18/20 Retirement Plan

Details about the 18/20 plan

The 18/20 plan applies to Full-Time Appointed Academic and Exempt Staff (including Non-Exempt PAO & PAU staff) Grade 16 who are covered by the 15% IU Retirement Plan Level on or before July 14, 1988; and who have completed at least 20 years of continuous full-time service at Indiana University with 18 years of participation in the 15% IU Retirement Plan Level; and who retire on or after the participant's 64th birthday and prior to the participant's 70th birthday.

The 18/20 Plan has two distinct benefit components: 

  • Interim Benefit – a deferred compensation provision 
  • Retirement Account Contributions – a defined contribution provision 

As an administrative practice, IU requires that you must be in a paid status for a minimum of a semester prior to retiring and being eligible for benefits under this retirement plan.

General information

Payments by Indiana University of Interim Benefits and retirement account contributions shall terminate on the earliest of the following dates:

  • the date of the participant's death, or 
  • the date the participant resumes gainful employment by an entity funded by the State of Indiana, or 
  • five years from the date of retirement, or 
  • the participant's 70th birthday

Interim benefit refers to the single life annuity derived from regular Indiana University contributions to the IU Retirement Plan 15% level of contributions at age 70, or five years from the date of retirement, whichever comes first, assuming:

  • IU Retirement Plan 15% level of contributions continue to age 70, or for five years from the date of retirement, whichever comes first, and 
  • a contribution history and continuation of regular Indiana University IU Retirement Plan 15% level of contributions of 50% to TIAA Traditional Annuity and 50% to CREF stock fund (regardless of actual allocation), and 
  • investment returns of 6% from the date of retirement to age 70 or for five years from the date of retirement, whichever comes first, and
  • annuity conversion factors used by TIAA applicable at the time of the participant's retirement, and 
  • the participant's Terminal Base Salary is not exceeded. 

Contributions to the participant's retirement account, at the regular IU Retirement Plan 15% level rate, based on the participant's Terminal Base Salary.

Terminal Base Salary is the average budgeted base salary for the five years immediately preceding retirement.

Plan forms

18/20 Gainful Employment Form

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