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Total Pension Service Credit:
You receive one month of service credit for each month you make a full pension contribution. Pension service credit is posted to your account on a quarterly basis. Authorized purchases of additional pension service credit permitted under the retirement system are included.
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Chapter 8 – 25 Year Date:
The date that you attained 25 years of pension service credit. This date determines eligibility for any employer/State-paid or shared-cost health benefits coverage in retirement. Under Chapter 8, P.L. 1996, most employees who attain 25 years on or after July 1, 1997, share some portion of post-retirement health benefit costs with the State or employer — as determined by union contract or bargaining unit agreements.
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Chapter 8 – Bargaining Unit:
The labor union or bargaining unit whose negotiated agreement was in effect as of your 25 year date. This agreement determines the employer/retiree share of your post-retirement health benefits costs.
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Chapter 78 – 20 Year Date:
State employees with 20 or more years of service credit as of June 28, 2011 (the effective date of Chapter 78, P.L. 2011) are grandfathered at a 1.5% contribution for post-retirement health benefit coverage — but must attain 25 years of pension service credit prior to retirement to qualify for any employer or State-paid contributions toward post-retirement health benefit costs.
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Membership Tiers:
Pension enrollment and retirement criteria vary based on your retirement system and enrollment date. These differences are referred to as “membership tiers.” Enrollment dates for the membership tiers of each retirement system are listed below.
PERS and TPAF Membership Tiers
- Membership Tier 1 — PERS or TPAF members who were enrolled prior to July 1, 2007.
- Membership Tier 2 — PERS or TPAF members enrolled on or after July 1, 2007 and prior to November 2, 2008.
- Membership Tier 3 — PERS or TPAF members enrolled on or after November 2, 2008 and on or before May 21, 2010.
- Membership Tier 4 — PERS or TPAF members enrolled after May 21, 2010 and before June 28, 2011.
- Membership Tier 5 — PERS or TPAF members enrolled on or after June 28, 2011.
PFRS Membership Tiers
- Membership Tier 1 — PFRS members who were enrolled on or before May 21, 2010.
- Membership Tier 2 — PFRS members enrolled after May 21, 2010 and on or before June 28, 2011.
- Membership Tier 3 — PFRS members enrolled after June 28, 2011.
SPRS Membership Tiers
- Membership Tier 1 — SPRS members who were enrolled on or before May 21, 2010.
- Membership Tier 2 — SPRS members enrolled after May 21, 2010.
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Group Life Insurance Benefits:
Group life insurance benefits vary based on your retirement system. Group life insurance details for each retirement system are listed below.
PERS Group Life Insurance
Active employees in the PERS may be covered by two types of group life insurance: Noncontributory Group Life Insurance provided by your employer and Contributory Group Life Insurance for which you pay.
Upon the death of an active member with both the noncontributory and contributory coverage, the insurance benefit paid to your beneficiary(ies) is 3 x your salary — 1½ x for noncontributory insurance and 1½ x for contributory insurance.
TPAF Group Life Insurance
Active employees in the TPAF may be covered by two types of group life insurance: Noncontributory Group Life Insurance provided by your employer and Contributory Group Life Insurance for which you pay.
Upon the death of an active member with both the noncontributory and contributory coverage, the insurance benefit paid to your beneficiary(ies) is 3½ x your salary — 1½ x for noncontributory insurance and 2 x for contributory insurance.
PFRS Group Life Insurance
Group Life Insurance coverage is provided by your employer. Upon the death of an active PFRS member, the insurance benefit paid to your beneficiary(ies) is 3½ x your base salary upon which your pension contributions were made during the preceding year.
SPRS Group Life Insurance
Group Life Insurance coverage is provided by your employer. Upon the death of an active SPRS member the insurance benefit paid to your beneficiary(ies) is 3½ x your Final Compensation during the preceding year. For more information see the Death Benefits for SPRS Members Fact Sheet.
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Estimated Benefits:
The Personal Benefit Statement uses a standard estimate type all members. However, your benefits can vary based on other types of retirement for which you may qualify. Estimated benefit details for each retirement system are listed below.
