Georgia Judicial Retirement System

This document provides details on the data and terms included in the Statement. As each Statement has been personalized, some terms may not apply and are not shown. Log In to your secure account to view personal information, beneficiary designations, and estimates of retirement benefits. 

Beneficiaries

Individuals designated to receive available benefits upon the Member’s death. In the event of the Member’s death without a designated beneficiary, or if the beneficiary dies first, both the Group Term Life Insurance (GTLI) benefit and a refund of the Employee Contribution Account are payable to the Member’s estate. A lifetime pension can only be paid to a designated living person.

Creditable Service

Creditable Service is used to determine benefit amounts. In general, a month of Creditable Service is earned for each month contributions are made to the pension plan. This also includes any eligible service transferred from a predecessor retirement system or from the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS). Members who previously took a refund of contributions from JRS or a predecessor plan, or who have qualifying service in the US Armed Forces, can purchase that service to increase their Creditable Service.

Note: For those becoming members on or after July 1, 1998, a change in status from part time to full time will result in the reduction of Creditable Service. For more information contact ERSGA.

Employee Contribution Account Balance

Balance of contributions plus interest as of the Statement date. Contributions of 7.5% of regular compensation from state funds, excluding local supplements (Earnable Compensation), are deposited to the Employee Contribution Account each month. For some members, the employer pays some or all of this contribution (Employer Pickup).  Monthly Spousal Contributions are also deposited to the Employee Contribution Account. Interest at 6% (compounded annually) is credited to all accounts each June 30th on the account balance as of the previous July 1st.

Group Term Life Insurance (GTLI)

Members joining JRS on or after July 1, 2009, are not eligible for the GTLI plan. The base GTLI benefit is 18 times Salary. Members who participate in GTLI pay a .25% monthly premium.  The Salary used to calculate GTLI freezes at age 60 and the benefit starts reducing by .5% per month up to age 65, when the benefit is 70% of the age 60 amount. At retirement, 70% of the original value is retained, with further reduction or monthly premiums. There is no cash value on this benefit.

Membership Date

Most recent date of plan membership.

Pension Death Benefit

Upon the death of a Member with 10 or more years of Spousal Coverage, the Spouse, or designated Non-Spouse beneficiary, will receive a monthly benefit for life. For Members with at least 10 years of Creditable Service, who joined JRS on or after July 1, 2012 and have a surviving Spouse, the Spouse will receive a monthly benefit for life. In all other cases, the designated beneficiary will receive a refund of the Employee Contribution Account.

Pension ID

The unique code which identifies a Member’s record in the ERSGA system.

Retirement Benefits

Retirement is available at age 60 with 10 or more years of Creditable Service. With 16 or more years of service, the benefit is determined as 66.66% of Benefit Salary, plus an additional 1% of Benefit Salary for each year of service between 16 and 24 years. With less than 16 years, the b­­enefit is equal to 66.66% of Benefit Salary times Creditable Service divided by 16.

Salary

Earnable Compensation plus Employer Pickup, if any. The monthly Salary used for benefit calculations differs by position. For Superior Court Judges and District Attorneys, it is the state paid Salary at retirement. For all others, it is the member’s average Salary during the 24 consecutive months of Creditable Service producing the highest average.

Spousal Coverage

Members who joined JRS prior to July 1, 2012 may elect Spousal Coverage. The member may elect to contribute toward Spousal Coverage within 90 days of first becoming a member of JRS, or within 90 days of marriage or re-marriage while a member of JRS. Spousal contributions are 2.5% of monthly Earnable Compensation and are contributed for a maximum of 16 years. Upon the death of a member who has at least 10 years of Spousal Service, the Spouse or Non-Spouse beneficiary will receive a monthly annuity payable for life. 

Termination Benefit

For termination with less than 10 years of Vesting Service, a refund of the Employee Contribution Account is payable and no lifetime benefit is provided.

Vesting Service

Vesting Service is equal to your Creditable Service less any ERS non-vesting service.

Vesting Status

Vesting is achieved at 10 years of Vesting Service, and provides an irrevocable right to a monthly benefit at retirement. Leaving JRS before 10 years of Vesting Service results in a refund of the Employee Contribution Account only, and no monthly benefit is provided.