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Summer Salary Reporting Reminders

Summer salaries trip up many of our employer partners. Reporting in the correct month ensures salaries are reported in the correct fiscal year. Summer school and drivers ed salaries, typically earned in June and July, must be reported in the fiscal year earned, not when paid. Salary earned in June should be reported in June. Salary earned in July should be reported in July.

If a salary is reported in the wrong fiscal year, please contact RIO. We will move the salary back to the correct fiscal year. If the contribution rates between the two years are different, we will also correct the over and under payment of contributions.

Compliance with GASB 67 and 68 Census Data Audits

To comply with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) 67 and 68 requirements, at the end of each fiscal year CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), TFFR's pension plan auditor, selects participating employers to be included in a Census Data Audit. The employers selected are notified via email and are asked to provide a master payroll file that includes employees' names, birth dates, and gross wages. CLA auditors review the information provided and select a sample for further review, asking for supporting documentation including I-9 forms, employee contracts, and human resource forms. 

If you are selected to participate in the data audit, it is vital that you return the information by the due date. Failure to do so can result in penalties assessed.  

At the conclusion of the audit, RIO will issue the Schedule of Pension Amounts by Employer and the Schedule of Collective Pension Amounts which are provided to assist employers and their auditors with GASB 68 compliance. For more information on the audit, visit the GASB website or the TFFR Employer webpage.  

Retired teacher employment impacted by legislation

Retired teachers may return to TFFR covered employment with limitations: 1) adhering to an Annual Hour Limit, 2) working in a Critical Shortage Area, or 3) by having their Benefit Suspended and Recalculated. Learn more, download a Working After Retirement brochure.

Notify RIO of the Retiree's Employment within 30 days

Employers should complete and return a TFFR Retired Member Employment Notification form within 30 days of a retiree’s return to TFFR covered employment. Notification must be made each year the retiree is employed. Failure to notify RIO will result in a $250 penalty to the employer and the loss of one month's annuity benefit for the retiree.

Legislative Update: How was the TFFR program impacted?

PROGRAM AND POLICY CHANGES House Bill 1219 made policy changes to incentivize retired teachers to return to the classroom and clarified TFFR program rules in preparation for the launch of TFFR's new pension administration system in fall 2024. Working After Retirement  Members may return to TFFR covered employment 30 days after retirement for a maximum number of hours in a fiscal year without their benefit being suspended. The program was updated to exclude reporting of salaries for extracurricular activities and professional development. For members who return to TFFR covered employment 30 days after retirement date and who exceed the Annual Hour Limit and have their benefit suspended, upon re-retirement a recalculation of their benefit will include any amount of new service. Learn more, download the Working After Retirement brochure. Purchasing Refunded Service Credit  To provide consistency in the plan, the cost of purchasing refunded service credit by members who return to TFFR covered employment was changed from an interest calculation to an actuarial equivalent.  Learn more, download the Purchasing Service Credit brochure. Social Security Leveling A rarely selected retirement annuity option, Social Security leveling, was eliminated for members who retire on or after Aug. 1, 2023. VETERAN EXEMPTION  A veteran exemption to TFFR benefit program participation was the focus of House Bill 1150. First-year teachers who served at least 20 years in the US Armed Forces on full-time active duty and retired with full military retirement benefits, may choose not to be a member of the TFFR. The election must be made by the teacher within their first year of teaching and is irrevocable. The election is made on the Member Action form. The legislation is effective on Aug. 1, 2023.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION An updated version of TFFR's Fast Facts with the current Member and Employer Contribution Rates is available online. RIO will publish an updated TFFR Employer Guide this fall that reflects the legislative changes.

TFFR board selects new actuary

The TFFR Board of Trustees has selected Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Company as its new pension fund actuary. Pension actuaries analyze data to identify patterns and trends which aid in the assessment of risks and facilitate prudent financial planning for retirement systems. RIO does not expect the transition to the new actuarial service provider to interrupt any services. The full announcement is available online.

Pioneer Pension Administration Project Update

The RIO staff has been working non-stop with our vendor to build a best-in-class pension administration system for all our members and employers. On a weekly basis, staff dedicate as much as 25 hours of work time to the project while still carrying out their normal duties required to run the TFFR program. 

Beginning Aug. 1, 2023, RIO will begin development and design of the employer portal for the system. The philosophy we are using in designing the employer portal is “we make reporting easier, more accurate, and more efficient for our employers.”  

The employer portal will allow each district to do all reporting, submit all payments and enroll all new members directly through the online platform with easy-to-use click and submit fields and screens. We are partnering with both the NDSBA and the NDCEL to promote the system and to develop training on the use of the system for business managers and administrators. Beginning in the fall of 2023, look for RIO staff at conferences and seminars to talk in detail and with great excitement about the new system and what it means for you in your jobs. 

