Welcome to the APERS Active Member page. Here we hope to help you understand what being a member of APERS is all about. As a new member of the retirement system, you may find some of our procedures, processes, and the words we use to describe them a bit confusing, and we hope that the following information will be helpful to you. As always if you have questions feel free to contact us!
Quick Topics
Contributions
New members and those first joining after July 1, 2005 must contribute a percentage of their compensation to their retirement accounts. These tax-deferred contributions are withheld from members' paychecks. As of July 1, 2022 the contribution rate is 5.25%. It will increase by one-quarter of a percent each succeeding July 1 until it reaches a maximum of 7% on July 1, 2029 (per Act 365 of 2021). Non-contributory members can choose to become contributory if they wish. For more information, see FAQ: Going Contributory.
Vesting
New members become vested in the system after earning five years service (except for certain General Assembly members who must have ten years of service). Once vested, they are eligible for a future retirement benefit when they meet age requirements, service requirements, or both.
If you are vested and considering a termination refund, download our Vesting Notice PDF for some important information.
Annual Statements
Each year around the first of September, active members will receive a statement that details all the information we had on file for them at the close of our fiscal year (June 30). This includes your personal information, pay information, and the amount of service and employee contributions (if any) credited to your account. It is critically important for you to review this data carefully because it will eventually be used to calculate your benefits. Click here for more information and examples.
Early Retirement
Under certain circumstances, active members can retire before the age of 65 or before they have earned 28 years of actual service with a reduction in the benefit amount. For more information see the FAQ: Early Retirement.
Disability Retirement
Members who suffer a total and permanent disability may be eligible for disability retirement. For more infomation, see the FAQ: Disability.
Purchasing Service
Members may be able to purchase certain types of service outside of APERS-covered employment like U.S. military and National Guard service as well as "prior" service in an agency that later joined APERS. For more information, see FAQ: Purchasing Service.
Survivor/Beneficiary Information
When an active, vested member dies in service, his or her spouse, children, or dependent parents may qualify for survivor benefits. Inactive members who are not vested for future benefits do not have survivor benefit protection. For more information, see FAQ: Death before Retirement.
Termination Refunds
Members who leave covered employment before they have started receiving retirement benefits may request a refund of any employee contributions credited to their account. For more information, see the FAQ: Termination Refund Process.
Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)
A QDRO is an order issued by a divorce court making a former spouse an "alternate payee" with the right to receive all or part of a member's retirement benefits.
Click here to download the QDRO Language Model for APERS Members.
For more information, see FAQ: QDRO.
