New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:5 – Service Retirement Benefits
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I. Group I Members.
(a) Any group I member may retire on a service retirement allowance upon written application to the board of trustees setting forth at what time, not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days subsequent to the filing thereof, the member desires to be retired, provided the member at the time so specified for retirement has attained age 60 and notwithstanding that during such period of notification the member may have separated from service. For the purposes of this section, a teacher member of group I who remains in service throughout a school year shall be deemed to be in service during July and August at the end of such school year. Provided, however, that a group I member who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011 shall not receive a service retirement allowance until attaining the age of 65; but may receive a reduced allowance after age 60 if the member has at least 30 years of creditable service where the allowance shall be reduced, for each month by which the date on which benefits commence precedes the month after which the member attains 65 years of age, by
1/4 of one percent.
(b) Upon service retirement, an employee member or teacher member of group I shall receive a service retirement allowance which shall consist of a member annuity which shall be the actuarial equivalent of the member’s accumulated contributions at the time of retirement, and a state annuity. Prior to the member’s attainment of the member’s full retirement age for Social Security, the state annuity, together with the member annuity, shall be equal to 1/60 of the member’s average final compensation multiplied by the number of years of creditable service. After attainment of the member’s full retirement age for Social Security, the state annuity, together with the member annuity, shall be equal to 1/66 of the member’s average final compensation multiplied by the number of years of creditable service.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any group I member who commenced service prior to July 1, 2011 who meets the requirements of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:10, I(a), and who has either completed at least 20 years of creditable service which, when combined with his or her age equals at least 70 years, or who has attained the age of 50, but not the age of 60, may elect to retire and have benefits commence immediately as a reduced service retirement allowance upon written application to the board of trustees setting forth the time, not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days subsequent to the filing thereof, at which the member desires to have benefits commence. The service retirement allowance shall be determined in accordance with N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:5, I(b) and shall be reduced, for each month by which the date on which benefits commence precedes the month after which the member attains 60 years of age, by
1/8 of one percent if the member has 35 years or more of creditable service, by
1/4 of one percent if the member has 30 years but less than 35 years of creditable service, by
1/3 of one percent if the member has at least 25 years but less than 30 years of creditable service, by
5/12 of one percent if the member has at least 20 years but less than 25 years of creditable service, and by
5/9 of one percent if the member has less than 20 years of creditable service.
(d) [Repealed.]
II. Group II Members.
(a) Any group II member in service, who is in vested status before January 1, 2012, who has attained age 45 and completed 20 years of creditable service, and any group II member who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011 who has attained age 50 and completed 25 years of creditable service, and group II members who have not attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012 as provided in the transition provisions in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:5, II(d), or any group II member in service who has attained age 60 regardless of the number of years of creditable service, may retire on a service retirement allowance upon written application to the board of trustees setting forth at what time not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days subsequent to the filing thereof the member desires to be retired, notwithstanding that during such period of notification the member may have separated from service. Provided, however, that a group II member who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011 shall not receive a service retirement allowance until attaining the age of 52.5; but may receive a reduced allowance after age 50 if the member has at least 25 years of creditable service where the allowance shall be reduced, for each month by which the date on which benefits commence precedes the month after which the member attains 52.5 years of age, by
1/4 of one percent.
(b) Upon service retirement, a group II member shall receive a service retirement allowance which shall consist of:
(1) A member annuity which shall be the actuarial equivalent of his or her accumulated contributions at the time of retirement; and
(2) For members who are in vested status before January 1, 2012, a state annuity which, together with his or her member annuity, shall be equal to 2-
1/2 percent of his or her average final compensation multiplied by the number of years of his or her creditable service not in excess of 40 years, or for members who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011, a state annuity which, together with his or her member annuity, shall be equal to 2 percent of his or her average final compensation multiplied by the number of years of his or her creditable service not in excess of 42.5 years, and group II members who have not attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012 shall be as provided in the transition provisions in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:5, II(d) with the maximum number of years of creditable service not in excess of 40.5 years.
(3) [Repealed.]
(c)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of N.H. Rev. Stat. Chapter 100-A to the contrary, any group II member who is in vested status before January 1, 2012 and has retired on or after the effective date of this subparagraph after attaining the age of 45 with at least 20 years of creditable service, and any group II member who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011 and retires after the effective date of this subparagraph after attaining the age of 50 with at least 25 years of creditable service, and group II members who have not attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012 who qualify as provided in the transition provisions in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:5, II(d), shall receive a minimum annual service retirement allowance of $10,000. If such group II member has elected to convert the retirement allowance into an optional allowance for the surviving spouse under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:13, the surviving spouse shall be entitled to a proportional share of the $10,000.
