Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, but only if you are a general employee (police and fire civil service personnel are not subject to these changes). The Fort Worth City Council passed benefit changes in April 2011 that affect only general employees hired on or after July 1, 2011. Some of the questions and answers listed below (and some of the information on this website)are not applicable to you. If you have specific questions regarding your benefits, please call the Retirement Fund at 817-632-8900.

General and Fire employees contribute 8.25% and Police Civil Service employees contribute 8.73% of their wages. The City contributes 19.74% for General and Fire employees and 20.46% for Police Civil Service employees.

Please contact the Retirement Office at 817-632-8900 to obtain your balance. We are in the process of transitioning to a new pension administration system and members will be able to access this information through this Web site sometime during the third quarter of 2012.

No, the retirement contribution rate is set by the Mayor and City Council and is a condition of employment.

City contributions are paid into the general fund of the pension – not into individual accounts – and are used as assets to pay all current and future retirement benefits.

The Administrative Rules, which govern the Retirement Fund, do not allow you to borrow against your retirement. If you are a member of the City’s 457-Deferred Compensation Plans through Nationwide or ICMA, there are some loan provisions that will allow you to borrow up to a maximum of 50% ($50,000 maximum) of your account balance as an active employee. For more information, contact your 457 Plan provider. At Nationwide Retirement Solutions, 1-877-677-3678, ext. 48757; at ICMA-RC Services, LLC, call 1-877-313-8316. Administrative Rules can be found under Benefits on the Web site.

Approximately eight to ten weeks after your final separation information is received by the Retirement Office from the City’s Human Resources department and your Application of Withdrawal is finalized, you will receive your refund. Click here to access an Application of Withdrawal Form or go to our Forms page.

When you have five years of eligibility service, you are eligible to receive a pension benefit upon your meeting the requirements of early retirement, normal retirement or a vested termination retirement.

The following may qualify to receive benefits as an eligible survivor:

• A spouse to whom you are married at least one year prior to your retirement date;
  
• Unmarried children under the age of 18;
  
• Dependent parents
  
• A “designated beneficiary” named at retirement

DROP is the Deferred Retirement Option Program. DROP is a deferral of retirement that allows a member to accumulate a lump-sum benefit payable upon retirement.

In a non-duty-related death, your qualified surviving spouse, designated beneficiary or estate (whichever is applicable), is entitled to receive a refund of your total employee contributions plus interest.

In a duty-related death (whether or not you are vested), your qualified surviving spouse is entitled to receive 75% of your pension benefit, payable for life. Additionally, your qualified dependent children will each receive a monthly gross pension benefit of $100 so long as they remain qualified. If not married to a qualified spouse, then your qualified dependent(s) is entitled to receive 75% of your pension benefit.

If you are not survived by a qualified spouse or qualified dependent(s), then your designated beneficiary or estate (whichever is applicable) is entitled to receive a refund of your total employee contributions plus interest.

Your qualified spouse is entitled to receive 75% of your pension benefit for life and your total DROP account balance accrued at the time of death. Additionally, your qualified dependent children will each receive a monthly gross pension benefit of $100 so long as they remain qualified. If not married to a qualified spouse, then your qualified dependent(s) is entitled to receive 75% of your pension benefit and your total DROP account balance accrued at the time of death.

If you are not survived by a qualified spouse or qualified dependent, then your designated beneficiary or estate (whichever is applicable) is entitled to receive your total DROP account balance accrued at the time of death.

Your qualified surviving spouse is entitled to receive 75% of your pension benefit payable for life. Additionally, your qualified dependent children will each receive a monthly gross pension benefit of $100 so long as they remain qualified. If not married to a qualified spouse, then your qualified dependent(s) is entitled to receive 75% of your pension benefit. However, in lieu of a monthly pension annuity, your qualified survivor(s) may request a refund of your total employee contributions plus interest.

If you are not survived by a qualified spouse or qualified dependent(s), then your designated beneficiary or estate (whichever is applicable) is entitled to receive a refund of your total employee contributions plus interest.

Please contact the Retirement Office at 817-632-8900 for explanation of your survivor benefits.

If you are an active member or terminated vested member, your designated beneficiaries are noted on your annual benefit statement. You may also contact the Retirement Office at 817-632-8900 to determine your beneficiaries.

You should make an appointment 60 to 90 days prior to leaving the City. It is important to schedule an appointment to review all your retirement options and the procedures involved. All applications are due by the 10th of the month in order to take effect the 1st of the following month (example: for a June 1st retirement, all documents are due by May 10th). However, because of the holidays, November and December applications must be submitted earlier. Please call 817-632-8900 for November and December deadline information.

Please bring a copy of government-issued identifications (driver’s license, passport, etc.); birth certificates and Social Security cards for you and your spouse (if married); and, a copy of your marriage license. If you have unmarried children under the age of 18, please bring copies of their Social Security cards and birth certificates.

If joining DROP, the same information is required. If married, your spouse’s signature must be notarized on the DROP application. Remember, your spouse’s signature must be signed in the presence of the notary.

A passport can be used in place of a birth certificate. If you do not have either, you must contact Vital Statistics to get a replacement birth certificate. If you do not have a Social Security card or driver’s license, you need to apply for a replacement.

General employees are paid up to a maximum of 720 hours of sick time. Upon retirement, major medical hours are converted to benefit service and used in the calculation of your pension benefit. The following is an example of a general employee with 1,500 hours of major medical (MM) leave time:

• 1,500 MM hours divided by 2,080 = 0.72
• 0.72 times 12 = 8.64 months rounded to 9 months of additional benefit service

Fire Civil Service employees are paid up to 1,080 hours of sick time. Hours in excess of 1,080 are converted to benefit service and used in the calculation of your pension benefit. The following is an example of a Fire Civil Service employee with 2,000 hours of sick leave (SL) time:

• 2,000 minus 1,080 (paid leave) = 920 hours
  
• 920 SL hours divided by 2,912 – 0.32
  
• 0.32 times 12 = 3.84 months rounded to 4 months of additional benefit service
  

Police Civil Service employees are paid up to 720 hours of sick time. Hours in excess of 720 are converted to credited service and used in the calculation of your pension benefit. The following is an example of Police Civil Service employee with 2,000 hours of sick leave (SL) time:

• 2,000 minus 720 (paid leave) = 1,280 hours
• 1,280 SL hours divided by 2,080 – 0.62
• 0.62 times 12 = 7.44 months rounded to 7 months of additional benefit service

For questions about leave payouts, please contact the City’s Retiree Liaison in Human Resources at 817-392-2897.

All health insurance questions should be directed to the City’s Retiree Liaison at 817-392-2897. The Retirement Fund does not handle health insurance-related issues.

Yes, DROP is available to any employee who reaches his or her normal or special retirement date.

Yes. DROP is a deferral of retirement; therefore, you will continue to get paid your regular salary from the City while accruing a DROP lump-sum account with the Fund.

You can stay in DROP a minimum of one month and a maximum of five years.

If you are an active member, your DROP balance is included on your annual benefit statement. If you are retired, your DROP statement will be mailed during the third quarter of the year. You may also call the Retirement Office at 817-632-8900 to request the balance of your account.