Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 411.1 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of July 2026

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The following words and phrases as used in this chapter, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, shall have the following meanings:

1. “Actuarial equivalent” means a benefit of equal value, when computed upon the basis of mortality tables adopted by the system, and interest computed at the rate established by the actuary.

2. “Amount earned” shall mean the amount of money actually earned by a beneficiary in some definite period of time.

3. “Average final compensation” means the average earnable compensation of the member during the three years of service the member earned the member’s highest salary as a police officer or fire fighter, or if the member has had less than three years of service, then the average earnable compensation of the member’s entire period of service.

4. “Beneficiary” shall mean any person receiving a retirement allowance or other benefit as provided by this chapter.

5. “Board of trustees” means the board created by section 411.36 to direct the establishment and administration of the retirement system.

6. “Cancer” means a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body.

7. “Child” means only surviving issue of a deceased active or retired member, or a child legally adopted by a deceased member prior to the member’s retirement. “Child” includes only an individual who is under the age of eighteen years, an individual who is under the age of twenty-two years and is a full-time student, or an individual who is disabled at the time under the definitions used in section 202 of the Social Security Act as amended if the disability\n\nTue Dec 09 22:12:54 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 411 (43, 1) §411.1, RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIRE FIGHTERS 2\n\noccurred to the individual during the time the individual was under the age of eighteen years and the parent of the individual was an active member of the system.

8. “City” or “cities” means any city or cities participating in the statewide fire and police retirement system as required by this chapter.

9. “Cost-sharing” means any coverage limit, copayment, coinsurance, deductible, or other out-of-pocket cost obligation related to an injury or disease incurred while in the performance of duties.

10. “Earnable compensation” or “compensation earnable” shall mean the annual compensation which a member receives for services rendered as a police officer or fire fighter in the course of employment with a participating city. However, the term “earnable compensation” or “compensation earnable” shall not include amounts received for overtime compensation, meal or travel expenses, uniform allowances, fringe benefits, severance pay, or any amount received upon termination or retirement in payment for accumulated sick leave or vacation. Contributions made by a member from the member’s earnable compensation to a plan of deferred compensation shall be included in earnable compensation. Other contributions made to a plan of deferred compensation shall not be included except to the extent provided in rules adopted by the board of trustees pursuant to section 411.5, subsection 3.

11. “Fire fighter” or “fire fighters” shall mean only the members of a fire department who have passed a regular mental and physical civil service examination for fire fighters and who shall have been duly appointed to such position. Such members shall include fire fighters, probationary fire fighters, lieutenants, captains, and other senior officers who have been so employed for the duty of fighting fires.

12. “Infectious disease” means HIV or AIDS as defined in section 141A.1, all strains of hepatitis, meningococcal meningitis, and mycobacterium tuberculosis.

13. “Medical board” shall mean the single medical provider network designated by the system as the medical board as provided for in section 411.5.

14. “Member” means a member of the retirement system as defined by section 411.3.

15. “Member in good standing” means any member in service who has not been terminated by the employing city of the member pursuant to section 400.18 or 400.19. Termination procedures initiated by the chief of police or chief of the fire department pursuant to section 400.19 shall not become final or adversely impact a member’s status as a member in good standing until all appeals provided by an applicable collective bargaining agreement or by law have been exhausted. Disciplinary action other than discharge shall not adversely affect a member’s status as a member in good standing.

16. “Membership service” shall mean service as a police officer or a fire fighter rendered for a city which is credited as service pursuant to section 411.4.

17. “Ordinary disability beneficiary” means a member retired on an ordinary disability retirement benefit pursuant to section 411.6, subsection 3, for three years or less.

18. “Pension reserve” means the present value of all payments to be made on account of any pension, or benefit in lieu of a pension, granted under the provisions of this chapter, upon the basis of mortality tables adopted by the system, and interest computed at the rate established by the actuary.

19. “Pensions” means annual payments for life derived from appropriations provided by the participating cities and the state and from contributions of the members which are deposited in the fire and police retirement fund. All pensions shall be paid in equal monthly installments.

20. “Police officer” or “police officers” shall mean only the members of a police department who have passed a regular mental and physical civil service examination for police officers, and who shall have been duly appointed to such positions. Such members shall include patrol officers, probationary patrol officers, matrons, sergeants, lieutenants, captains, detectives, and other senior officers who are so employed for police duty.

21. “Retirement allowance” shall mean the pension, or any benefits in lieu thereof, granted to a member upon retirement.

