based on the employee's assumed years of service as of the date of transfer and the other actuarial assumptions of the retirement system of the county so that the effect on the retirement system of the county will be actuarially neutral.

(2) An employee of the state or a political subdivision who transfers from a position in the state or a political subdivision to a position in the county, and whose customary employment with the state or a political subdivision was for more than twenty hours per week shall receive credit for his or her years of participation in the retirement system of the state or political subdivision for purposes of membership in the retirement system of the county.

(3) An employee referred to in subsection (2) of this section shall have his or her participation in the retirement system of the state or political subdivision transferred to the retirement system of the county through one of the following options:

(a) If the retirement system of the county maintains a defined contribution plan, the employee shall transfer all of his or her funds by paying to the retirement system of the county from funds held by the retirement system of the state or political subdivision an amount equal to one of the following: (i) If the retirement system of the state or political subdivision maintains a defined benefit plan, an amount not to exceed the initial benefit transfer value, leaving no funds attributable to the transferred employee within the retirement system of the state or political subdivision; or (ii) if the retirement system of the state or political subdivision maintains a defined contribution plan, an amount not to exceed the employee and employer accounts of the transferring employee plus earnings during the period of employment with the state or political subdivision. The employee shall receive vesting credit for his or her years of service in a governmental plan, as defined in section 414(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, maintained by the state or political subdivision. Payment shall be made within five years after employment begins with the receiving entity or prior to retirement whichever comes first, and may be made through direct payment, installment payments, or an irrevocable payroll deduction authorization; or

(b) If the retirement system of the county maintains a defined benefit plan, the employee shall transfer all of his or her funds out of the retirement system of the state or political subdivision to purchase service credits that will generate a final benefit transfer value not to exceed the employee's initial benefit transfer value in the retirement system of the state or political subdivision. After such purchase, the employee shall receive vesting credit in the retirement system of the county for his or her years of service in a governmental plan, as defined in section 414(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, maintained by the state or political subdivision. The amount to be paid by the member for such service credit shall equal the actuarial cost to the retirement system of the county for allowing such additional service credit to the employee. If any funds remain in the retirement system of the state or political subdivision after the employee has purchased service credits in the retirement system of the county, such remaining funds shall be rolled over into another qualified trust under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, an individual retirement account, or an individual retirement annuity. Payment shall be made within five years after the transfer of services, but prior to retirement, and may be made through direct payment, installment payments, or an irrevocable payroll deduction authorization.

(4) The state or political subdivision, the county, and the employees who are being transferred may by binding agreement determine which parties will provide funds to pay any amount needed to purchase creditable service in the retirement system of the county sufficient to provide a final benefit transfer value not to exceed the employee's initial benefit transfer value, if the amount of a direct rollover from the retirement system of the state or political subdivision is not sufficient to provide a final benefit transfer value in the retirement system of the county.

(5) The retirement system of the county may accept cash rollover contributions from a member who is making payment pursuant to this section if the contributions do not exceed the amount of payment required for the service credits purchased by the member and the contributions represent (a) all or any portion of the balance of the member's interest in a qualified trust under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code or (b) the interest of the member from an individual retirement account or an individual retirement annuity, all of which is attributable to a qualified total distribution, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, from a qualified trust under section 401(a) of the code and qualified as a tax-free rollover amount. The member's interest under subdivision (a) or (b) of this subsection shall be transferred to the retirement system within sixty days after the date of the distribution from the qualified trust, individual retirement account, or individual retirement annuity.

(6) Cash transferred to the retirement system of the county as a rollover contribution shall be deposited as other contributions.

(7) The retirement system of the county may accept direct rollover distributions made from a qualified trust pursuant to section 401(a)(31) of the Internal Revenue Code. The direct rollover distribution shall be deposited as all other payments under this section.

(8) The county or its retirement system shall adopt provisions defining procedures for acceptance of rollovers which are consistent with sections 401(a)(31) and 402 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(9) If the county participates in the Retirement System for Nebraska Counties and the transferred employee participates in the State Employees Retirement System, the transferred employee shall immediately begin participation in the Retirement System for Nebraska Counties under the same benefit which had been elected pursuant to subsection (1) of section 84-1309.02.

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