(2) [Repealed.]
(3) [Repealed.]
(d) Active group II members who commenced service prior to July 1, 2011 and who have not attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012 shall be subject to the following transition provisions for years of service required for regular service retirement, the minimum age for regular service retirement, and the multiplier used to calculate the retirement annuity, which shall be applicable on or after January 1, 2012 according to the following table:
(a) Any group I member may retire on a service retirement allowance upon written application to the board of trustees setting forth at what time, not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days subsequent to the filing thereof, the member desires to be retired, provided the member at the time so specified for retirement has attained age 60 and notwithstanding that during such period of notification the member may have separated from service. For the purposes of this section, a teacher member of group I who remains in service throughout a school year shall be deemed to be in service during July and August at the end of such school year. Provided, however, that a group I member who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011 shall not receive a service retirement allowance until attaining the age of 65; but may receive a reduced allowance after age 60 if the member has at least 30 years of creditable service where the allowance shall be reduced, for each month by which the date on which benefits commence precedes the month after which the member attains 65 years of age, by
Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:5
- Accumulated contributions: shall mean the sum of all the amounts deducted from the compensation of a member, any additional contributions, any contributions for purchases under this chapter, together with any amount transferred to the account of the member established pursuant to this system from the respective account of said member under one or more of the predecessor systems, with interest thereon, as provided in N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Actuarial equivalent: shall mean a benefit of equal value when computed at regular interest upon the basis of the mortality tables last adopted by the board of trustees. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
- Average final compensation: shall mean :
(a) For members who have attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012, the average annual earnable compensation of a member during his or her highest 3 years of creditable service, or during all of the years in his or her creditable service if less than 3 years. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1 - board: shall mean the board provided for in N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Board of trustees: or "board" shall mean the board provided for in N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Creditable service: shall mean prior service plus membership service, as provided in N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Employee: shall mean any regular classified, nonclassified, or unclassified officer or employee of the state or any department, commission, institution or agency of the state government by which an employee is paid through the office of the state treasurer, or employees of the general court who work on a full-time basis and are eligible for other state benefits, but whose salary is calculated on a per diem basis, or any employee of the retirement system, or any full-time employee of the community college system of New Hampshire who is an active retirement system member or who elects membership in the retirement system, or of any of the groups authorized to participate under this chapter but excluding any person who is a teacher, permanent policeman, or permanent fireman as defined in this section, or who is a member or attache of the general court or member of the executive council. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of these laws, shall mean the section next preceding or following that in which such reference is made, unless some other is expressly designated. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:13
- Group I members: shall mean employees and teachers. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Group II members: shall mean permanent policemen and permanent firemen. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Member: shall mean any person included in the membership of the retirement system, as provided in N. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Member annuity: shall mean annual payments for life derived from the accumulated contributions of the member. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- month: shall mean a calendar month, and the word "year" a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed; and the word "year" shall be equivalent to the expression "year of our Lord. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:8
- Retirement: shall mean withdrawal from active service with a retirement allowance granted under the provisions hereof. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Retirement allowance: shall mean the sum of the member annuity and the state annuity. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Service: shall mean service as an employee, a teacher, a permanent policeman or a permanent fireman which is paid for by an employer. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- State: shall mean the state of New Hampshire. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- State annuity: shall mean annual payments for life derived from contributions by an employer. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
- Teacher: shall mean any regular or special teacher, principal, supervisor or administrator, librarian or other member of the teaching or professional staff engaged in the service of the public elementary and secondary schools located within the state and supported by and under the control of the state, the local school district, or other employers of teachers eligible for membership in the system. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 100-A:1
1/4 of one percent.
