Minimum Retirement Age for Relief Association Members

Generally, to be eligible for a service pension distribution, volunteer fire relief association members must:

• have separated from active service with the fire department;
• have reached age 50;
• have met minimum 5 years active firefighting service and 5-year active relief association membership requirements; and
• have complied with any additional age, service and membership conditions prescribed by the relief association’s bylaws.

Volunteer fire relief associations may establish a higher retirement age than age 50, but not an age lower than 50. Volunteer fire relief associations are not authorized to pay a service pension before the member reaches the relief association’s minimum retirement age – regardless of whether the member intends to roll over the pension to an IRA or receive the payment directly.

Date this Avoiding Pitfall was most recently published: 05/13/2022