Highway Patrol Officers' Retirement System (HPORS)
Montana Codes Annotated Title 19, chapters 2 & 6
The HPORS is a single-employer, defined benefit plan established July 1, 1971, and governed by Title 19, chapters 2 & 6 of the MCA. This system provides retirement benefits to all members of the Montana Highway Patrol, including supervisory personnel. Benefits are established by state law and can only be amended by the Legislature. The HPORS provides retirement, disability and death benefits to plan members and their beneficiaries. Benefits are based on eligibility, years of service and highest average compensation. Member rights are vested after five years of service. A brief summary of eligibility and benefits follows:| HPORS Summary of Benefits | |
|---|---|
| Highest Average Compensation (HAC) | Highest consecutive 36 months |
| Years of Service required and/or Age eligible for benefit |
20 years regardless of age |
| Vesting | 5 years |
| Monthly Benefit Formula | 2.5% of HAC per year of service |
| Guaranteed Annual Benefit Adjustment (GABA) | Hired after July 1, 1997, or those electing GABA - after the member has completed 12 full months of retirement, the member's benefit increases by a maximum of 3% each January, inclusive of all other adjustments to the member's benefit. |
| Minimum benefit adjustment (non-GABA) | Hired prior to July 1, 1997 - monthly benefits for non-GABA members are increased each July when they fall below a statutorily guaranteed minimum. Any annual increase is limited to 5% over the current benefit and may not exceed 60% of the current base salary of a probationary officer. |
| HPORS Contribution Rates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hire Date | Member | Employer | State |
| Hired prior to 7/1/97 | 9.00% | 26.15% | 10.18% |
| Hired after 6/30/97 & all previous hires electing GABA | 9.05% | ||