(b) Upon service retirement, an employee member or teacher member of group I shall receive a service retirement allowance which shall consist of a member annuity which shall be the actuarial equivalent of the member’s accumulated contributions at the time of retirement, and a state annuity. Prior to the member’s attainment of the member’s full retirement age for Social Security, the state annuity, together with the member annuity, shall be equal to 1/60 of the member’s average final compensation multiplied by the number of years of creditable service. After attainment of the member’s full retirement age for Social Security, the state annuity, together with the member annuity, shall be equal to 1/66 of the member’s average final compensation multiplied by the number of years of creditable service.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any group I member who commenced service prior to July 1, 2011 who meets the requirements of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:10, I(a), and who has either completed at least 20 years of creditable service which, when combined with his or her age equals at least 70 years, or who has attained the age of 50, but not the age of 60, may elect to retire and have benefits commence immediately as a reduced service retirement allowance upon written application to the board of trustees setting forth the time, not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days subsequent to the filing thereof, at which the member desires to have benefits commence. The service retirement allowance shall be determined in accordance with N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:5, I(b) and shall be reduced, for each month by which the date on which benefits commence precedes the month after which the member attains 60 years of age, by
1/8 of one percent if the member has 35 years or more of creditable service, by
1/4 of one percent if the member has 30 years but less than 35 years of creditable service, by
1/3 of one percent if the member has at least 25 years but less than 30 years of creditable service, by
5/12 of one percent if the member has at least 20 years but less than 25 years of creditable service, and by
5/9 of one percent if the member has less than 20 years of creditable service.
(d) [Repealed.]
II. Group II Members.
(a) Any group II member in service, who is in vested status before January 1, 2012, who has attained age 45 and completed 20 years of creditable service, and any group II member who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011 who has attained age 50 and completed 25 years of creditable service, and group II members who have not attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012 as provided in the transition provisions in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:5, II(d), or any group II member in service who has attained age 60 regardless of the number of years of creditable service, may retire on a service retirement allowance upon written application to the board of trustees setting forth at what time not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days subsequent to the filing thereof the member desires to be retired, notwithstanding that during such period of notification the member may have separated from service. Provided, however, that a group II member who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011 shall not receive a service retirement allowance until attaining the age of 52.5; but may receive a reduced allowance after age 50 if the member has at least 25 years of creditable service where the allowance shall be reduced, for each month by which the date on which benefits commence precedes the month after which the member attains 52.5 years of age, by
1/4 of one percent.
(b) Upon service retirement, a group II member shall receive a service retirement allowance which shall consist of:
(1) A member annuity which shall be the actuarial equivalent of his or her accumulated contributions at the time of retirement; and
(2) For members who are in vested status before January 1, 2012, a state annuity which, together with his or her member annuity, shall be equal to 2-
1/2 percent of his or her average final compensation multiplied by the number of years of his or her creditable service not in excess of 40 years, or for members who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011, a state annuity which, together with his or her member annuity, shall be equal to 2 percent of his or her average final compensation multiplied by the number of years of his or her creditable service not in excess of 42.5 years, and group II members who have not attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012 shall be as provided in the transition provisions in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:5, II(d) with the maximum number of years of creditable service not in excess of 40.5 years.
(3) [Repealed.]
(c)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of N.H. Rev. Stat. Chapter 100-A to the contrary, any group II member who is in vested status before January 1, 2012 and has retired on or after the effective date of this subparagraph after attaining the age of 45 with at least 20 years of creditable service, and any group II member who commenced service on or after July 1, 2011 and retires after the effective date of this subparagraph after attaining the age of 50 with at least 25 years of creditable service, and group II members who have not attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012 who qualify as provided in the transition provisions in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:5, II(d), shall receive a minimum annual service retirement allowance of $10,000. If such group II member has elected to convert the retirement allowance into an optional allowance for the surviving spouse under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:13, the surviving spouse shall be entitled to a proportional share of the $10,000.
(2) [Repealed.]
(3) [Repealed.]
(d) Active group II members who commenced service prior to July 1, 2011 and who have not attained vested status prior to January 1, 2012 shall be subject to the following transition provisions for years of service required for regular service retirement, the minimum age for regular service retirement, and the multiplier used to calculate the retirement annuity, which shall be applicable on or after January 1, 2012 according to the following table:
| Creditable service on January 1, 2012 | Minimum years of service | Minimum age attained | Annuity multiplier | |
| (1) Less than 4 years | 24 | age 49 | 2.1% | |
| (2) At least 4 years but less than 6 years | 23 | age 48 | 2.2% | |
| (3) At least 6 years but less than 8 years | 22 | age 47 | 2.3% | |
| (4) At least 8 years but less than 10 years | 21 | age 46 | 2.4% |
(e) Notwithstanding the transition provisions of subparagraph (d), the member may replace the additional years of service required for minimum retirement age with the years of service that are purchased under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:4, IX. Therefore, allowing the member to retire between the age of 45 and 49 depending upon the years of service purchased. The purchased years under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 100-A:4, IX shall have an annual multiplier of 2.5 percent regardless of the percentage listed in subparagraph (d).