Retirement Benefits

To be eligible to collect a Statewide Volunteer Firefighter (SVF) Plan retirement benefit, a volunteer firefighter must:

1. Separate from active service. A firefighter must be separated from active service for at least 30 days.
2. Be at least 50 years old. If a firefighter is not age 50, the retirement benefit will be deferred without interest until the member applies for their benefit after turning 50.
3. Meet vesting requirements. A firefighter must have served the minimum number of years to vest their retirement benefit, according to the fire department’s vesting schedule.

To apply for retirement benefits, a volunteer firefighter must complete and submit the SVF Plan Retirement Benefit Application form to PERA. Follow the instructions on the application form. 

The succession of SVF Plan survivor beneficiaries is set in state statute.  

A survivor is the:

1. spouse of the member, or if none,
2. the minor child or children of the member, or if none,
3. the estate of the member

The survivor benefit amount is equal to the retirement benefit that would have been payable to the firefighter at age 50 based on their service credit earned as of the date of death.

No beneficiary form is required. To apply for a SVF Plan survivor benefit, the survivor must complete and submit the SVF Plan Survivor Benefit Application (add link to form) form to PERA. Follow the instructions on the application form.  

Reporting Deaths  

Fire Chiefs should email PERA’s SVF Team at PERASVF@mnpera.org. All others should contact PERA’s Member Services Team at 651-296-7460 or Toll Free 1-800-652-9026 

PERA reviews each application to ensure it is complete. If all information is provided, the valid application is forwarded for processing. A letter is mailed to the member to confirm that PERA received the application.

If the application is incomplete, PERA will contact the fire chief or member by mail, email or phone to request additional information. Once an application is valid, processing can take up to approximately 120 days.

Payments

Once the benefit payment is approved, the State of Minnesota Management & Budget Department (MMB) will mail a check to the member via the U.S. Postal Service.

If the member requested any benefit amount to be directly rolled over to another fund, the check will be made payable to the designated qualified plan/IRA. MMB will mail the check to the member in 8 1/2 x 11 self-sealed mailer. The member is responsible for sending the check to the financial institution receiving the rollover.

Fire departments receive estimates on all active members yearly through the Annual Funding Report. PERA does not provide estimates for active SVF Plan members. Please see below regarding options:

• Active members should connect with their Fire Chief.
• Deferred members should call PERA’s Member Services Center at 651-296-7460 / Toll Free 1-800-652-9026 to request an estimate. Limited to one estimate every two years.