Applying for and retiring from L.A. County doesn't happen overnight. It’s a process. Informed choices and careful planning can favorably impact your future retirement. With that in mind, we've outlined some tips to help you prepare for and streamline the retirement process.

DECIDING WHEN YOU'RE READY

Create Your Own Retirement Benefit Estimate on My LACERA
As a registered member of My LACERA, you can access the Retirement Benefit Estimate (RBE) calculator. The RBE calculator will be pre-populated with your current retirement data on file with LACERA.

Pre-Retirement Workshop and Pre-Retirement Guide
If you'd like a personalized, preliminary calculation of your benefits, along with recommended retirement dates, register to attend a Pre-Retirement Workshop. These workshops also present valuable information on Additional Retirement Credit (ARC), tax information, legislative changes that impact retirement planning, LACERA-administered health plans, etc. Plus, the LACERA Retirement Benefits Specialist presenting the workshop will be available to answer your individual questions.

Each Pre-Retirement Workshop attendee also receives a companion guide that recaps the information presented in the workshop. Order or download a guide from the Brochures & Forms page.

Online Retirement Calculator
The Retirement Calculator can be accessed from the lacera.com home page. The calculator will prompt you to enter your age at retirement, years and months of service credit, and your final monthly compensation. Based on that information, it will compute an estimate of your monthly retirement allowance. To obtain a variety of estimates, enter different ages, salaries, or years of service credit.

One-on-One Consultations
Visit our Public Counter and speak with a LACERA Retirement Benefits Specialist. No appointment is required. The Public Counter is located in the lobby of LACERA's Pasadena office and is open from 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday. If you wish to make an appointment—call 1-800-786-6464. For a map and directions, click here.

CHECKLIST FOR RETIREMENT PLANNING

Three to Five Years Prior to Retirement:

• Attend a LACERA Pre-Retirement Workshop.
• Review lacera.com calculators.
• Maximize contributions to your deferred compensation and/or savings plans.
• Maximize your pensionable earnings; purchase service credit.
• Request a Personalized Retirement Benefit Estimate (RBE) from LACERA. (Create your own RBE online, lacera.com, My LACERA.)
• Speak with a LACERA Retirement Benefits Specialist.
• Target a possible retirement date.

Six Months Prior to Your Retirement Date:

• Call LACERA at 1-800-786-6464 to request an Election to Retire form.
• Update your beneficiary record.

Two Months Prior to Your Retirement Date:

• Meet with a LACERA Retirement Benefits Specialist to assist you in preparing your retirement paperwork. The Specialist will provide you with enrollment forms for LACERA-administered retiree medical and dental insurance.
• Bring the following documents with you:
  • Your completed Retirement Benefit Estimate and Election Form.
  • Your original Certified Marriage Certificate or Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership.*
  • LACERA Beneficiary Designation Form and your beneficiary's original certified birth certificate (for Unmodified+Plus or Options 2, 3, or 4).
  • Completed Direct Deposit application with a voided check from your checking account.
  • Completed Tax Withholding form W-4/DE-4P (Per IRS and California Franchise Tax Board regulations, if you do not fill out a withholding form, tax will be withheld as if you were married and claiming three withholding allowances.)
• Notify your department of your retirement date.
• Prepare finances to complete any outstanding service credit contracts (contracts must be paid within 120 days following retirement).

If You Submit Your Retirement Documents by Mail:
Be sure to sign your forms and mail them to LACERA two months prior to your retirement date. Enrollment forms for LACERA-administered health and dental insurance will be mailed to you after your retirement has been formally granted by the Board of Retirement.

• Related documents you may need to submit:
  • If you were divorced during your County employment, you must provide LACERA with a conformed copy (with the court clerk's filing date stamp and the judge's signature) of all the pages of your Judgment of Dissolution and any other orders directing division of benefits.
  • If you are in the process of a divorce at the time of retirement, LACERA cannot pay your retirement allowance until the Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage is final and a court order directing the community property division (QDRO) of your LACERA benefits is received.
  • If you are a Plan E Member with service prior to 1983 or a contributory member selecting the Pension Advance Option: to insure accuracy, we recommend you submit your Social Security Statement.
  • LACERA-administered medical and/or dental insurance enrollment forms.
  • Original certified birth certificate for any dependents that will be covered under LACERA-administered health and/or dental insurance

*If you were married or in a domestic partnership at least one year prior to retirement.

NOTE: Direct Deposit application, W-4P/DE-4P (Tax Withholding form), and Beneficiary form can be found online at lacera.com, Brochures & Forms page or call 1-800-786-6464.

1/14/10