Combined Service Pensions

Minnesota law permits relief associations to pay combined service pensions to members with service in more than one fire department. A combined service pension is a service pension that combines years of service among multiple fire departments to determine when a firefighter is vested. 

To pay a combined service pension, the bylaws of each participating relief association must allow the combined service pension payments, or be amended to do so. 

In addition, a 2022 law change amended the combined service provision so that a service pension paid from the first relief association is based solely on service credit earned with that affiliated fire department. The change requires that a member be vested in the first relief association to be eligible for a distribution from that relief association. Vesting then accumulates if the firefighter joins a subsequent fire department or multiple subsequent fire departments. The member must be vested in the subsequent relief association(s) when considering the combined years of accrued active service.

Assets are not transferred between or among relief associations when a combined service pension is payable. When a member who is eligible for a combined service pension retires, the member is paid a pension from each participating relief association in which the member has met vesting requirements. The service pensions are calculated as they would be for other retiring members, except that years of service among all participating relief associations are combined for vesting purposes.

Because years of service are combined for vesting purposes, the service pension amount paid from each participating relief association is more than would otherwise be payable. This is why the bylaws of each participating relief association must specifically authorize combined service pension payments in order for them to be offered. In addition, because the vesting percentage is based on the combined service in all participating fire departments, the pension amount cannot be calculated or paid until the member permanently ceases all firefighting duties.

Transferring pension assets from one relief association to another is not authorized without special legislation.

For additional information, including examples, see the OSA’s Statement of Position on this topic.

Last Updated April 2025