Retirement
Your retirement allowance is the most valuable benefit that you have from the Plan. To receive a retirement allowance, you must meet the minimum qualifications for your tier.
Retirements are always effective on the first day of the month.
Your Application for Retirement begins in your Division. Let your supervisor know 60 or more days before the date you want to retire. Your Division’s administrative staff will type your application on Department letterhead. After you and your Division Director sign the letter, your Division is responsible for delivering the application to the Retirement Plan Office, John Ferraro Building (JFB), Room 357, no less than 30 calendar days prior to your retirement date. Thirty days prior is mandatory per the City Charter; the Retirement Plan Office cannot accept a late application.
In addition to the Application for Retirement, you should complete the Personal Data Sheet for Retirees. Please deliver the “Personal Data Sheet” directly to the Retirement Plan Office. You should not submit this form to your Division as it contains personal sensitive information.
To learn more on how to prepare for retirement, different programs to enhance your benefit, and the retirement process, we have developed several training tools to guide you. Be sure to review our instructor led or self-guided training videos.
Retirement Application Deadlines
[Top]| 2025 Retirement Deadlines | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Retirement Date | Last Day to Apply | Last Day to Withdraw | Last Day toChange Option |
| January 1, 2025 | December 2, 2024 | December 26, 2024** | January 10, 2025 |
| February 1, 2025 | January 2, 2025 | January 27, 2025** | February 10, 2025 |
| March 1, 2025 | January 30, 2025 | February 24, 2025** | March 10, 2025 |
| April 1, 2025 | February 28, 2025* | March 25, 2025 | April 10, 2025 |
| May 1, 2025 | April 1, 2025 | April 24, 2025 | May 12, 2025** |
| June 1, 2025 | May 2, 2025 | May 27, 2025** | June 10, 2025 |
| July 1, 2025 | May 30, 2025* | June 24, 2025 | July 10, 2025 |
| August 1, 2025 | July 2, 2025 | July 25, 2025 | August 11, 2025** |
| September 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025* | August 25, 2025 | September 10, 2025 |
| October 1, 2025 | August 29, 2025* | September 24, 2025 | October 10, 2025 |
| November 1, 2025 | October 2, 2025 | October 27, 2025** | November 10, 2025 |
| December 1, 2025 | October 31, 2025* | November 24, 2025 | December 10, 2025 |
| January 1, 2026 | December 2, 2025 | December 26, 2025** | January 12, 2026** |
| * Earlier due to weekend and/or holiday. Charter § 1184; Plan §§ II E (1), VII F 9 (2), VII G (1). ** Extended due to weekend and/or holiday pursuant to CCP §§ 12a and 12b. | |||
Retirement Counseling
[Top]Approximately 10 to 14 days before your selected retirement date, the Retirement Plan Office will send a letter to your home address. The letter will show how much money you can expect per month under each of the available options. Review the letter carefully and select the Option that is best for you. If you need help understanding the Options, please call the Retirement Counselor whose name and phone number are on the letter. Your counselor will review the information with you and schedule an appointment for your personal counseling session in our office. Your Eligible Spouse/Domestic Partner is encouraged to attend the appointment with you. At your counseling appointment, we will review the following:
- Birth certificates, marriage certificate, domestic partnership registration, when applicable
- Retirement formula
- Contract for your selected option (default Option Full, if none selected)
- Beneficiary designation form
- Re-employment after retirement acknowledgment form
- Electronic direct deposit form
- Federal and California tax withholding forms
- Vacation and Accumulated Time Off claim forms (Processed by Paymaster)
- Health Plans enrollment form (Processed by Health Plans Office)
- Divorce, when applicable
Required Documents for Your Retirement
[Top]An original or certified copy of your birth certificate, your Eligible Spouse/Domestic Partner’s birth certificate and your marriage certificate or your domestic partnership registration form will be required prior to your retirement. If you bring these forms to your counseling session, we will photocopy these documents and return the originals to you.
If you are divorced, we may request a copy of your divorce papers to determine if your former spouse has a community property interest in your retirement allowance. For more information on divorces, please see our Guide to Divorce.
Canceling Your Retirement Application
[Top]You may cancel your request to retire after it has been received by the Retirement Plan Office by sending a Withdrawal letter, which must be received and date stamped in our office no less than 7 calendar days prior to your retirement date.
If you are under age 60, your request for Withdrawal of Application must be routed through your Division and approved by your Division Director.