22. “Retirement system” or “system” means the statewide fire and police retirement system\n\nTue Dec 09 22:12:54 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 411 (43, 1) 3 RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIRE FIGHTERS, §411.2\n\nestablished by this chapter for the fire fighters and police officers of the cities described in section 411.2, its board of trustees, and its appointed representatives.

23. “Superintendent of public safety” shall mean any elected city official who has direct jurisdiction over the fire or police department, or the city manager in cities under the city manager form of government.

24. “Surviving spouse” shall mean the surviving spouse of a deceased member. Surviving spouse shall include a former spouse only if the division of assets in the dissolution of marriage decree pursuant to section 598.17 grants the former spouse rights of a spouse under this chapter.

25. “Vested member” means a member who has become eligible to receive monthly retirement benefits upon the member’s retirement as the result of either completing at least four years of service or of attaining the age of fifty-five while performing membership service. [C35, §6326-f1, f6(8,d); C39, §6326.03, 6326.08(8,d); C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §411.1, 411.6(8); 82 Acts, ch 1261, §26, 27] 84 Acts, ch 1285, §22; 90 Acts, ch 1240, §48; 92 Acts, ch 1201, §62; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §86 – 89, 110, 111; 2001 Acts, ch 176, §17, 18; 2002 Acts, ch 1135, §41; 2006 Acts, ch 1092, §9; 2009 Acts, ch 99, §1; 2010 Acts, ch 1167, §43; 2013 Acts, ch 20, §2, 3; 2024 Acts, ch 1138, §2 – 4; 2025 Acts, ch 146, §5 Referred to in §97A.6, 97B.50A, 256.212, 400.11, 411.6, 411.15, 724.6 Subsection 6 stricken and rewritten \n

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 15 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1955–2021 · leading case: In Re Marriage of Davis, 608 N.W.2d 766 (Iowa 2000).

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In Re Marriage of Davis, 608 N.W.2d 766 (Iowa 2000). · cites it 8× “For the remainder of the surviving-spouse benefits, the district court ruled that Richard retained the right to designate a new beneficiary once a new “surviving spouse” exists under Iowa Code section 411.1(19). *769 The district court further concluded that Richard was not…”

In Re the Marriage of Duggan, 659 N.W.2d 556 (Iowa 2003). · cites it 5× “1(19) (now found at Iowa Code § 411.1 (20) (2003)). The governing statutes and the System’s rules set out a procedure for granting the former spouse such rights.”

Patton v. Mun. Fire & Police Ret. Sys. of Iowa, 587 N.W.2d 480 (Iowa 1998). · cites it 20× “2 Iowa Code § 411.1 (12) (emphasis added). The district court did not cite or otherwise mention the definition of “membership service” found in Iowa Code section 411.”

Carstensen v. Bd. of Trs., Etc., 253 N.W.2d 560 (Iowa 1977). · cites it 3× “” In § 411.1(4), we find: “ ‘Member’ shall mean a member of either the police or fire retirement systems as defined by section 411.”

Golinvaux v. City of Dubuque, 439 N.W.2d 196 (Iowa 1989). · cites it 12× “See Iowa Code § 411.1 (13) (emphasis added). Section 411.”

Young v. O'KEEFE, 69 N.W.2d 534 (Iowa 1955). · cites it 4× “Prior to that date the Pension Board had refused to accept them or to enroll her as a “member” (as defined in Code section 411.1, subsection 4) until compelled to do so by district court decree entered December 6, 1939,.”

Asmann v. Bd. of Trus. of Police Ret. Sys., 345 N.W.2d 136 (Iowa 1984). · cites it 4× “member at the time of the member’s retirement,” and in section 411.1(12) which defines “earnable compensation,” in pertinent part, as: “the regular compensation which a member would earn during one year on the basis of the stated compensation for the members’ rank or position…”

Airport Comm'n for the Cedar Rapids v. Schade, 257 N.W.2d 500 (Iowa 1977). · cites it 2× “Section 411.1(3) defines firemen, for the purposes of the chapter, as “ * * * the members of a fire department who have passed a regular mental and physical civil service examination for firemen and who shall have been duly appointed to such position.”

Young v. O'KEEFE, 82 N.W.2d 111 (Iowa 1957). · cites it 2× “* * * the benefits provided by these sections shall be subject to the following definitions: The term ‘widow’ shall mean only such surviving spouse of a marriage contracted prior to the retirement of the deceased member from active service * * Section 411.1(10), Code of Iowa…”

House v. Moulder, 469 N.W.2d 265 (Iowa Ct. App. 1991). · cites it 3× “The trial court determined that House was not a member of the police retirement system as defined by sections 411.1(4) and 411.3(1) because he resigned from his position as a police officer.”

