FAQs

QUESTIONS
FAQ’s are provided for informational purposes only and are based on current laws regarding the administration of the Corrections Officer Retirement Plan (CORP). Current answers to FAQ’s presented in this section are subject to change, periodically, with the enactment of new legislation. When necessary, due to the enactment of new legislation, FAQ’s will be updated and posted with the current information. It is our goal to ensure that all staff questions are addressed in a timely manner. To achieve that goal we are posting questions of general interest that we have received from probation/detention staff around the state. If your question is not answered after reviewing this site, please feel free to contact [email protected] for assistance.

FAQ's
I would like to retire from CORP and take employment elsewhere. What reemployment guidelines must I adhere to?
The Local Board reviews reemployment determinations for retired members based on the following conditions: a. Reemployment is with the employer from which the member retired in a CORP designated position. *The IRS's stance is that retirees risk qualifying for their pension plan if they enter into a prearranged rehiring agreement prior to their retirement. b. Reemployment occurred before the time period established in A.R.S. § 38-884(N). c. Member became an elected official.
I am thinking of retiring and would like to know who I should notify of my intentions? I would also like to know when I can expect to receive my first pension check?
Requests should be submitted to the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) by completing a Request for Retirement Estimate & Application form. The first pension check will be issued the last working day of the month of the effective date of retirement. However, requests received less than 60 days prior to the date of retirement will result in a delay in the payment of the retirement benefit.
If over the course of my career, I transfer/promote between counties while remaining in a CORP covered position in the Judiciary, will I be required to undergo a physical exam upon each transfer/promotion?
Since there are no actual transfers between counties, employees who technically “transfer/promote” to take a CORP covered position within another county, are required to terminate employment and rehire with the new county. As a result, to be consistent with Statutes, the Board of Trustees’ and the CORP Local Board have determined that there are some risks associated with using a prior physical exam. Therefore, to be in compliance with statutes, a new physical exam and membership form will be required for any CORP member who terminates employment with one county employer and takes a designated position in a different county. Although a new membership form must be completed, the date of membership does not change as long as the employee is under the AOC CORP and the Plan continues to receive contributions. However, an employee who experiences a break in service involving multiple pay periods in which no retirement contributions are being made to CORP, and a termination of employment has occurred, may be terminated from the Plan. If the member becomes re-employed at a future date, in a designated position, a new membership date will be assigned at this time.
I was a member of CORP in an AOC position and received a normal retirement. If I am re-employed in an AOC CORP designated position, and am no longer making contributions to CORP, am I required to make contributions to ASRS?
If an AOC CORP member retires and later returns to work in a designated AOC CORP position, the rehired AOC CORP employee must participate in ASRS if the employee meets the membership requirements for ASRS which are detailed in A.R.S. 38-711(23)(b). Participation in ASRS for those rehired employees who meet ASRS membership criteria is required.
I chose to remain with ASRS at the initial transfer to CORP. Thereafter, I terminated employment and returned to work several months later, with a different county, working in a designated probation job classification. Will I be able to now go into CORP?
Since the decision to opt-out of CORP is irrevocable, if an employee has elected to remain in ASRS, quits and returns to work in a designated position with same or another county employer, the opt-out provision still applies and the employee is required to participate in ASRS. For additional information you may review the Joinder Agreement under Quick Links on the Home Page.
I will be transferring to CORP. I have a payroll deduction agreement and I want to use the service that I am purchasing with ASRS in the calculation of my retirement under CORP. How can I do that?
After you transfer to CORP and you are eligible to retire under CORP, you can terminate employment. You must have all the service credit needed to qualify for retirement already paid for and credited to your account at the time you terminate. ASRS will be notified of your termination and you can request a PDA payoff amount from ASRS. When you receive the invoice, you may pay the amount to payoff your payroll deduction agreement with ASRS. Please contact the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) to request a transfer of the time and money to CORP from ASRS. After the transfer is completed, submit an application for retirement with PSPRS. We estimate that this process will take approximately 3 months. This means that you would be without a paycheck for 3 months. Additionally, you would need to enroll in COBRA for your insurance coverage so coverage remains continuous. If you terminate employment and apply for retirement simultaneously, you cannot transfer your time and money from your ASRS PDA and use it in the calculation for your retirement benefit under CORP. Members who have a PDA may also request that the service from the PDA be transferred to CORP prior to terminating employment. There is no provision that the service will automatically transfer annually. The member must request the transfer of the service credit.
Each year when a member can have credited service purchased on a PSA transferred to CORP, and assuming it's less than a 1:1 transfer, how long will they have to purchase the difference? How can payment be made?
The process consists of the member making application with the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) for the transfer. PSPRS would then contact ASRS to confirm the service and the amount on account. ASRS would then submit documentation to PSPRS and they would calculate the cost of the service under CORP. The member would then receive a letter stating that the amount of service under ASRS would buy a certain amount of time under CORP. The member then has the option to take a reduced transfer i.e. whatever the money transferring over buys under CORP or the member can pay the difference. The member has three months to decide which option they want to choose. Within that three month time period, if the member elects to make up the difference, they have to pay the total amount either by check or rollover or a combination of both. CORP does not have payroll deduction agreements.
If I’ve transferred to CORP, and I’m paying off a PSA with ASRS, then choose to retire from CORP, what happens with the PSA?
Retirement under CORP is defined as “termination of employment after a member has fulfilled all requirements for a pension.” For someone paying off a PSA, this would mean time on account with CORP. So, the member has to have the required time on account with CORP when they terminate employment and apply for retirement. Upon application of retirement, the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) will notify ASRS that a “termination” event will occur. It is our understanding that this is the only way to end the PSA with ASRS. ASRS will calculate the remaining balance of the agreement. Currently, any service credit purchased by the member after the transfer may stay in ASRS and the member may receive a benefit (either a pension or a refund) at the time they terminate employment. As far as CORP is concerned, the member is done. CORP has calculated the pension and will begin paying the member the month following retirement. The payoff to ASRS and any remaining time on account will not transfer over to CORP after retirement.
If a probation officer who is an ASRS member now has more than 32 years of service with ASRS can they transfer less than their full amount to CORP and leave some time behind with ASRS? Apparently CORP caps at 80% which equals 32 years. If someone had for example 35 years, can they transfer 32 to CORP and leave three with ASRS? If yes, when they retire what happens to the three years at ASRS? Can they cash out or get a small benefit?
No. The joinder agreement between the Courts and CORP governs what service transfers when an ASRS member elects to transfer to CORP. As drafted, the joinder agreement states, “For all Covered Employees joining the Plan on the effective date of this Agreement (and who do not otherwise elect to irrevocably opt out of the Plan in accordance with the procedures for opting out adopted by the Fund Manager), the Court and the Employer will include as past service to be transferred to the Plan all credited service earned or purchased by the Covered Employees and on account with any state defined benefit system or plan other than the Plan, with any expense or cost of any kind attributable or related to such transfer to be borne by the Employer.” Historically, all service credit on account with ASRS as of the effective date of a transfer has been transferred to the new system.

