Statewide Volunteer Firefighter (SVF) Plan
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Understanding the Status of Your SVF Plan Retirement Benefit
PERA does not currently provide individual volunteer firefighters with an electronic member portal or regular statements for their SVF Plan retirement benefit. The following explains how active and deferred volunteer firefighters may access information about the status of their SVF Plan retirement benefit:
Active Firefighter Retirement Benefit Status
As soon as possible within the calendar year, PERA provides the fire chief and governing body with an Active Member Service Report showing the service credit, vesting status, and retirement benefit payout amount applicable to each of the fire department’s active volunteer firefighters as of January 1 of the given year. PERA asks that the fire chief and governing body share the information contained in the Active Member Service Report with their active volunteer firefighters. If they have not been provided with their retirement benefit information in the Active Member Service Report, volunteer firefighters should contact their fire chief or governing body representative to request that information.
Deferred Firefighter Retirement Benefit Status
Volunteer firefighters who have deferred their retirement benefit and want information about their service credit, vesting status, and/or an estimate of their eventual retirement benefit payout amount should email PERA at PERASVF@mnpera.org under the subject line “Deferred Retirement Benefit Status” and provide us with their full name, phone and email contact information, and the name of the volunteer fire department(s) where they provided service. PERA will provide the requested information.
Related Information Resources:
A fire department’s SVF Plan benefit level is the dollar amount corresponding to each year of a volunteer firefighter’s certified service. The fire department’s governing body has the authority to approve benefit level increases for the fire department and may elect to do so once per year. A benefit level increase approved in a given year will go into effect on January 1 of the next year. The governing body cannot elect to decrease the fire department’s benefit level.
Resources:
>>Increasing the SVF Plan Benefit Level
>>Webinar: Understanding Benefit Level Increases
>>Presentation Slides: Understanding Benefit Level Increases
How to Make a Voluntary Contribution to a Fire Department’s SVF Plan Account
All voluntary contributions must be sent to PERA from the fire department’s governing body. If an entity other than the governing body wishes to make a voluntary contribution to the fire department’s SVF Plan account, the entity must route its contribution through the governing body. For example, if the fire department’s former relief association wants to make a voluntary contribution to the department’s SVF Plan account, the relief association would write a check to the fire department’s governing body and the governing body would route the contribution to PERA.
To make a voluntary contribution to a fire department’s SVF Plan account, write a check payable to PERA for the amount of the voluntary contribution. Include the words “SVF Additional Contribution” on the memo line of the check. Mail the check to PERA at: 60 Empire Drive, Suite 200, Saint Paul, MN 55103-2088.