Fiscal Year 2016 Employer Contribution Rates

Previous years' rates

FY16 Rates for the PERS/TRS Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) Plans

The Alaska Retirement Management Board (ARMB) has established Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) employer contribution rates for the PERS/TRS Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) Plans. The rates are effective for pay period end dates between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016.

• DB Plan rates
• DCR Plan rates
• Pension & OPEB rate split
• HRA Amounts & DBUL Calculation
• PERS Past Service Cost rate
• Employee Contribution Rates

FY16 Defined Benefit Plan Employer Contribution Rates

In setting the DB Plan rates, the ARMB addressed compliance with Senate Bill (SB) 125 [PDF], the PERS "cost-share" bill. In fiscal year 2008, the bill converted the PERS DB plan to a cost-share plan, like TRS, and provided for one integrated system of accounting for all employers. The bill established one uniform rate of 22 percent for PERS employers, rather than separate contribution rates for each employer. SB 125 amended AS 39.35.255 and repeals and reenacts AS 14.25.070:

• AS 39.35.255 “Contributions by employers” establishes the uniform contribution rate for PERS employers at 22 percent, with the State contributing the difference between total PERS actuarially determined contributions and the amount employers contribute at 22 percent of payroll. (See AS 39.35.280 Additional State Contributions)
• AS 14.25.070 “Contributions by employers” establishes the TRS employer contribution rate at 12.56 percent, with the State contributing the difference between total TRS actuarially determined contributions and the amount employers contribute at 12.56 percent of payroll. (See AS 14.25.085 Additional State Contributions)

The FY16 rates employers will pay (Employer Effective Rate) is 22 percent for PERS DB and DCR Plans; and 12.56 percent for TRS DB and DCR Plans.

The DB Plan employer rates for the PERS and TRS are outlined in the table below:

The decrease between the ARMB Adopted rate of 44.03% for PERS and 70.75% for TRS for FY 2015 and the above rates for FY 2016 is due to (1) Senate Bill 119 appropriating $1 billion to PERS and $2 billion to TRS Defined Benefit Pension and Healthcare funds and (2) the new contribution rate determination methodology in accordance with 2014 legislation under House Bill 385 and Senate Bill 119. This changed the amortization methodology to a closed 25-year period as a level percentage of pay and eliminated the time lag on the contribution rate calculation.

Top of page

FY16 Defined Contribution Retirement Plan Employer Contribution Rates

There is no change in the DCR Plan computation for Fiscal Year 2016. The computation is the same, only the rates have changed. Senate Bill 123 [PDF], the "technical clean-up" bill, requires that the PERS and TRS DB rate be applied to both DB and DCR salaries. However, in some cases, the DB effective rate is not sufficient to cover all required DCR contributions. All DCR Plan employer contribution obligations are required. Employers will pay either the effective rate OR the DCR required rate plus the Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), whichever amount is greater.

The DCR Plan employer rates for the PERS and TRS, are outlined in the tables below:

Top of page

**Per AS 39.30.370, a rate of 3.00% is applied to the average annual compensation of all employees of all employers in the TRS and PERS. The contribution amount is then converted to a per pay period, per employee contribution amount. Contributions to the employee's HRA account are required for every pay period in which the employee is enrolled in the DCR Plan, regardless of the compensation paid during the calendar year. By definition, the HRA cost is a dollar amount reflected in the table below:

For full-time TRS members who are paid over a period of less than 12 months, the employer will calculate the amount due per pay period by dividing the annual amount by the number of scheduled payments. For example, for a full-time TRS member who receives nine monthly payments the employer contribution would be $222.72 per pay period ($2,004.52 annual cost divided by nine payments).

For TRS part-time employees, the HRA rate is based on the contract percentage worked multiplied by the rate provided in the table above. For example, a 70% employee paid monthly would have a contribution to the HRA of $116.93 per pay period ($167.04 x 70%).

Note: For all school districts the prorated calculation of annual HRA contributions does not apply to PERS DCR Plan Noncertificated (classified) School Employees. These employees are NOT eligible to elect the alternate option program (SB9). Once the DRB PERS system is provided the Leave Without Pay (LWP) date for the last day worked for the school year, service is then turned off and HRA contributions are suspended for the summer break.

For part-time PERS members, the employer contributes the PERS hourly amount for each hour the employee worked in each pay period until the employer has contributed the annual amount for the fiscal year, illustrated in the table below:

*** The Defined Benefit Unfunded Liability (DBUL) amount levied against the DCR Plan payroll is equal to the employer effective rate minus the DCR Plan total employer contributions. See the following PERS example below using occupation code "A" of semi-monthly payroll, where the gross payroll = $1,000.00:

Note: Testing showed that in some very rare cases, the amount calculated by eReporting for entry in DBUL may be less than zero (a negative number). In such cases, eReporting will post $0.00 as a DBUL contribution. In no case can the employer contribution to the DBUL be less than zero (a credit).

Top of page

FY16 Rate Split of Pension and Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) Employer Contributions

** Please note the final Pension and OPEB rate split may not be final until May. The percentages could change if legislation passes that impacts the rates splits.

For purposes of reporting and posting, the rate split between Pension and Other Post Employment Healthcare Benefits is applied to each payroll upon processing by the Division. The tables below provide the rates used to post all employer contributions between Pension and Healthcare.

Below is the rate split for DB PERS and TRS Pension and Healthcare:

For additional information regarding the actuarial determined rates, please refer to the PERS and TRS actuarial valuations:

• PERS actuarial valuations
• TRS actuarial valuations

Top of page

FY16 PERS Past Service Cost Rate

** Please note the final past service cost rate may not be final until May. The past service rate could change if legislation passes that impacts this rate.

PERS employers that have amended thier participation agreement to terminate participation of a department, group or other classification of employee shall pay the past service cost associated with the terminated positions per AS 39.35.625(a). The fiscal year 2016 Past Service Cost rate is 16.53%.

For questions about employer contribution rates, please contact Christina Maiquis at (907) 465-1845 or via email at Christina.Maiquis@alaska.gov.

Top of page

Employee Contribution Rates

The PERS and TRS DB and DCR Plan employee rates are outlined in the tables below:

Top of page