Branson v. Mun. Fire & Police Ret. Sys. of Iowa, 591 N.W.2d 193 (Iowa 1999). “Is plaintiff entitled to accidental disability retirement benefits? The narrow question we must decide is whether a member of the retirement system, see Iowa Code sections 411.1(11), 411.3 (discussing definition of “member”), who sustains a cumulative, progressing injury, or…”

Espinosa v. Bd. of Trs., 466 N.W.2d 914 (Iowa 1991). · cites it 18× “” Iowa Code § 411.1 (4). Espi-nosa sought a service retirement allowance as provided in Iowa Code subsection 411.”

Show all 15 citing cases →

— Iowa Code § 411.1(10) — 1 case

Young v. O'KEEFE, 82 N.W.2d 111 (Iowa 1957). “* * * the benefits provided by these sections shall be subject to the following definitions: The term ‘widow’ shall mean only such surviving spouse of a marriage contracted prior to the retirement of the deceased member from active service * * Section 411.1(10), Code of Iowa…”

— Iowa Code § 411.1(11) — 3 cases

Golinvaux v. City of Dubuque, 439 N.W.2d 196 (Iowa 1989). “See Iowa Code § 411.1 (13) (emphasis added). Section 411.”

Espinosa v. Bd. of Trs., 466 N.W.2d 914 (Iowa 1991). “” Iowa Code § 411.1 (4). Espi-nosa sought a service retirement allowance as provided in Iowa Code subsection 411.”

— Iowa Code § 411.1(12) — 3 cases

Patton v. Mun. Fire & Police Ret. Sys. of Iowa, 587 N.W.2d 480 (Iowa 1998). “2 Iowa Code § 411.1 (12) (emphasis added). The district court did not cite or otherwise mention the definition of “membership service” found in Iowa Code section 411.”

Asmann v. Bd. of Trus. of Police Ret. Sys., 345 N.W.2d 136 (Iowa 1984). “member at the time of the member’s retirement,” and in section 411.1(12) which defines “earnable compensation,” in pertinent part, as: “the regular compensation which a member would earn during one year on the basis of the stated compensation for the members’ rank or position…”

Golinvaux v. City of Dubuque, 439 N.W.2d 196 (Iowa 1989). “See Iowa Code § 411.1 (13) (emphasis added). Section 411.”

— Iowa Code § 411.1(13) — 1 case

Espinosa v. Bd. of Trs., 466 N.W.2d 914 (Iowa 1991). “” Iowa Code § 411.1 (4). Espi-nosa sought a service retirement allowance as provided in Iowa Code subsection 411.”

— Iowa Code § 411.1(14) — 1 case

Golinvaux v. City of Dubuque, 439 N.W.2d 196 (Iowa 1989). “See Iowa Code § 411.1 (13) (emphasis added). Section 411.”

— Iowa Code § 411.1(19) — 3 cases

In Re Marriage of Davis, 608 N.W.2d 766 (Iowa 2000). “For the remainder of the surviving-spouse benefits, the district court ruled that Richard retained the right to designate a new beneficiary once a new “surviving spouse” exists under Iowa Code section 411.1(19). *769 The district court further concluded that Richard was not…”

In Re the Marriage of Duggan, 659 N.W.2d 556 (Iowa 2003). “1(19) (now found at Iowa Code § 411.1 (20) (2003)). The governing statutes and the System’s rules set out a procedure for granting the former spouse such rights.”

In Re the Marriage of Donna L. Sullins & Raymond W. Sullins Upon the Petition of Donna L. Sullins, & Concerning Raymond W. Sullins (Iowa Ct. App. 2015).

— Iowa Code § 411.1(3) — 1 case

Airport Comm'n for the Cedar Rapids v. Schade, 257 N.W.2d 500 (Iowa 1977). “Section 411.1(3) defines firemen, for the purposes of the chapter, as “ * * * the members of a fire department who have passed a regular mental and physical civil service examination for firemen and who shall have been duly appointed to such position.”

— Iowa Code § 411.1(4) — 2 cases

Carstensen v. Bd. of Trs., Etc., 253 N.W.2d 560 (Iowa 1977). “” In § 411.1(4), we find: “ ‘Member’ shall mean a member of either the police or fire retirement systems as defined by section 411.”

House v. Moulder, 469 N.W.2d 265 (Iowa Ct. App. 1991). “The trial court determined that House was not a member of the police retirement system as defined by sections 411.1(4) and 411.3(1) because he resigned from his position as a police officer.”

— Iowa Code § 411.1(8) — 1 case

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.