Inactive Member Benefits at a Glance

If you are an inactive IMRF member, it means that you have funds and service credit with IMRF but you are no longer actively contributing to IMRF. Therefore, your benefits differ from those that you were eligible for as a contributing member.

How do inactive and active member benefits differ?

When you stopped actively participating in IMRF you no longer qualified for all of the benefits available to an active IMRF member.

Inactive IMRF members qualify only for pension and death benefits. The following article describes the benefits available to you and your beneficiaries.

Your IMRF Retirement benefits

To qualify for an IMRF pension, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be vested (have at least eight years of service credit). This can include reciprocal service.
  
  

• You must not be working in any position which qualifies for IMRF coverage.
  
  

• You must be at least age 55. IMRF “normal” retirement age is 60. If you retire between age 55 and 60 and have less than 35 years of service credit, your pension will be reduced for age.

Please note: IMRF can “back date” (retroactively pay) a pension benefit only 12 months. If you are vested and no longer participate in IMRF but are at least age 55, we recommend you apply for your pension.

Your IMRF Death benefits

If you die while you have contributions on deposit with IMRF but are not actively participating, your beneficiaries are entitled to benefits. The benefits depend on your vesting status and age. If you are:

• Less than age 55, the balance in your member account (member contributions plus interest to the date of death less any benefit prepayments) is paid to your beneficiary(ies).
  

• Age 55 or older and:

  • Not eligible to receive a pension, the balance in your member account (member contributions plus interest to the date of death less any benefit prepayments) is paid to your beneficiary(ies).

  • Eligible to receive a pension, the the balance in your member account (member contributions plus interest to the date of death less any benefit prepayments) plus a lump sum payment of $3,000 will be paid to your beneficiary(ies). Or, if you are married at the time of your death and your spouse was married to you for at least one year before you terminated your IMRF participation, your spouse can choose to receive a monthly surviving spouse pension plus the $3,000.

Should you take a refund of your contributions?

If you are vested (through IMRF or reciprocal service), having money in IMRF is a valuable asset for your future retirement.

The decision to take a refund should not be made lightly. By accepting a refund of your contributions you forfeit all rights to any future IMRF benefits, although you may repay your refund at a later date if you return to work with an IMRF or reciprocal employer for two years.

If you have at least 12 months in IMRF and have service credit in another Illinois Reciprocal System, this credit may be combined to meet the vesting requirements for both systems.

If you have less than 12 months of service in IMRF and do not plan to return to an IMRF employer, we recommend that you consider a refund or rollover of your IMRF funds.

The one exception to this is if you participated in IMRF as a Teacher Aide and earned less than 12 months of IMRF service credit, and you transferred to a position covered by the Teachers’ Retirement System, you may apply your IMRF service toward a reciprocal pension even though it does not meet the 12-month requirement.

Be aware that you cannot take a refund of your contributions if you are still working for the same IMRF employer, even if you no longer participate in IMRF.

If you are not vested with IMRF and do not have service with a reciprocal system, you can call an IMRF Member Service Representative at 1-800-ASK-IMRF (1-800-275-4673) to find out if taking a contribution refund or rollover is right for you.