Member Forms

	Electronic Fund
Check Date:	Transfer Date:
January 1	January 2
February 1	February 1
March 1	March 1
April 1	April 2
May 1	May 1
June 1	June 1
July 1	July 2
August 1	August 1
September 1	September 4
October 1	October 1
November 1	November 1
December 1	December 3

These dates are subject to change.

• The format and language of the DPO must be in the format required by the Ohio Revised Code Sections 3105.82 and 3105.90 and incorporated into Rule 742-21-01 of the Ohio Administrative Code. A copy of this mandated format is attached to this Information Sheet. Since Ohio Revised Code Section 3105.82 requires this mandated format to be used, any variance from this format will cause OP&F to reject the DPO.

• Pursuant to the terms of Ohio Revised Code Section 3105.88, all DPOs received by OP&F must be certified by the Court and sent directly to OP&F by the Clerk of Courts.

• DPOs are reviewed by OP&F in the order that they are received.

• Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 742.46(B), once OP&F receives a DPO from the domestic relations court, OP&F has 60 days to review the DPO and determine if the DPO meets the requirements of the Ohio Revised Code Sections 3105.80 to 3105.90. If the DPO does not meet these requirements, OP&F will reject the DPO and return it to the Court. If OP&F rejects the DPO, OP&F is required to notify the court and all parties named in the DPO that the DPO does not meet the statutory requirements. However, if the DPO does meet the statutory requirements, OP&F will notify the parties in the DPO that the DPO has been accepted and will retain the DPO on file.

• As permitted under Ohio Revised Code Section 742.462(C)(1), payments under an approved DPO will start as soon as possible provided that the OP&F member is receiving the benefits noted in the DPO. If an OP&F member has not begun receiving a benefit from OP&F (e.g., an active member still working for a police department or fire department), no payments can be made to the Alternate Payee under an approved DPO. Payments to the Alternate Payee will begin as soon as possible once the member begins receiving the benefits noted in the DPO, consistent with the terms of ORC Section 742.462(C).

Also, please note that Ohio law requires a cost-of-living allowance (“COLA”) that is granted to a retired or disabled member while a DPO is in effect to be apportioned between the member and the Alternate Payee in the same proportion that the amount being paid to the Alternate Payee bears to the amount paid to the member. The division of a COLA will continue with each subsequent COLA that is payable to the member while the DPO is in effect.

The following form can be filled out online by tabbing though each field or placing your cursor in a specific field. Information typed into the form cannot be saved or submitted through the Internet. Once all information is completed, print the form and mail or fax to OP&F. Please be sure to sign and date the form, and, if required, have it notarized.

Complete this form if you are eligible and wish to withdraw your Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) funds. You may be eligible to withdraw if you have retired and at least three full years have elapsed from your DROP effective date or you are a surviving spouse of a DROP participant. Unless you are a surviving spouse of a DROP participant, you must complete a Service Retirement Application before receiving any DROP withdrawals and meet the eligibility guidelines.

Payment Methods

you may select from any one, or a combination of the following payment methods:

• up to four distributions per calendar year of at least $1,000 per request;

• a one-time lump sum distribution of your DROP balance;

• monthly distributions of at least $100; or

• rollover of your DROP funds to a qualified retirement plan.

Spousal consent is required if you are married and requesting a distribution of your DROP funds.

You have the option to receive your DROP distribution via Direct Deposit or as a check mailed to your home. DROP distributions will not be included with your monthly retirement benefit, but will be distributed separately.

Income Taxes as Penalties

In some cases, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will impose income tax penalties for early distributions from qualified retirement plans, as well as distributions under annuity contracts. Most penalties are 10 percent of the portion of the distribution that must be included as gross income. This primarily occurs if you will not turn age 55 by the end of the tax year when you receive the payment. OP&F does not withhold these penalties. Further information on income taxes as penalties is available in IRS Code Section 72.

DROP Withdrawals are Taxable

The IRS has issued a private letter ruling to OP&F on the taxability of the DROP funds. All money in your DROP account is likely to be taxable, in full, upon withdrawal. You may, however, have some basis recovery, or after-tax contributions that will offset a portion of these taxable benefits, but only if:

• you elect to receive a lump sum distribution of your total DROP accrual prior to the date your monthly retirement benefit payment begins; and

• the distribution is made within 90 days from the commencement date of your monthly retirement benefit payments.

