840 CMR 9.00: APPROVAL OF RETIREMENT BOARD DECISIONS
9.03: Benefit Calculations
(1) Except as provided by 840 CMR 9.03(2), all benefit calculations for
retirement allowances granted under the provisions of M.G.L. c. 32 shall be
forwarded to the Commission for approval in accordance with 840 CMR
9.02.
(2) Any retirement board may perform benefit calculations on an automated
system approved by the Commission. Except as provided by 840 CMR
9.03(8), individual benefit calculations performed on an automated system
approved for performing such calculations shall be considered approved and
need not be forwarded to the Commission for approval.
(3) Any board may apply for approval of an automated benefit calculation
system by submitting a letter describing the system together with the
documentation for all system computer programs, a copy of system
procedures and samples of all categories of calculations to be performed on
the system. Upon receipt of a request for approval of an automated benefit
calculation system, the Commission shall inform the retirement board of the
protocol necessary to approve such system. No automated benefit
calculation system shall be considered approved unless the board has
performed the established protocol. No change shall be made in an approved
automated system without the approval of the Commission.
(4) Automated benefit calculation systems, and changes in approved
systems, will generally be approved if:
(a) System computer programs have the capability of performing benefit
calculations and storing, retrieving and printing both detailed and
summary information for all calculations performed including, for each
calculation, the member's:
name;
social security number;
sex;
creditable service;
final average salary;
date of birth;
date of retirement;
retirement type and option;
group;
beneficiary information (name, birthdate and relationship);
veteran status;
retirement allowance amount;
pension amount;
annuity amount;
dependency allowance;
worker's compensation information (if any).
(b) System procedures, including training and support of system
operators, are designed to minimize the risk of error and loss of data.
(c) System and non-system categories of benefit calculations are clearly
identified and provision is made for submitting any non-system
categories of calculations to the Commission in accordance with 840
CMR 9.03(1).