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This page provides detailed information to help you complete the Retirement Calculator more precisely. (If you would like to return to the calculator, click on your "Back" arrow button.)

1. MINIMUM AGE AND SERVICE RETIREMENTS

   General Plans A, B, C, and D

   • Age 50 with 10 or more years of County (or combined County and reciprocal) service credit
   • At any age with 30 years of County (or combined County and reciprocal) service credit
   • At age 70, regardless of years of service credit

   Plan E

   • Age 55 with 10 or more years of County (or combined County and reciprocal) service credit
   • At age 70, regardless of years of service credit

   Safety Plans A and B

   • Age 50 with 10 or more years of County (or combined County and reciprocal) service credit
   • At any age with 20 years of County (or combined County and reciprocal) service credit

   Deferred Members

   • Age 50 and reaches the date on which the individual would have had 10 years of County service credit had he or she remained a full-time County employee

2. SERVICE CREDIT

   Service credit is earned on a monthly basis. Members of Plans A, B, C, D earn credit for each month of service in which they make plan contributions. Members of Plan E earn credit for each month of uninterrupted employment. Your retirement allowance is based on your years of service credit, your age, and your final compensation. If you have service credit in both Plan D and Plan E, enter the service credit you've earned under each plan. The Retirement Calculator will compute your Plan D and Plan E allowances separately.

3. AVERAGE MONTHLY SALARY (GROSS)

   Your retirement allowance is calculated based on your average monthly compensation, or “final compensation.” Final compensation is an average of your highest monthly salary earned during any one-year or three-year period (depending on your Plan).

   Plan A

   Any one-year time period (12 consecutive months).

   Plan B, C, or D

   If you are currently an active County employee, average any one year of salary (12 consecutive months).

   If you terminated and deferred before October 1, 2000 and have not returned to County service, average any 3 years of salary (36 consecutive months).

   Plan E

   Any three 12-month periods, whether consecutive or not. If you have earned service credit in more than one plan, enter a final compensation amount for each plan.

   To view other pensionable earnings that you may include within your final compensation see the links below.
   Click here for information about the Pensionable & Non-Pensionable Cafeteria Plans

   Click here for information regarding pay item treatment under the proposed settlement.
   (5-9-05)

4. CURRENT RETIREMENT PLAN

   If you have been in multiple plans, indicate your current plan only.

5. RECIPROCAL SERVICE CREDIT

   Reciprocity is a special relationship that exists between LACERA and certain public retirement systems located in California. It is designed to protect your earned retirement benefits when you transfer from one public employer to another. Your highest monthly salary earned in either system will be used to calculate your retirement allowance in both systems. In addition, your L.A. County and reciprocal service credit will be added together for vesting and to meet the minimum service credit for retirement (10 years).

   The Calculator will estimate your LACERA allowance only, based on the salary you enter, your age at retirement, and your L.A. County service credit. When you actually retire, each system will calculate a separate retirement allowance based on the retirement service credit you earned as a member of that system.

6. UNMODIFIED AND UNMODIFIED+PLUS OPTIONS

   Projections of monthly retirement allowances generated by the Retirement Calculator pertain only to the Unmodified and Unmodified+Plus Options. A member with an eligible spouse or domestic partner may elect either of these options at retirement.*

   Unmodified Option

   This option pays you the highest monthly retirement allowance available; it pays the full amount of the monthly benefit to which you are entitled. If you are a contributory member, upon your death, your eligible survivor receives 65 percent of your allowance; in Plan E your eligible survivor receives 55 percent.

   Unmodified+Plus Option

   The “Unmodified+Plus” option pays you a reduced allowance during your lifetime to allow you to customize the percentage (between 66 and 100 percent) of your allowance your eligible survivor(s) will receive upon your death. The increased survivor allowance is paid through an actuarially equivalent reduction in your allowance; your allowance is reduced by only enough to cover the difference between 66 and 100 percent.

   *Spouse must be married one year prior to member’s retirement. Domestic partner must be registered with the California Secretary of State, with a Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership, one year prior to member’s retirement. Other conditions apply.

7. DEFERRED MEMBERS

   To retire as a deferred member in Plan A, B, C, D you must be vested with 5 years of County retirement service credit (or combined County and reciprocal system service credit) meet the age requirements, and reach the date on which you would have had 10 years of County retirement service credit had you remained in service in a full time position. For Plan E you must be vested with 10 years of County retirement service credit (or combined County and reciprocal system service credit) and be at least 55 years of age. Click here for more information.

8. SOCIAL SECURITY ADJUSTMENT

   The County of Los Angeles withdrew its employees from the federal Social Security program in December 1982. Plan A, B, C, D members will have their LACERA retirement allowance reduced by a fixed dollar amount for each year of service that was covered by Social Security while employed by the County prior to 1983. Plan E members who retire at or after age 62 may bring proof of their actual Social Security benefit within 6 months of their retirement date. LACERA will re-compute the retirement allowance based on the actual Social Security benefit and adjust the allowance retroactively to the date of retirement. If the Social Security benefit is zero, the Social Security offset will not be applied.

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6/23/11