Application for Retirement

PURPOSE: This rule sets forth the factors that will determine the date a member’s application for retirement will be considered to have been filed, for purposes of determining the retirement effective date. (1) Any vested member who has attained the minimum service retirement age, the minimum early service retirement age pursuant to section 70.670, RSMo, or, if an election has been made in accordance with section 70.646, RSMo to provide for alternate eligibility, have years of attained age and credited service in force which total eighty (80) or more, may file a written or electronic application for retirement with the system, including the date on which the member desires retirement to be effective. (2) For purposes of section 70.645, RSMo, and this rule, the following factors shall determine the date that an application for retirement shall be deemed to have been filed with Missouri Local Government Employees’ Retirement System (LAGERS): (A) If the application is mailed to LAGERS via the U.S. Postal Service, the postmark date, or postal meter date; (B) If the application is sent to LAGERS via private/commercial delivery service, the date the application is shipped by the commercial delivery service; (C) If the application is sent to LAGERS electronically or through facsimile transmission, the date and time the application is received by LAGERS; and (D) If the application is personally given to a LAGERS employee, the date of personal delivery. (3) LAGERS will process applications for retirement in accordance with the effective date indicated by the member, unless there are reasons the retirement cannot become effective on the date selected. Notwithstanding the retirement effective date indicated by the member in his/her application, the retirement effective date shall be not less than thirty (30) days nor more than ninety (90) days from the date the member’s application is filed with the system. AUTHORITY: sections 70.605.21 and 70.645, RSMo 2016.* Original rule filed Feb. 16, 1999, effective July 30, 1999. Amended: Filed May 3, 2019, effective Nov. 30, 2019. *Original authority: 70.605, RSMo 1967, amended 1974, 1992, 2000, 2003, 2013 and 70.645, RSMo 1967, amended 1975, 1977, 1988. EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM (LAGERS)