Service Credit

Service credit is the measure of time earned as a member in ACERA. It is one of the three factors used to determine the amount of your benefit at retirement. The other two factors are age at retirement and your highest average monthly salary for any one-year period for Tier I members, or three-year period for Tier II members. ACERA retirement service credit may differ from employment service credit used by the employer (County/Member District) for seniority and vacation purposes. ACERA retirement service credit begins upon payment into the retirement system, usually occurring with the second pay period. Therefore, for most members, their date of entry into the the retirement system is different than their employment date. This period, referred to as Days Prior to Membership, is puchasable; however, purchasing this time does not change your date of entry into the retirement system.

In general, one year of service credit is earned for each year of full-time employment, provided that you are working in a retirement eligible position and are making retirement contributions. The maximum service credit a member can receive in one year is one year of service credit. Prior withdrawal of contributions, part-time and intermittent employment along with any unpaid leave, strike time, sick leave when used in conjunction with state disability (SDI) will affect overall ACERA service credit. MTO/VTO days count towards retirement.

ACERA provides service credit audits upon written request. To request a service audit, complete and submit an ACERA Benefit Estimate Request (download HERE) Form. All requests must be done in writing. To protect member confidentiality, retirement account information will not be given over the phone, the information will be mailed to the member's address on file.

For more information regarding Service Purchases, and Redeposits (click HERE) contact ACERA at 800-838-1932 or 510-628-3000. Send all requests to ACERA, 475 14th Street, Suite 1000, Oakland, CA 94612.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

• Is there any way I can add additional retirement service credit to my service time?
• Ive been a County employee for 25 years, but during a recent retirement estimate, I only had 22 years of retirement service. Why dont the two numbers match?
• What happens to my unused time left (such as vacation, floating holidays, comp time, sick leave) when I retire?

- Last Modified: 03 / 30 / 2004