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Since age of entry, tier and membership status (general/safety) determine the contribution rate, members do not contribute at the same rate. Additionally, members employed in the same job classification, at the same salary, are not likely to have the same contribution rate. Note that generally, the older you are when you are hired, the higher your contribution rate and vice versa. This is because if you were hired at a young age, you have many years before you retire to fund your portion of your future retirement benefits. Conversely, the older you are when you join the retirement system, the fewer years you have to fund your portion of your future retirement benefits, therefore, your contribution rate will be higher.

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No. Employee contribution rates are set by law. Since your retirement benefits are calculated according to a formula, increasing your contributions will not increase your retirement allowance. If you wish to increase your retirement savings, ask your department payroll clerk about enrolling in the deferred compensation plans offered by the County. The deferred compensation plan is not connected with ACERA in any way. For more information about the County’s deferred compensation programs, contact the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office.

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Yes. Retirement investment earnings are credited to your account (in the form of interest) as of June 30th and December 31st each year on all amounts that have been in your account six (6) months or longer. The amount paid usually increases and the growth depends on the overall earnings of the trust as well as the total amount of money in your account.

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No, a member may not borrow from or withdraw their contributions and interest while they are an active County or Member District employee. The money in your retirement account is for retirement savings and can only be accessed if you terminate County employment. Termination and immediate rehire for the purpose of withdrawing contributions and interest is not allowed and is a federal violation.

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No. Your retirement account cannot be used as security for a loan.

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Employer contributions are not included on your annual statement because the County/Member districts contributions are based upon total payroll and not individual contributions. You do not receive distribution of any County/member district contributions unless you retire

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Yes.. unless you joined ACERA on or before March 6, 1973 and have been classified a 30-year member. 30-year member: An employee who has been a continuously contributing member of ACERA and/or a reciprocal public retirement association since March 6, 1973, and who has completed thirty (30) years of qualifying service, is considered a 30-year member and will make no further contributions towards his/her retirement. An employee who became a contributing member of ACERA after March 6, 1973, is not considered a 30-year member (even though he/she may have 30 years of qualifying service) and will continue to make contributions for as long as he/she is employed and a member of ACERA.

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To find out exactly how many years of service you have, contact ACERA to request a service audit. You may also be able to find out exactly when you will become a 30year member. If the 30-year membership rule applies to you, upon becoming a 30-year member, your contributions will automatically be stopped, and you will be issued a refund for any employee contributions made after attaining 30-year membership status. Please keep in mind that all requests for information must be made in writing and cannot be given over the phone.

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Yes, even though you redeposited (bought back) your time, we look at the most recent date of entry in the retirement system, which in this case is 1975, to calculate 30-year membership. Your redeposit, however will be counted in your total years of service when determining your retirement benefit.

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No. All assets of the retirement system are trust funds and, as such, are protected by the California Constitution. The contributions and investment earnings coming into the retirement system are placed in trust with the members of the Board of Retirement (Trustees). The Board has a fiduciary responsibility to safeguard the assets in order to provide benefits.

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No. There are no provisions for an emergency withdrawal of funds from your ACERA account. Internal Revenue Service regulations and ACERA plan provisions prohibit the withdrawal of funds except when a member terminates employment.

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Federal income tax withholding at the rate of 20% will be deducted from the taxable portion of your distribution unless you elect a direct rollover into an IRA or another employers eligible retirement plan. Please be advised that you may also be subject to a special tax at year-end for withdrawals of retirement savings if you withdraw before the age of 59. For tax advice, consult your tax accountant or financial advisor. ACERA Staff is not qualified to provide tax advice.

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