The interest rate may change from year to year, currently the rate is 5.25%.

Excess interest is investment earnings on PMRS assets in excess of that required for allocation to regular interest (currently 5.25%), administrative expenses, and to maintain an asset reserve in accordance with a PMRS board-approved formula. If excess interest is allocated by your employer to your member’s account as an active employee, it will increase your monthly retirement benefit.

Yes. Send PMRS a written request indicating the amount of military time to be purchased along with a copy of your military discharge form (federal form DD-214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge). PMRS staff will determine if the time spent in the military is purchasable service and will provide you with a statement detailing the different payment amounts over various time periods.

You can either ask your employer or search for PMRS Participating Employers by County

Please note, each participating employer may have multiple plans. For a complete list of plans, refer to the most recent ACFR.

All full-time employees must be enrolled when hired or at the end of their probationary period, if any. (A probationary period can be no more than one year.) The enrolling member and the employer must complete an Application for Membership (PMRB-1). The employee also completes a Nomination of Beneficiaries form (PMRB-2). The completed forms and a $20 administration fee (paid by the employer) are then mailed to PMRS.

Benefits are based on the agreement between your employer and PMRS. When enrolling, each plan member is provided with a benefit summary that details the benefits that are provided by your plan. To obtain a benefit summary for your plan, please contact us by providing your name, email address, and the name of the employer.

See Employer FAQs, Pension Plan Benefits.

PMRS members are mailed an annual member statement that details the activity of the member’s account for the previous year. In addition, each employee receives a benefit summary when they enroll in the plan or when their pension plan benefits have improved. This summary explains the retirement benefits provided by your employer.

No.

In most PMRS plans, the member contributions are not tax deferred. However, if your employer has adopted a tax deferral provision under Section 414h of the federal Internal Revenue Code, then mandatory member contributions would be tax deferred for federal tax purposes until received as a benefit or paid out as a lump sum.

Some PMRS member municipalities have agreements that allow members to move their credited service from one employer to another. This feature is called portability.
If you worked for another PMRS member employer prior to joining this employer, your service credits may be transferred unimpaired. The portability election must be made within one year of separation from your previous employer. To do this, please complete a Portability form (PMRB-26) and mail it to PMRS. Your employer should also have this form.

If you are not eligible for a benefit, you will receive a refund of your personal contributions (if any) and credited interest. Note: Interest will not be credited on your account after the date of termination. You and your employer must complete an Application for Return of Contributions (PMRB-4) and a Lump-Sum Distribution Supplement (PMRB-6). Processing usually takes 90 days from the time we receive the form until the check is mailed from our office.

Important: By withdrawing your contributions and interest, you forfeit the right to any benefit funded by your employer’s contributions. If you are unsure of benefit eligibility, please refer to the benefit summary brochure that was previously provided to you or contact your employer or contact PMRS.

If you are thinking about retiring or want to start planning for retirement, we recommend requesting a retirement estimate six months to a year prior to the date you plan to retire. For more information about retirement, look under the Retirees tab and Planning to Retire.

If you become disabled and are unable to perform gainful employment, please contact your employer or contact PMRS for benefit eligibility and for the appropriate claim forms.

If an employee dies while actively employed, the employer or beneficiary should contact PMRS.

Within 90 days of termination of employment, you must complete an Application for Retirement Benefits (PMRB-8) or an Application for Retirement Benefits for Plans with Automatic Spouse’s Death Benefits form (PMRB-50). When you reach normal retirement age, PMRS will begin paying you a monthly benefit.