Pension Neutrality: Indiana

Analysis of Indiana's policies

Indiana's pension system is based on a benefit formula that is not neutral, meaning that each year of work does not accrue pension wealth in a uniform way until teachers reach conventional retirement age, such as that associated with Social Security.

Teachers' retirement wealth is determined by their monthly payments and the length of time they expect to receive those payments. Monthly payments are usually calculated as final average salary multiplied by years of service multiplied by a set multiplier (such as 1.5). Higher salary, more years of service or a greater multiplier increases monthly payments and results in greater pension wealth. Earlier retirement eligibility with unreduced benefits also increases pension wealth, because more payments will be received.

To qualify as neutral, a pension formula must utilize a constant benefit multiplier and an eligibility timetable based solely on age, rather than years of service. Basing eligibility for retirement on years of service creates unnecessary and often unfair peaks in pension wealth, while allowing unreduced retirement at a young age creates incentives to retire early. Plans that change their multipliers for various years of service do not value each year of teaching equally. Therefore, plans with a constant multiplier and that base retirement on an age in line with Social Security are likely to create the most uniform accrual of wealth.

Indiana's pension plan is commended for utilizing a constant benefit multiplier of 1.1 percent; however, teachers may retire before standard retirement age based on years of service without a reduction in benefits. Teachers at age 55 and older may retire according to the "Rule of 85," meaning that age plus years of service equal 85 (e.g., a 55-year-old with 30 years of service). Also, teachers with 15 years of service may retire at age 60, while other vested teachers with less than 15 years of service may not retire until age 65.

Therefore, teachers who begin their career at age 25 can qualify for the "Rule of 85" by age 55, entitling them to 10 additional years of unreduced retirement benefits beyond what other teachers would receive who may not retire until age 65. In addition, early retirement with reduced benefits is available at age 50 only for teachers with 15 years or more of service. Benefits are reduced 11 percent for teachers who retire at age 59 and then an additional five percent for each year below age 59. This inconsistent reduction results in an uneven decrease in pension wealth. These provisions may encourage effective teachers to retire early, and they fail to treat equally those teachers who enter the system at a later age and give the same amount of service.

Citation

Indiana State Teachers' Retirement Fund http://www.in.gov/inprs/teachers.htm

Recommendations for Indiana

End retirement eligibility based on years of service.
Indiana should change its practice of allowing teachers whose age plus years of service equal 85 to retire at age 55 and teachers with 15 years of service to retire at age 60, both with full benefits. If retirement at an earlier age is offered to some teachers, benefits should be reduced accordingly to compensate for the longer duration they will be awarded.

Align eligibility for retirement with unreduced benefits with Social Security retirement age.
Indiana allows all teachers to retire before conventional retirement age, some as young as 55. As life expectancies continue to increase, teachers may draw out of the system for many more years than they contributed. This is not compatible with a financially sustainable system (see Goal 4-H).

State response to our analysis

Indiana recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.