A similar question has come up regarding PSAs. If an officer has an agreement, but the time in ASRS service w/o the PSA is sufficient to max out under CORP, and they continue to pay their PSA contracted payments after transfer and therefore earn additional ASRS credit, and they do not transfer that additional; ASRS credit to CORP each FY, when they retire do they get an additional ASRS benefit or can they cash that out? If they can cash out, is the cash out simply what they paid plus interest or is the amount something else?
A: The joinder agreement as drafted requires all service accrued by the member to transfer to CORP. Currently, any service credit purchased by the member after the transfer may stay in ASRS and the member may receive a benefit (either a pension or a refund) at the time they terminate employment.
I’m participating in a Service Purchase Agreement (PSA) with ASRS. I understand the all the ASRS time I have earned and purchased by the actual date of transfer will go over to CORP on a day for day basis. And that each year, around July 1st, I will have the option of transferring whatever amount I have paid back during the previous year to CORP or leaving it in ASRS. Is there a formula that will tell me how much time I will get in CORP for any given year’s purchased service?
There is no “generic” formula. The calculation for the transfer is an actuarial present value (APV) based on the member’s age, years of service, salary and projected benefits. The cost of the transfer will be unique to every individual based on their circumstances.
If I transfer or promote from a non-probation/detention position in the Judiciary to an eligible probation/detention position in the future will I be able to transfer my ASRS time into CORP?
If a member transfers or promotes from a non-designated position to a position covered by CORP, they can transfer their time and assets from ASRS to CORP. It will not transfer day for day like the joinder process. The member has a choice to take a reduced transfer or make up the difference.
Conversely, if I transfer or promote from a CORP covered probation/detention position to a non-eligible Judiciary position in the future will I be required to transfer to ASRS?
If the reverse happens, the member can leave their money on account with CORP in case they decide to return to a designated position or transfer the time and money to ASRS.
If, over the course of my career, I transfer/promote into and out of CORP covered positions in the Judiciary will I be able to, or required to, transfer back and forth between ASRS and CORP?
Transfers between retirement systems (ASRS, CORP, PSPRS and EORP) are very common. However, the costs of the different systems have a bearing on the time that is transferred. At joinder, the onus (cost) is on the employer. All time and money comes over and the cost differential is borne by the employer. After joinder, any time and money transferred is borne by the member.