TFFR Members Surveyed

The results of a TFFR member survey that was conducted this spring were shared with the program’s board of trustees. Key takeaways included consideration of providing members with a supplemental contribution plan, not assuming members understand how their pension works, and the need for RIO to directly communicate with its members. RIO will use the information to develop a communications strategy for the program. The full survey results are included in the June 2023 board meeting materials.  

Introducing Retirement Reminders

Where TFFR’s retirement specialists answer your questions about the pension plan.  
Retirement Specialists Stephanie Schilling and Jayme Heick are thankful for the dedicated and professional business managers who support our schools and serve as a point of information for our pension program.  

Each year, TFFR experiences a retirement season from February to July when most retirees submit paperwork and receive their first benefit payment. To ensure the integrity of the pension plan and each member’s benefit, we partner closely with the business managers to reconcile salary and earned service credit. This can be a heavy lift for business managers and their teams.  

TFFR is currently closing the bulk of the 2022-2023 retirees. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for all the time and energy spent filling out forms and responding to our inquires. We couldn’t complete the tasks without your help, and we want you to know how much we appreciate all you do! 

Have a general question that came up while you were filling out those forms? Email RIO and we’ll address it in the next Briefly. 

Connections, meet a TFFR employer and a TFFR employee

Will Swanson, Bismarck Public Schools A little bit about me . . .  I grew up in Jamestown, ND. I have been the director of accounting at the Bismarck Public Schools for a little over three years.  What is your favorite TV show?  I could watch ‘The Office’ on repeat over and over!  Where is your favorite place to vacation?  Usually, my vacation destinations revolve around seeing a sporting event, so I don’t have a specific favorite place to go.  But the place I have been the most is to Chicago to go watch the Cubs play. What is your favorite hobby?  I love to play volleyball. I play in league multiple nights a week and will never say no to a pickup game or subbing for another team if I can make it. What do you like best about your job?   There are always new challenges to work through and I never have a day where I am bored at work. What advice/tips would you offer to others?  If you don’t know the answer to something, don’t be afraid to ask questions.  No one knows everything and no one expects you to either.  An answer that has to wait an extra day and is correct is better than a wrong answer on the spot!

Maddie Nelson, Accounting and Business Intern Tell us about life before you joined the Retirement and Investment Office team?  I was born and raised in Bismarck, ND, and have been back every summer since leaving for college. I spent the last two summers working at Edward Jones as an On-Call Branch Office Administrator before joining RIO as a summer intern. What is your educational background?  I just completed my junior year of college at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ, where I enjoy participating in the Women In Business Club. I haven’t regretted spending a winter there yet! I am majoring in finance and economics, as I have had a passion for finance since a young age. Why did you choose to work for the North Dakota Retirement and Investment Office?  I chose to work at RIO because I wanted to give back to the North Dakota community. Teachers and business managers are often underappreciated, so it is rewarding to be able to serve them. I believe that servant leadership and being a steward of others is important, and I found that RIO aligns with those values. I also wanted to gain exposure to the public sector and how it operates. What aspects of your job do you find the most challenging?  I have only been at RIO for about a month, so a lot of it is new and challenging! However, I find that kind of work to be the most rewarding. I have enjoyed learning about the TFFR program and familiarizing myself with its programs and processes in order to add the most value.  What do you enjoy doing in your free time away from work?  I love anything outdoors! I enjoy hiking, snowboarding, and playing sand volleyball. I also like to pheasant hunt with my dad. In the summers, I especially love going to the lake cabin with family and friends!

Need to correct a report?

Did you discover a salary reporting problem and need help getting it corrected, contact Retirement Accountant Ann Nagel.

Sign up for ACH today

To prepare for the launch of TFFR's new pension administration system in 2024, we've been asking employers to sign up for Automated Clearing House (ACH). 

• School districts that sign up now will have a seamless transition to the new system.
• Making payments with ACH will save you time and money by eliminating manual check cutting and mailing.
• ACH payments offer increased security and fast delivery.

More than 75% of TFFR employers have made the switch. Learn more by contracting Compliance Officer Tami Volkert.

Forms Shortcuts

Always use the forms on RIO’s website. Using forms you print and file puts you at risk of using outdated materials which may require you to complete a form again.

Employing a new teacher, complete a Member Action form and a Designation of Beneficiary form. Note that only ND licensed teachers are eligible for TFFR's benefit program. If you employee a teacher who has a permit or sub-license only, they should NOT be reported.

Employing a retiree, complete a TFFR Retired Member Employment Notification form each year a retiree is employed. Submit the form no later than 30 days after their employment begins. 

Did a TFFR member move or get married? They need to complete a Change of Name or Address form.