For purposes of determining the election date for an entire lump sum distribution, the election date will be deemed to be the date received by OP&F.

Mandatory Income Tax Withholding

OP&F must withhold 20 percent of the taxable portion of your withdrawal if your taxable portion is $200 or more within one calendar year and is distributed directly to you. It is possible to avoid paying this tax if you rollover your DROP funds to another qualified pension plan, a qualified 401(a) plan, 403(a) plan, 457(b) deferred compensation plan, 403(b) tax-sheltered annuity, or to an individual retirement account (IRA). As mandated by IRS rules, OP&F may be required to withhold at a higher tax rate.

You may rollover the withdrawal you received from OP&F within 60 days of receipt, but you will have only 80 percent of the taxable, or "pre-tax," portion available for the rollover. You can make up the 20 percent that OP&F deducted from the initial withdrawal from any other funds you have available to you and include them in the rollover. Also, you may ask the IRS to waive the 60-day limit in this type of rollover. Further information on mandatory tax withholding is available in IRS Publication 505 and Special Tax Notice Regarding Plan Payments provided by OP&F.

Changing Your Tax Withholding Amounts

Changes to federal and state of Ohio tax withholdings must be made in writing and include the signature of the benefit recipient and Social Security number, subject to certain limitations. A Withholding Certificate for Ohio State Income Tax is available on the OP&F Web site at www.op-f.org, and the federal form W-4P is available upon request by calling OP&F Customer Service at 888-864-8363.

1099-R

OP&F will send you a 1099-R for any distribution you receive each calendar year. OP&F will issue your 1099-R by January 31 of the year following your distribution(s).

Subject to Withholding Orders

DROP distributions are subject to restitution orders, division of property orders, withholding orders for spousal or child support, and federal tax liens.

Final Contributionsand Processing Time

OP&F cannot determine the exact amount of DROP contributions eligible for withdrawal or rollover until your former employer deposits your final DROP contributions. Employers have until the last day of the month following the month of your termination to report these contributions. A withdrawal or rollover is normally issued within 90 days of your termination date, provided that all information needed by OP&F for processing has been received and is complete.

OP&F strongly encourages you to seek financial, legal and tax advice from professionals before withdrawing your DROP funds. OP&F cannot advise you on these issues.

As a courtesy to our benefit recipients, OP&F has created the attached sample Limited Durable Power of Attorney form, which specifically addresses OP&F pension and healthcare benefits. This document allows an OP&F benefit recipient to grant another person the authority to make application and to collect all sums due the benefit recipient from OP&F, and to make any and all elections for health care coverage and/or related benefits or documentation, among other things. You may wish to speak with a lawyer to determine whether or not you should complete this form.

As a courtesy to our benefit recipients, OP&F has created the attached sample Limited Durable Power of Attorney form, which specifically addresses OP&F pension and healthcare benefits. This document allows an OP&F benefit recipient to grant another person the authority to make application and to collect all sums due the benefit recipient from OP&F, and to make any and all elections for health care coverage and/or related benefits or documentation, among other things. You may wish to speak with a lawyer to determine whether or not you should complete this form.

Please complete this form along with the information requested below to enable the Ohio Police & FIre Pension Fund (OP&F) to provide you with the cost to purchase military service credit. If you have any questions, please contact OP&F Customer Service at 1-888-864-8363.

Please complete this form and file it with Ohio Police & Fire Penion Fund (OP&F) if you application for benefits ir denied or if you disagree with the grant awarded at the Board of Trustees initial determination hearing and you want to appeal the actino. You must file this Notice of Appeal with OP&F within 90 days of your receipt of the Board of Trustees initial determination of your application for disability benefits. If you do not file a Notice of Appeal within this time period, the Board of Trustees will not act on your appeal.

