Retirement Allowance Plan (RAP)

On this page:

RAP Closed to All New Employees

Effective July 1, 2018, the Retirement Allowance Plan (RAP) closed to all new participants. As of that date, any part-time or temporary employees who work the minimum required hours (1,000) in a plan year will become eligible to participate in the Basic and Matching Plans. If you were a participant in the RAP on June 30, 2018, you will remain in that Plan and continue to accrue a benefit for the years in which you work 1,000 hours. For more information about this change, please refer to the FAQ.

Benefit Amount

The benefit amount under the RAP is based on a percentage of salary for each year of coverage under the plan. The formula used to calculate the annual RAP benefit is:

Final average pay × Years of RAP participation × 1.25% (.0125)

Your “final average pay” is the average of your highest 5 years of earnings out of your last 10 years of participation in the RAP.

Benefits, payable to you for life, are available only upon retirement or termination from all Penn/UPHS entities. Reduced benefits are available beginning at age 55; full benefits are available at age 65.

Vesting

You’re fully vested in your RAP benefits after completing 1,000 hours of service per Plan Year for 5 years. Being vested means you own the money in your account even if you leave the University.

You can supplement the RAP by making tax-deferred contributions through the Supplemental Retirement Annuity (SRA) Plan.