Statewide Volunteer Firefighter Dashboard
Defined Benefit Plan (DBP)
The Statewide Volunteer Firefighter Defined Benefit Plan (SVF-DBP) was created by the Minnesota Legislature in 2009. This plan provides retirement benefits for volunteer firefighters who serve a municipal fire department or an independent nonprofit firefighting corporation. The SVF Plan is governed by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 353G.
Participation is voluntary and open to fire departments as a replacement of their existing volunteer firefighter pension plan or departments that do not currently have a pension plan for their volunteer firefighters.
SVF-DBP retirement benefits are a one- time, lump-sum payment. The fire department’s governing body selects a benefit level when it joins the SVF Plan and can elect to increase the department’s benefit level after joining. The benefit is calculated using a firefighter’s years of service, department’s benefit level at the time of separation, and vesting status.
The pension assets and liabilities of each fire department are maintained and accounted for separately from the other fire departments participating in the SVF Plan. The State Board of Investment invests the SVF Plan pension assets for each fire department.
The governing body of a participating fire department may elect to terminate from the SVF Plan and resume Relief Association coverage or dissolve entirely. Effective January 1, 2026, existing SVF-DBP participants have the option to convert to the SVF Defined Contribution Plan (SVF-DCP). More information will be posted in early fall 2025.
Plan Calendar
PERA may provide certain reports or communications earlier than the deadlines referenced in the following calendar information when possible.
SVF Calendar
January:
PERA sends the Annual Service Credit Certification form to the fire chief and governing body representative. The fire chief is responsible for completing this form.
March:
Fire chiefs submit the completed Annual Service Credit Certification form by March 31.
PERA receives supplemental benefit reimbursement funds from the Minnesota Department of Revenue and deposits funds into applicable fire department’s account.
April:
PERA sends a Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) 68 report to governing bodies that follow Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). This report relies upon the fire chief’s timely submission of the completed Annual Service Credit Certification.
August:
PERA provides the fire chief and governing body with an Annual Funding Report by August 1. This report lists any required contributions. If any department has a required contribution due, the governing body must remit payment by December 31 of the following year.
This report relies upon the fire chief’s timely submission of the completed Annual Service Credit Certification.
October:
PERA receives annual fire state aid from the Minnesota Department of Revenue on October 1 and deposits the funds directly into each fire department’s account. Aid amounts and disbursement schedule can be found on the Department of Revenue website.
December:
A governing body resolution is due by December 31 for any department that wishes to increase the benefit level effective January 1 of the following year.
The governing body must remit by December 31 any required contributions that were invoiced the previous year.