The Judicial Pensions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

Transfer payment requests

141.—(1) P may by notice to the scheme manager make a transfer payment request in respect of some or all of P’s accrued rights to benefits under another pension scheme.

(2) A transfer payment request—

(a) must specify—

(i) the pension scheme from which the transfer value payment is requested to be made; and

(ii) the anticipated amount of the transfer value payment;

(b) must meet any other conditions the scheme manager requires; and

(c) subject to paragraph (3), must be made during the period of 12 months beginning with the day on which P commences service in a qualifying judicial office .

(3) A transfer payment request in relation to the Judicial Additional Voluntary Contributions Scheme must be made—

(a) within the period of 3 months ending with the day on which P is first entitled to receive retirement benefits under this scheme; or

(b) if the scheme manager considers it reasonable in the circumstances, within any longer period the scheme manager directs.

(4) The scheme manager may direct that a transfer payment request is to be treated as having been made earlier than it was if the scheme manager considers it reasonable to do so in the circumstances.

(5) Subject to paragraph (6), on receiving a transfer payment request, the scheme manager may accept the transfer value payment if all of such conditions as the scheme manager may have required are met.

(6) The scheme manager may not accept a transfer payment request if—

(a) it would be applied in whole or in part in respect of—

(i) the member’s entitlement to a guaranteed minimum pension; or

(ii) the entitlement of the member’s spouse to a guaranteed minimum pension; and

(b) it is less than the amount required for that purpose, as calculated in accordance with actuarial tables.