Special Fund Deposit Errors

Assets from a relief association’s special fund (the restricted pension fund) may be disbursed only for purposes expressly authorized under Minnesota law. The special fund may be used to pay benefits, such as service pensions, disability benefits, and survivor benefits, and certain fees and other expenses specifically authorized by law.

Administrative expenses, that is, necessary, reasonable and direct expenses of maintaining, protecting and administering the special fund, may be paid out of the special fund as long as such payments are permitted by law, provided for in the bylaws, and properly approved by the board of trustees.

Funds erroneously deposited into a relief association’s special fund cannot be taken out of the special fund unless the relief association obtains specific written authorization from the OSA.

The OSA has authority, after a relief association has presented evidence that the deposit error occurred in good faith, to order the transfer from the special fund to the appropriate fund or account an amount equal to the funds deposited in error.

If a relief association discovers that funds have been deposited into the special fund in error, please contact the OSA’s Pension Division right away. Funds cannot be transferred from the special fund unless and until a relief association obtains written authority from the OSA.

Published last in the December 2023 Pension Newsletter