Police Officer Annuity and Benefit Fund of Georgia

The Peace Officer's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Georgia (Fund) became law in February 1950 by the Act of General Assembly. The Act's purpose is to pay benefits and annuities to the State of Georgia's Peace Officers.

Eligibility for Membership

To be eligible to join the Fund, a person must be a certified Law Enforcement Officer and an employee of the State of Georgia, any municipality within the state, or involved in law enforcement within various state agencies.

Joining

An applicant must fill out an application form and pay $45; this amount covers the application fee of $25, and the first month's membership dues of $20. Thereafter, $20 a month is due. The dues can be paid through payroll deduction, a monthly bank draft, or by an automatic credit card payment.

Retirement Benefits

Members can qualify for retirement or pension benefits if the following requirements are met:

1. A minimum of ten years of membership and employment
2. At least 55 years of age
3. No longer working as a peace officer

However, retired officers with less than 30 years of membership service can return to law enforcement work as a part-time officer and still maintain pension benefits. Their employment hours must not go above 1,040 hours during a calendar year.

If officers return to full time law enforcement employment, pension benefits will stop, and the officers must begin to pay monthly dues to the Fund once again to retain their Fund pension privileges.

If a member has 30 years of membership and employment, they can receive their pension benefits at any age, if they terminate employment as a peace officer. However, officers with 30 years of membership and employment and who have reached 55 years of age, those officers are entitled to pension benefits without retiring from law enforcement.

Amount of Pension Payment

The amount of the monthly pension benefit is $23.69 per month for each full year of employment as a law enforcement officer. A minimum of ten years of membership service is required to be eligible for the pension. If termination does not occur on the full year anniversary, then 1/12 of $23.69 is added for each month of employment. The payments reach a maximum of 30 years of membership service. For example,

After 10 complete years of membership service, a monthly pension payment = $236.90
After 14 years and 7 months of membership service the monthly pension payment = $345.48.
After 30 years, the maximum amount, a monthly pension payment = $710.70.

Death Benefit Payment

$1,000.00 is paid to member officers who have less than 5 years of employment and who die of causes not in the line-of-duty.
$3,500.00 is paid to member officers who have over 5 years of employment and who die of causes not in the line-of-duty.
$5,500.00 is paid to member officers who die in the line-of-duty; there is no length of service requirement.

After retirement, the first $1,000.00 of pension payments are subtracted from the $3,500.00 death benefit amount. After the $1,000.00 amount is reached, the death payment remains at $2,500.00

It is essential that beneficiary and address information is updated and kept current. A member can change the beneficiary by filling out the correct form, have it notarized, and mailing it to the Fund Office.