ERS Old Plan (Tier 1)

For a more detailed explanation of your retirement benefits and the information in the categories below, please see the ERS Handbook in the link to the right.

Membership

• Current Members continuously employed on a full-time basis since before July 1, 1982
• Members originally employed before July 1, 1982 who are reemployed on or after July 1, 1982 without having received a refund of their contributions and interest, retiring, or rendering less than one year of service within a period of five consecutive years as a Member

Contributions

Members are required to contribute 1.50% of their earnable compensation to the plan.

• 1.25% goes to the member’s annuity savings plan
• .25% goes to the member’s Group Term Life Insurance premiums

Retirement Eligibility  

There are three different types of Service Retirement in ERS:

Normal Retirement

• At least age 60 and a vested with a minimum of 10 years of creditable service 
• At least 30 years of creditable service 
• For certain Law Enforcement positions, at least age 55 and vested with a minimum of 10 years of creditable service

Early Retirement

• Under age 60
• At least 25 years of creditable service but not yet 30 years of service
• Retiree benefit is reduced at a rate of 7% for every year the retiree is under age 60 or every year the retiree has less than 30 years; ERS will use the lesser reduction to calculate the benefit.

Terminated Vested Retirement

A member terminating after attaining at least 10 years of service and vesting, but prior to age 60, will be able to start drawing retirement benefits at age 60. A member may contact ERS within 90 days of their 60th birthday for more details.

Retirement Amount

Retirement Benefit Factor 

The ERS Old Plan Benefit Factor is 2% between 10 years of service and 28 years of service. After the 28th year of service, the factor increases incrementally each year, eventually maxing out at 2.20% at the 35th year of service

Calculation Formula:

To calculate the Maximum Plan Benefit for a normal retirement, ERS Old Plan uses the following formula

Formula Salary
x
Benefit Formula Factor
x
Creditable Service
=
Maximum Plan Benefit

Please see the ERS Handbook for calculation examples.