Participants of the Washington State University Retirement Plan (WSURP) who began participation in the plan prior to July 1, 2011 and as further defined in the plan amendment, may be eligible for an additional retirement benefit. The goal of the Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP) benefit is to provide a defined base income to ensure that participants achieve at least a basic level of income upon retirement. This “supplemental” payment will be paid to a WSURP retiree if their assumed TIAA retirement benefit does not equate to 20% – 50% of the average of the retiree’s highest two year salary.

The 20% – 50% target is determined by years of service in a higher education retirement plan, with minimum years being 10 and maximum years of service being 25 years.

The benefit will also be reduced for retirement after age 62, but prior to age 65.  If retirement is approved due to a health condition, the age requirement is waived.

This calculation is based on a theoretical assumed income from TIAA.  It is not based on the retiree’s actual TIAA account balances, or on how the retiree had actually set up their allocations over their career.

Supplemental Retirement Plan Benefit Calculation

Supplemental Retirement Plan Benefit = Goal Income – Assumed Income

Goal Income = Average of highest two consecutive years salary × Eligible Years of Participation (ranges from 10-25 years) × Service Factor

The “Service Factor” used in the calculation is 2% if at age 50 you chose to increase your WSURP contribution to the optional 10% amount. The service credit factor is 1.5% for any years of service in which you were at least age 50 and did not elect to participate at the 10% contribution rate.

Resources

Projections are not run although the video references they could be requested. This was only offered in 2009 under VERI.

For additional information on the Supplemental Retirement Plan contact HRS at 335-4521 or hrs@wsu.edu.

Assumed Income Calculation

“Assumed Income” is a theoretical amount of monthly income from a TIAA-CREF annuity that the retirement contributions would have generated if they had been allocated equally between TIAA (50%) and CREF Stock (50%). Professional actuaries, not University employees, perform this part of the calculation.

If applicable, DRS retirement plan income will also be included in the assumed income.

Supplemental Retirement Plan Benefit

Participants will receive a WSURP supplemental retirement plan benefit payment if the calculated Goal Income is greater than the amount of the calculated Assumed Income.

The payment is reduced by 0.5% per month for each month prior to age 65, unless the retirement was due to disability.

Eligibility

Upon notification of retirement, Human Resource Services will determine if the employee is eligible for the supplemental benefit. If eligible, HRS will notify the employee of the supplemental amount and survivor-ship options.