Georgia Judicial Retirement System

Membership

The Georgia Judicial Retirement System (JRS) was established on July 1, 1998 to provide benefits for Superior Court Judges, District Attorneys, State Court Judges, Solicitors-General of the State Courts, Juvenile Court Judges, the State-wide Business Court Judge, and Legislative Counsel of the Georgia General Assembly.

Anyone assuming one of these offices after July 1, 1998, with some limited exceptions, is required to become a member of JRS. Certain employees of the Attorney General’s Office hired before July 1, 2005 are also covered under JRS. No employees hired on and after July 1, 2005 by the Attorney General’s Office are eligible to become members of JRS.

Contributions

Contributions of 7.5% of your earnable compensation are deposited to your Employee Contributions account each month. For some members, the employer pays some or all of this contribution on your behalf. This is called a pick-up contribution.

If you are covered under the Group Term Life Insurance (GTLI) program, you will pay an additional 0.25% of your earnable compensation toward the GTLI benefit each month.

Spousal Coverage

Membership Prior to July 1, 2012

If you became a member prior to July 1, 2012 and have contributed toward Spousal Coverage for at least 10 years, upon your death, your Spouse or Non-Spouse beneficiary will receive a monthly annuity payable for their life. Spousal contributions are 2.5% of your earnable compensation and are contributed for a maximum of 16 years.

You may elect to contribute toward Spousal Coverage within 90 days of first becoming a member of JRS, or within 90 days of your marriage or re-marriage while a member of JRS. Spousal Contributions are deposited to your Employee Contributions account each month.

If you became a member prior to July 1, 2012, and previously rejected spousal coverage, you may elect retroactive coverage by notifying JRS and paying the appropriate retroactive cost for the coverage.

Membership on or after July 1, 2012

If you became a member on or after July 1, 2012, spousal benefits are elected at the time of retirement.

Retirement Eligibility

Retirement is available at age 60 with 10 or more years of Creditable Service. With 16 or more years of Creditable Service, your benefit is determined as 66.66% of your Benefit Salary, plus an additional 1% of your Benefit Salary for each year of service between 16 and 24 years. With between 10 and 16 years of Creditable Service, you are eligible for a retirement benefit equal to 66.66% of your Benefit Salary times your Creditable Service divided by 16.

Benefit Salary

Superior Court Judges: Benefit salary is the state paid salary for a Superior Court Judge at retirement.

District Attorney: Benefit Salary is the state paid salary for a District Attorney at retirement.

Superior Court Judges and District Attorneys who leave JRS after becoming Vested in their JRS benefit but before age 60: Retirement benefit will be based on the state paid salary in effect at the commencement of pension benefit, not on the salary at termination of service.

Judges and Solicitors-General of State Courts, Juvenile Court Judges, members of the Law Department and Legislative Counsel, and the State-wide Business Court Judge: Benefit Salary is defined as your average compensation during the 24 consecutive months of creditable service producing the highest average. Only compensation from state funds is considered. Certain limitations apply.

If the employer pays some or all of your 7.5% contribution, this employer-paid contribution is included in determining your Benefit Salary.

Retirement Amount

Regular Retirement

66.66% of salary
x
1% of salary for each year of Creditable Service between 16 and 24 years 
=
Regular Retirement Benefit

Early Retirement

66.66% of salary
x
Years of Creditable Service
÷
16
 =
Early Retirement Benefit

Please see the JRS Handbook for calculation examples.