BackDROP Lump-Sum Payment

I keep being told that if a person work at least 2 years backdrop pass their normal retirement, they will receive their monthly lifetime benefits, plus whatever their lump sum amount is. Is the second part of this statement true? 

Yes--If you are eligible for and elect BackDROP at retirement, you will get the one-time lump-sum payment plus monthly pension benefit payments for life.

The tradeoff is that, in most cases, your monthly benefit payment will be less than it would have been if you hadn’t elected BackDROP.

The reason most people have a lower monthly benefit when they elect the BackDROP is because any service and any salary earned during your BackDROP period (up to five years) doesn’t count when we calculate your monthly benefit amount. We use your years of service and your final average pay from BEFORE your BackDROP period.

Your BackDROP lump sum will be equal to 90% of what you would have received during your BackDROP period if you had been retired during that time (based on the life income annuity amount).

This BackDROP graphic may help you visualize how it works or you can read the BackDROP brochure for more information. BackDROP can be complicated to understand, so MOSERS benefit counselors are available to help by phone or through an in-person appointment. Call (800) 827-1063 to discuss your options. Counselors can also provide you with benefit estimates with and without the BackDROP so you can compare.