PERS and TPAF Retirement
A Service Retirement benefit is estimated for all PERS and TPAF members. (If you are under the Service Retirement age of 60, 62, or 65 we have assumed that you will continue covered employment to that age. If you are over the Service Retirement age your actual age is used. No minimum amount of service credit is required.) If you are a veteran you may qualify for higher benefits under a Veteran Retirement.
For complete information about PERS and TPAF retirement types, eligibility, and benefit calculations see the fact sheets linked below.
PFRS Retirement
A Special Retirement benefit is estimated for all PFRS members. (25 years of service credit regardless of your age. Your actual service credit is used if it is currently over 25 years).
For complete information about PFRS retirement types, eligibility, and benefit calculations see the fact sheets linked below.
SPRS Retirement
A Special Retirement benefit is estimated for all SPRS members. (25 years of service credit regardless of your age. Your actual service credit is used if it is currently over 25 years).
For complete information about SPRS retirement types, eligibility, and benefit calculations see the fact sheets linked below.
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Proof of Age on File with the New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits:
Before retirement benefits can be paid, the NJDPB must have acceptable proof of your age. The following documents are acceptable:
- Birth Certificate (with visible seal)
- Passport
- U.S. Passport Card
- Current digital New Jersey driver's license or non-driver identification card
- Current digital Pennsylvania or New York driver's license
- Naturalization or Immigration Papers
Send a photocopy of your proof of age document – do not send original documents as they cannot be returned.
Be sure to write your pension membership number on the photocopy — and include your current name if the proof of age document is in a maiden name, etc.
- For the fastest processing, you can upload a copy of your proof of age document using the Online Document Submission application in MBOS. When using the application, you will see onscreen confirmation when your upload is complete and available for review by the NJDPB. For more information, click the "MBOS User Guide" button on your MBOS homepage.
- Or you can mail a photocopy of your proof of age document to:
New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
P.O. Box 295
Trenton, NJ 08625-0295
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Veteran Status for PERS or TPAF:
If this item is marked “No” and you are a military veteran, you should submit a copy of your discharge papers (Form DD214) to determine if you qualify for Veteran status to:
NJ Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
ATTN: DVP-VBB
P.O. Box 340
Trenton, NJ 08625-0340
Qualified military veterans may be entitled to special retirement benefits.
For additional information see the Veteran Status Fact Sheet.
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Other Benefits:
- New Jersey State Employees Deferred Compensation Program (NJSEDCP) provides an opportunity to voluntarily shelter a portion of your wages from federal income taxes while saving for retirement to supplement your Social Security and pension benefits. Under the Plan, federal income tax is not due on deferred amounts or accumulated earnings until you receive a distribution (payment) from your account.
For additional information see the Deferred Compensation — NJSEDCP Fact Sheet.
- Supplemental Annuity Collective Trust of New Jersey (SACT) is a voluntary investment program that provides retirement income separate from, and in addition to, your basic pension plan. Your contributions are invested conservatively in the stock market. The program consists of two separate plans, the SACT-Regular Plan and the SACT-Tax-Sheltered Plan (IRC Section 403(b)).
For additional information see The Supplemental Annuity Collective Trust Fact Sheet.
- Alternate Benefit Program (ABP) is a tax-sheltered, defined contribution retirement program for higher education faculty and certain administrators. The ABP provides retirement benefits, life insurance and disability coverage for full-time and adjunct faculty, part-time instructors, officers, visiting professors, and certain professional administrative staff required to possess a college degree or its equivalent participate in the ABP.
For additional information see Alternate Benefit Program Fact Sheet.
- Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) provides eligible members with a tax-sheltered, defined contribution retirement benefit, along with life insurance and disability coverage for PERS, TPAF, PFRS, and SPRS Members.
For additional information see the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) Enrollment Due to Maximum Compensation Limits Fact Sheet.
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State Police Retirement System — Final Compensation:
SPRS retirement benefits are calculated using "Final Compensation" — which is the salary upon which pension contributions were based plus the value of the maintenance allowance for the same period.
- For a SPRS Tier 1 member enrolled on or before May 21, 2010, Final Compensation uses the salary upon which pension contributions were based in the last 12 months of creditable service preceding retirement.
- For a SPRS Tier 2 member enrolled after May 21, 2010, Final Compensation uses the average salary upon which pension contributions were based for any three fiscal years (July-June) of membership that provides the largest possible benefit.
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