Active Member Information

Overview

Active Member Information

You automatically become a member of the Retirement System on the date you commence employment in an eligible position.

About PEPRA

The State of California passed the Public Employees Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) that amended certain sections of the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (better known as the “37 Act”) under which OCERS operates. The law created new benefit types for new employees/members entering public agency employment and public retirement system membership for the first time on or after 1/1/2013.

Eligibility

You are in an eligible position if you are employed by a participating agency as one of the following:

  •  A full-time employee
  •  A part-time employee scheduled to work 20 hours per week or more
  •  A limited term full-time employee
  •  A limited employee scheduled to work 20 hours per week or more

All other employees are ineligible for membership. These include part-time employees scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week, extra-help, and contract employees.

Beneficiary

Members are asked to designate a beneficiary upon employment, and update the designation when changes such as birth, death, marriage or divorce occur.  A beneficiary is a person that you (the member) name in writing to receive certain benefits provided by the plan upon your death.  For certain death benefits your Eligible Spouse or Qualified Domestic Partner must be listed at the time of your death.

Plan Names and Benefit Formulas

Various employers provide different benefit formulas. View a list by employers.

For Members Eligible to Choose A Retirement Benefit Plan Formula

Certain County of Orange and Superior Court employees who were active members of OCERS prior to January 1, 2013 who move to certain eligible positions with the County of Orange and Superior Court within six months if it is a new employer, or those who were employed by a reciprocal system prior to January 1, 2013, are required to elect their retirement benefit formula within 45 days of their hire date. Because the decision to select either the “1.62% at 65″ Plan P or “2.7% at 55″ Plan J is irrevocable, OCERS is providing a number of resources that can be viewed or printed to help eligible members select the benefit plan that’s better for them.

Below you will find links to information on contribution rates for both plans, as well as an overview of the impact your plan selection will have on your ultimate retirement allowance.  Please spend some time and weigh your options carefully before selecting your benefit formula.

Resources

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New Member

new members

Welcome! We are the Orange County Employees Retirement System, otherwise known as OCERS — your retirement system! Now that you’ve begun working at an OCERS-covered employer, you’re automatically enrolled in your mandatory retirement with us. Whether this is your first job ever, or the start of a new position, there is no better time than now to plan for retirement.

Let’s get started:

In the mail, you’ll receive a letter with a pin number — you will need this to register for your myOCERS portal account. It’s important to get your account set up, because that’s where you can: 

  • See which plan you’re in and what your contributions are  
  • Designate beneficiaries 
  • Use the Benefit Estimator to see how much you may receive on different retirement dates 

Once you register:

This is when you’ll want to establish “reciprocity” if you’re eligible. Reciprocity is when you’ve worked under another California system’s employer (e.g., CalPERS, CalSTRS, LACERA, etc.) before starting OCERS-covered employment within 180 days. By establishing reciprocity, your retirement benefit will be coordinated between both systems. You also have the option to opt out of reciprocity if you wish. 

After you’ve determined if you have previous service, (or skip that portion if you are NOT eligible):

Read through your Summary Plan Description (SPD) to learn more about your plan benefits. The SPD is a comprehensive guide for understanding your OCERS membership and benefits, as well as a resource for learning OCERS’ processes. 

Get ahead of the game:

When your retirement rolls around, you’re required to submit birth certificates for yourself and beneficiaries, as well as marriage or domestic partnership certificates or divorce documents (if applicable). However, if you have any of these ready to go once you become an OCERS member, you can bring them to OCERS right away. That’ll make for a smoother retirement process when the time comes.

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5 Years of Service

You’ve reached the five-year mark at OCERS — congratulations! Hopefully by now you have registered for your myOCERS portal, where you can view your OCERS retirement plan, estimate your benefit, and designate your beneficiaries. Here are some more ways you can start preparing for your retirement.

Get acquainted with your myOCERS portal:

In the mail, you should have received a letter when you first started your OCERS-covered employment with a pin number. You need this to register for your myOCERS portal. If you haven’t registered and need a new pin number, contact our Member Services team at 714-558-6200 and they will assist you.

Your myOCERS portal is a one-stop shop for your retirement benefit information:

  • Participant Account: This tab shows you your plan type, and contributions to date.
  • Benefit Estimator: Get a sense of what your retirement benefit will look like when the time comes — look at different retirement dates with varying years of service, estimate your salary, and see what your payments could be.
  • Designate Beneficiaries: Make sure your beneficiaries are always accurate and up to date. Check this information regularly to ensure your beneficiaries are correct when it’s time to retire.
  • Upload Documents: Submit documentation for any qualifying life event as they happen to avoid last minute changes when you are nearing retirement. Staying on track with documents now will make the retirement process much simpler.
  • Establish “Reciprocity”: If you have just started OCERS-covered employment but have prior years of service at another California public agency, make sure to establish reciprocity with us within 180 days to maximize your retirement benefit.

After you’ve determined if you have previous public service credit (or if you are not eligible):

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Mid-Career

At this point in your mid-career journey, you should feel more confident and prepared for your secure retirement. More detailed planning now ensures you feel fully ready to enjoy your well-earned retirement.

Financial planning:

  • Tracking your income sources over your career will give you a more accurate picture of what you can expect upon retirement. Consider any other federal, state, or county pensions, Social Security, Deferred Compensation Plans, and personal savings.  
  • Review your OCERS Summary Plan Description (SPD) for more information on your plan benefits.

Submit your documents:

  • Make sure that your beneficiary designations are up to date. You want to ensure that your beneficiaries are correctly listed, as they cannot be changed post-retirement.
  • If you haven’t already, gather your personal documents to submit to OCERS as soon as possible:
    • Original copy of your birth certificate
    • Marriage or domestic partnership certificate
    • Your spouse or domestic partner’s birth certificate
      • These documents are needed to process your retirement, so make sure you locate them and submit in advance.
  • Submit any divorce documents (if applicable) for OCERS legal staff to review. OCERS benefits are considered community property under California law and may be impacted by divorce.

Attend an OCERS Pre-Retirement Seminar:

  • Your mid-career point is a great time to attend a Pre-Retirement Seminar at OCERS, or one provided by your employer. You may have visited us at various benefits fairs or perused through our website, but now is when you’ll want to hone in on the specifics.
  • Hear directly from OCERS about your retirement benefits. You’ll also see presentations from the Social Security Administration, your Deferred Compensation Plans, Social Security, and the Retired Employees Association of Orange County (REAOC).
  • Take this opportunity to ask questions to our Retirement Program Specialists in-person about your own career and retirement plans.