A general state employee who retires directly from active service will receive their first COLA on the anniversary month of their retirement. So, if you retire in August of 2022, you will receive your first COLA in August of 2023. The amount of the COLA for the calendar year is calculated each year in January.  

COLAs are payable on the anniversary of your retirement date except for:

• Retirees who converted from MSEP to MSEP 2000 during the conversion window in 2000 will have COLAs payable in July.
• Retirees who elected a BackDROP will have COLAs payable on the anniversary of their BackDROP date.
• Terminated-vested members of the MSEP 2011 will receive their first COLA on the second anniversary of their retirement (rather than the first anniversary).

We will send you a notice, either in the mail or in your MOSERS Document Express online mailbox, during the month when you get your COLA.

*If you retired under MSEP, and were hired before August 28, 1997, your COLA may be different. See “What is the COLA cap?”

Please see the COLA page on our website for additional information.