Within 90 days of filing this Notice of Appeal, you must file with OP&F all documents that you desire to submit in support of your appeal. In order to avoid delay in the processing of your appeal, you are encouraged to submit all documents in a single package, or send OP&F a list of all documents that you will send. The Board of Trustees has already considered all reports and medical records you have previously sent to OP&F in support of your application for disability benefits, so these documents do not need to be re–submitted. New or other physicians’ reports, statements, or medical records which amplify or provide a more current evaluation of your medical condition will be helpful to your appeal. If you fail to submit supporting documents within the 60–day time period, the Board of Trustees may dismiss your appeal. If you require more than 60 days to obtain supporting documentation, you may request an extension by filing a Request for Extension form with OP&F before the expiration of the 60–day deadline. In no event can the extensions, in the aggregate, exceed one year.

You will be notified of the date and time of your appeal hearing by mail. Your attendance is not mandatory; however, you are encouraged to attend in order to answer any questions that the physician, vocational evaluator, or Board of Trustees may have regarding your appeal. You will be notified of the Board of Trustees’ decision regarding your appeal in writing within 30 days of your appeal hearing.

This form should be completed and filed with the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) for each new employee who is hired as a full–time police officer or firefighter in a position qualifying for enrollment in OP&F. Ohio law requires an employer to cause the employee to undergo a physical examination in the form established by OP&F prior to his or her employment and, with limited exceptions, timely file the required documentation with OP&F. Otherwise, penalties and interest may be imposed against the employer.

OP&F reserves the right to reject membership or service credit at a later date as information becomes available.

Ohio law defines the eligibility guidelines for individuals who are required to become a member of OP&F. Before enrolling in OP&F, the employer should review the following guidelines and confirm that the individual meets the requirements for OP&F membership. If the individual meets the requirements, the employer should complete the Personal History Record form to begin the process of enrollment in OP&F as well as filing the appropriate documentation for the pre–employment physical. Please call OP&F's Customer Service at 888-864-8363 should you have any questions or concerns regarding OP&F membership.

A summary of OP&F's membership requirements are as following:

Firefighters contributing to OP&F must be paid from public funds of the employing municipal entity and be:
A full-time firefighter who is employed by a fire department of the state, instrumentally of the state, or of a municipal corporation, township, joint fire district, or other political subdivision in a position in which he or she is required to satisfactorily complete, or to have satisfactorily completed, a firefighter training course approved under former Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Section 3303.07 or Section 4765.55, or conducted under ORC Section 3737.33.

Police officers contributing to OP&F must be paid from public funds of the employing municipal entity and be:
A full-time, regular police officer in a police department of a municipal corporation appointed from a duly–established civil service eligible list or pursuant to ORC Section 124.411 [124.41.1];
A full-time, regular police officer in a police department who is appointed pursuant to ORC Section 737.15 or 737.16 and is paid solely out of public funds of the employing municipal corporation; or
A full-time police officer with a police department who is required to satisfactorily complete a peace officer training course in compliance with ORC Section 109.77.

The employee applying for OP&F membership should complete Sections A through F and the employer should complete Sections G, H, and I.

The following form can be filled out online by tabbing though each field or placing your cursor in a specific field. Information typed into the form cannot be saved or submitted through the Internet. Once all information is completed, print the form and mail or fax to OP&F. Please be sure to sign and date the form, and, if required, have it notarized.

Please complete this form and send to OP&F to apply for a pre-retirement survivor annuity. If an active member of OP&F has not retired, but is eligible to retire and receive a pension or benefit at the time of their death, their surviving spouse or contingent dependent beneficiary is entitled to receive an annual retirement allowance. Please see OP&F’s Members’ Guide to Survivor Benefits for details. An active member may designate a contingent dependent beneficiary prior to their death. However, the beneficiary is not entitled to a benefit if the member is survived by his or her spouse.

If you are a re–employed retirant of the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) and you wish to receive re–employed retirement benefit, please complete this application and file it with OP&F. As mandated by Ohio law, your benefit will be paid either in the form of a lump–sum, or a monthly annuity. If you are married, spousal consent may be required.

Often referred to as the "revolving door penalty," if you are a police officer or firefighter and you return to public employment covered under any of the Ohio retirement systems (ORS), including OP&F, within two months of your retirement date from an OP&F employer, then up to two months of your pension payments and contributions for such period must be forfeited under law. Contributions that fall under this penalty shall be excluded from the calculation of your benefit and shall be refunded. A limited exception can be applied to you if you had been continuously employed in the other ORS–covered position, except for an OP&F position, two months before retirement and you submit the appropriate documentation to OP&F. This penalty does not apply to OP&F–sponsored health care benefits.

