ERS: How and When to Retire
When can I retire?

Post

Normal Retirement:

  • With 10 years of service you are vested. You are eligible to receive benefits upon reaching age 60.
  • Once you reach 30 years of service or age 60, you are eligible for an immediate benefit without penalties.
  • If you are an Old Plan Member, you are eligible for extended benefits with 34 years of service.

Early Retirement

  • If you are under age 60 and have reached 25 years of service, you are eligible for an immediate benefit with reduction.

Disability Retirement:

New Plan Members are eligible for disability retirement benefits after 13 years and 4 months of service, and GSEPS Members after 15 years of service, provided that you have not reached age 60. If your Membership Date is before July 1, 2007, your potential benefits are increased with additional service. Significant increases occur upon reaching:

  • 18 years and 1 month of service,
  • 22 years and 10 months of service, and
  • 27 years and 7 months of service

Law Enforcement: 

Please contact our office for details.

How Do I Retire?

We strive to make your future retirement as pleasant as possible.

  • Members who are retiring as a service retirement, have already chosen a retirement date, and have a recent estimate, should apply online by using the Log In button at the top of this page. Once logged into the secure desktop, click the apply for retirement option. The online application contains retirement information as well as all the necessary ERS forms. 
  • All other members who are not applying for an ERS service retirement should request a paper retirement application. 
  • ERSGA cannot accept the retirement application more than 90 days prior to the retirement date, and it must be in our office at least 30 days before the retirement date to process on a timely basis. The application is considered filed only when ERSGA has received it.
  • Retirement always begins on the first of a month. The first retirement payment is direct deposited on the last working day of your initial payroll month. 

For information about continuing your State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) in retirement, visit the SHBP website.

For information about continuing your Dental Insurance in retirement, contact the GaBreeze Benefit Center at 1.877.342.7339 weekdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, EST.

WRAP and Scheduling an Appointment with an Analyst

Retiring soon? Then plan to view our WRAP (Workshop for Retirement Answers and Preparation) presentations online for the most comprehensive examination of your retirement benefits. WRAP was designed specifically for anyone within three months of retiring and brings together information from ERS, Peach State Reserves, Flexible Benefits and SHBP. 

In many instances, a phone consultation with a counselor will take care of your questions.While individual phone appointments can be scheduled, viewing the WRAP presentations is to your advantage in order have the information you need before your appointment.

Office hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. To make sure that you have adequate time to discuss your requirements with a member of our staff, phone appointments will not be scheduled after 4:00 pm.