Explainers and podcast episodes about the pensions of Northern Mariana retirees. 2026-09-26T00:00:00Z https://salappeta.com/ Salåppeʼta 2026-09-26T00:00:00Z https://salappeta.com/explainers/the-75-and-the-25/

The 2013 settlement guarantees at least 75% of your full benefit.,The other 25% was paid separately by the Government, and it has stopped.,The Government’s required yearly payment to the Fund has fallen from $45M to $29M.

<div class="a-row"> <div class="aside"><span class="meta">key term</span><b>Settlement Class Member</b><span>A retiree or beneficiary covered by the 2013 settlement.</span></div> <div class="main"> <h2>1 · The promise</h2> <p class="dropcap">In 2013, a federal court approved a settlement in <em>Betty Johnson v. Eloy S. Inos</em>, Case No. 09-00023. Retirees had sued because the Government had not paid what it owed into the Retirement Fund for years, and the Fund was running out of money.</p> <p>The settlement created the NMI Settlement Fund, which took over certain Retirement Fund assets. Its job is to make sure every Settlement Class Member receives <strong style="font-weight:600">at least 75% of their Full Benefits</strong>.</p> </div> </div> <div class="a-row"> <div class="aside"><span class="meta">key term</span><b>Minimum Annual Payment</b><span>The amount the Government must pay the Settlement Fund each fiscal year.</span></div> <div class="main"> <h2>2 · Where the 75% comes from</h2> <p>The Settlement Fund pays the guaranteed 75% from its own assets and from payments the settlement requires the NMI Government to make every year.</p> <p>That required payment peaked at $45 million in FY 2018 and has fallen each year since, to $29 million in FY 2026. The Fund's status report for FY 2026 references a loan from MPLT.</p> </div> </div> <div class="a-row a-row--94" style="align-items:center"> <div></div> <figure class="a-figure main" style="max-width:none"> <div><div class="big">$45M</div><div class="meta meta--forest mt-3" style="margin-top:var(--s2)">FY 2018</div></div> <div class="arrow" aria-hidden="true">→</div> <div><div class="big" style="color:var(--sage)">$29M</div><div class="meta meta--forest" style="margin-top:var(--s2)">FY 2026</div></div> <figcaption><strong>Required Minimum Annual Payment.</strong> Source: NMISF annual payment status.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="a-row a-row--94"> <div class="aside"><span class="meta">timeline of notices</span></div> <div class="main"> <h2>3 · Where the 25% came from</h2> <p style="margin-bottom:var(--s5)">The settlement guarantees 75%. The remaining 25% was paid by the Government separately. That is why it could stop without the settlement itself changing.</p> <ol class="timeline" style="list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0"> <li class="timeline__item"> <div class="tl-dot tl-dot--almond" aria-hidden="true"></div> <div class="meta" style="margin-bottom:4px">21 Nov 2025</div> <p style="line-height:1.5;margin-bottom:6px">The Fund warns that the 25% payments may be discontinued and retiree health insurance may lapse.</p> <a class="meta" href="http://www.nmisf.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/11.21.2025-NMISF-Press-Release-Possible-Lapse-of-Health-Insurance-Coverage-and-Discontinuation-of-25-Percent-Benefit-Payments.pdf">press release ↗</a> </li> <li class="timeline__item"> <div class="tl-dot tl-dot--pale" aria-hidden="true"></div> <div class="meta" style="margin-bottom:4px">5 Dec 2025</div> <p style="line-height:1.5;margin-bottom:6px">The Government informs the Fund there is no funding for the 25% beyond December 31, 2025.</p> <a class="meta" href="http://www.nmisf.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/12.5.2025-NMISF-Press-Release-Lapse-of-Health-Insurance-Coverage-and-25-Benefit-Payments.pdf">press release ↗</a> </li> <li class="timeline__item"> <div class="tl-dot tl-dot--terracotta" aria-hidden="true"></div> <div class="meta" style="margin-bottom:4px">9 Jun 2026</div> <p style="line-height:1.5;margin-bottom:6px">The Fund issues a notice on the cessation of 25 percent benefit payments.</p> <a class="meta" href="http://www.nmisf.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Press-Release-Cessation-of-25-Percent-Benefit-Payments-6.9.2026.pdf">press release ↗</a> </li> <li class="timeline__item"> <div class="tl-dot tl-dot--sage" aria-hidden="true"></div> <div class="meta" style="margin-bottom:4px">8 Jul 2026</div> <p style="line-height:1.5;margin-bottom:6px">A further important notice on the cessation follows.</p> <a class="meta" href="http://www.nmisf.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/NMISF-Press-Release-Important-Notice-re-Cessation-of-25-Percent-Benefit-Payments-7.8.2026.pdf">press release ↗</a> </li> </ol> </div> </div> <div class="pull"> <blockquote>The settlement guarantees 75%. The other 25% was never part of that guarantee.</blockquote> <div class="pull__mark" aria-hidden="true"><span class="meta">the key point</span><div class="bar-v"></div></div> </div> <div class="a-row a-row--94"> <div class="aside"><span class="meta">an example</span></div> <div class="main"> <h2>4 · What it means for a check</h2> <p style="margin-bottom:var(--s4)">Take a retiree whose full benefit is $1,500 a month.</p> <div class="split-bar split-bar--article mb-3" aria-hidden="true"><div class="a"></div><div class="b"></div></div> <div class="auto mb-4" style="--min:160px;--gap:var(--s3)"> <div><div style="font-size:1.125rem;font-weight:600">Guaranteed</div><div class="figure-47">$1,125</div></div> <div><div style="font-size:1.125rem;font-weight:600;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px"><span style="width:14px;height:14px;background:var(--terracotta)" aria-hidden="true"></span>Stopped</div><div class="figure-47 accent">$375</div></div> <div><div style="font-size:1.125rem;font-weight:600">Per year</div><div class="figure-47">$4,500</div></div> </div> <a class="link-strong" href="https://salappeta.com/#check">Try it with your own benefit →</a> </div> </div> <div class="a-row" style="margin-bottom:0"> <div class="aside"><span class="meta">useful numbers</span></div> <div class="main"> <h2>5 · What you can do</h2> <p style="margin-bottom:var(--s4)">The Settlement Fund has urged members to contact their representatives, keep their annuity information (Form SF-200) up to date, and check whether they qualify for other health insurance.</p> <div class="contacts"> <div class="contact"><span>NMI Settlement Fund</span><a href="tel:+16703223863">670.322.3863</a></div> <div class="contact"><span>Health Insurance Marketplace</span><a href="tel:+18003182596">1-800-318-2596</a></div> <div class="contact"><span>CNMI Medicaid</span><a href="tel:+16706644880">(670) 664-4880</a></div> <div class="contact"><span>Medicare (coverage and claims)</span><a href="tel:+18006334227">1-800-633-4227</a></div> <div class="contact"><span>Social Security (Medicare sign-up)</span><a href="tel:+18007721213">1-800-772-1213</a></div> </div> </div> </div>