You do not have to wait until age 70 to retire. If you are vested when you leave state employment (five years of credited service for most members), you are eligible for a future pension benefit from MOSERS. Once you first meet retirement age and service requirements (see below) and complete the retirement process, you will receive monthly pension payments for your lifetime. Members are not required to have age and service equal 80  (or 90 for MSEP 2011) if they meet another set of age and service requirements first. For example, if a member of MSEP left state employment at age 48 with 18 years of service, they would reach normal retirement under MSEP at age 60 or under MSEP 2000 at age 62. A member of MSEP 2011 would reach normal retirement age at 67. The “Rule of 80” (or “Rule of 90” in MSEP 2011) simply allows some members with a lot of service to reach normal retirement age sooner than they otherwise would. 

Keep in mind that the longer you work, the higher your monthly pension payment will be. Leaving state employment prior to normal retirement would change the assumptions used and the projected benefit amounts on any previous benefit estimates you may have received because you would have less credited service than previously assumed. 

If you have any other questions please contact a MOSERS benefit counselor.

RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY  REQUIREMENTS:

MSEP Members

• Age 65 + 5 years of service or
• Age 60 + 15 years of service or
• “Rule of 80” – (at least age 48) when age + years of service = 80 or more
  

MSEP 2000 Members

• Age 62 + 5 years of service or
• “Rule of 80” – (at least age 48) when age + years of service = 80 or more
  

MSEP 2011 Members

• Age 67 + 5 years of service or
• “Rule of 90” – (at least age 55) when age + years of service = 90 or more at time of termination