Normal retirement age under this retirement system shall be the date the member has reached age 60 years of age, provided that he or she has at least ten years of creditable service

For purposes of Section 402(1) of the federal Internal Revenue Code regarding distributions from governmental plans for health and long-term care insurance for public safety officers, normal retirement age shall be the earliest date when the member has satisfied the requirements for a retirement under this or the predecessor retirement system. Except as otherwise provided in Article 2 of Chapter 1 of this title, a member’s right to his or her retirement allowance is nonforfeitable upon attainment of normal retirement age. Any member who was retired on July 1, 1996, with more than 16 years of creditable service shall receive in July, 1998, a one-time benefit payment equal to two times the product of 1 percent of the salary paid to such judge at the time of his or her retirement multiplied by the number of years of creditable service in excess of 16 years. (Code 1981, § 47-23-102, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 513, § 1; Ga. L. 2009, p. 947, § 33/HB 202.) The 2009 amendment, effective May 11, 2009, added the second sentence, and added the fifth through seventh sentences.