If you need assistance or for more information, please refer to the Member’s Guide to Public Re–employment and the Member’s Guide to Annuity Payment Plans or contact OP&F Customer Service for assistance.

The following form can be filled out online by tabbing though each field or placing your cursor in a specific field. Information typed into the form cannot be saved or submitted through the Internet. Once all information is completed, print the form and mail or fax to OP&F. Please be sure to sign and date the form, and, if required, have it notarized. Before terminating employment, however, please contact OP&F to obtain confirmation that you have met the eligibility requirements. If you are eligible for a service retirement, the amount of your pension will depend upon the age and service requirements you have met, the payment plan you select, the pension calculation method you elect, and your allowable average annual salary for your three highest years of service. For more information, please refer to the Member’s Guide to Service Retirement and the Member’s Guide to Annuity Payment Plans or contact OP&F Customer Service for assistance.

As mandated by law, OP&F offers the following types of service pensions:
Normal service (i.e. age 48 with 25 years of service);
Service Commuted (i.e. 15 years of service, pension payments begin when you reach age 48 and 25 years has elapsed from the date of your full-time hire); and
Age/Service Commuted (i.e. age 62 with 15 years of service).

Spousal consent required
If you are married on your effective date of retirement, Ohio law requires the consent of your spouse for an annuity selection that provides for less than a 50 percent JSA payable to your spouse, unless there is a court order that requires you to designate a former spouse as a beneficiary under an annuity plan. Current law now allows for the designation of up to four beneficiaries. Otherwise, OP&F is required by law to process your selection based on a 50 percent JSA payable to your spouse.

Multiple beneficiary annuity payment plan
The Ohio General Assembly recently adopted Substitute House Bill 98, which makes changes to the law governing optional benefit plans for retirees. Specifically, this act created a new multiple beneficiary annuity payment plan under which you will be able to name up to four beneficiaries at the time of your retirement. The act continues existing law that requires you, if you are married at the time of your retirement, to select a 50 percent Joint and Survivor Annuity as your plan of payment, with your spouse designated as beneficiary. Your spouse may consent in writing to another plan of payment. However, the law adds that if there is a court entry which requires you to name a former spouse as a beneficiary, you will need to designate both the current spouse and former spouse as beneficiaries under the new multiple beneficiary plan.

Rights to revoke
Under Ohio law, you have limited right to revoke your service retirement application on your payment plan selection, except for their Life Annuity Certain and Continuous, which does not allow for any changes after your retirement.

The following form can be filled out online by tabbing though each field or placing your cursor in a specific field. Information typed into the form cannot be saved or submitted through the Internet. Once all information is completed, print the form and mail or fax to OP&F. Please be sure to sign and date the form, and, if required, have it notarized.

This form must be completed and signed by a member’s attorney, agent or representative in order for such person to represent an OP&F member in any dealings with the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F).

Complete this form is if you wish to waive your Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) pension or other monetary benefits, under Ohio law. This waiver will remain in effect until you reinstate the benefit by filing a written Cancellation of Monetary Benefits Waiver form with OP&F. Any amount that you may have previously waived will be forever forfeited, and you cannot receive retroactive benefits.

The following form can be filled out online by tabbing though each field or placing your cursor in a specific field. Information typed into the form cannot be saved or submitted through the Internet. Once all information is completed, print the form and mail or fax to OP&F. Please be sure to sign and date the form, and, if required, have it notarized.

Complete this form if you wish the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) to withhold an amount you specify from each of your monthly benefit payments for Ohio income tax purposes. You must complete and file this form with OP&F by the 15th of the month in order for your new withholding amount to be reflected on your next monthly benefit payment.

If you select a percentage of your gross monthly benefit to be withheld and your benefit amount changes in the future, this same percentage will be withheld from your new gross monthly amount. If you selected a fixed amount to be withheld, this amount is not automatically changed when your gross monthly benefit changes.

The withholding you specify on this form will remain in effect until you complete a new Withholding for Ohio State Income Tax form and file it with OP&F, subject to certain limitations.

You may specify different withholding amounts for your monthly benefit payments, and your monthly DROP distributions.