Switching from the ARP to the Defined Benefit Plan

ARP participants who have made contributions to the ARP for seven years have a one-time option of switching to the ERB DBP.

ARP participants who wish to take advantage of this opportunity must do so within 120 days of becoming eligible. Eligibility begins on the first day of the month after the date on which the participant has made seven years of contributions to the ARP. The seven-year mark is the only opportunity the ARP participant will have to switch to the DBP. If the ARP participant decides to make this change, he or she cannot switch back to the ARP. If the ARP participant opts to move to the DBP, the money in his or her ARP account will remain there. The ARP account does not terminate, and the money cannot be transferred to the DBP. After switching to the DBP, the new member must contribute for five years to vest in the plan and be eligible for retirement benefits. The ARP participant cannot purchase service credit for the time in which he or she was enrolled in the ARP. However, the seven years of participation in the ARP will count toward eligibility requirements to retire under the DBP. In addition, neither the participant’s salary nor the service credit during the time the participant was enrolled in the ARP can be used to calculate his or her retirement benefit under the DBP. If the ARP participant elects to switch to the DBP, his or her retirement benefit will be determined by a formula based on service credit and salary earned under the DBP. Before deciding on whether to switch to the DBP, you may want to compare the DBP and the ARP plans.