PRIOR MEMBERS RETURNING TO SERVICE
Returning employees can restore to a previous retirement plan by meeting certain conditions:

FORMER PLAN A, B, C, OR D MEMBERS
If you were previously a member of Plan A, B, C, or D, and withdrew your retirement contributions when you terminated your employment, you are eligible to restore all the benefits of your previous plan, if you:

• Elect Plan D
• Redeposit all your past contributions, plus interest

Your rate of contribution will be based on your nearest age at the time you rejoined LACERA.

If you deferred your retirement by leaving your contributions on deposit when you terminated your employment, you must resume membership in your previous plan; you are not permitted to elect another plan.

PRIOR SAFETY MEMBERSHIP
If you were a safety member hired prior to January 4, 1982 with no break in service, and are now transferring into general membership, you will be placed in the general member plan that was in effect when you became a safety member.

If you were hired as a safety member on or after January 4, 1982 and are now transferring into general membership, you must elect either Plan D or Plan E. When you retire, your safety and general member benefits will be calculated separately, and combined into one monthly retirement payment.

If you are a returning County employee, your department must notify LACERA of your return to service.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR FORMER PLAN E MEMBERS
If you have a previous period of vested Plan E service credit (10 or more years of service credit), you are eligible to receive a future retirement allowance based on that service whether you now elect Plan D or Plan E. However, the plan you elect now will affect your future options:

• If you choose Plan E now, you may later elect an Open Window Plan Transfer and convert all your Plan E service credit to Plan D in order to receive a higher retirement allowance. At retirement, your allowance would be based on Plan D only.
• If you choose Plan D now, you are not eligible to purchase and convert your previous period of vested Plan E service credit to Plan D. At retirement, you would receive a combined allowance: a Plan E retirement allowance based on your previous period of vested Plan E service credit, plus a Plan D retirement allowance based on the Plan D service credit you earn in your current period of employment.

If you have a previous period of non-vested Plan E service credit (fewer than 10 years of service credit), you are not eligible to receive a future retirement allowance based on that service. The plan you elect now will determine whether your non-vested service credit is lost or can be purchased:

• If you choose Plan D now, you will have the option to purchase and convert that period of non-vested Plan E service credit to Plan D. At retirement, your allowance would be based on Plan D only.
• If you choose Plan E now, that non-vested Plan E service credit is lost; you cannot purchase it.

For more information, speak with a LACERA Retirement Benefits Specialist, or attend a New Member Workshop.