The vesting and benefit provisions are set by N.J.S.A. 43:15A. PERS provides retirement, death and disability benefits. All benefits vest after ten years of service, except for medical benefits, which vest after 25 years of service or under the disability provisions of PERS.

The following represents the membership tiers for PERS:

Tier Definition 1 Members who were enrolled prior to July 1, 2007 2 Members who were eligible to enroll on or after July 1, 2007 and prior to November 2, 2008 3 Members who were eligible to enroll on or after November 2, 2008 and prior to May 22, 2010 4 Members who were eligible to enroll on or after May 22, 2010 and prior to June 28, 2011 5 Members who were eligible to enroll on or after June 28, 2011

Service retirement benefits of 1/55th of final average salary for each year of service credit is available to tiers 1 and 2 members upon reaching age 60 and to tier 3 members upon reaching age 62. Service retirement benefits of 1/60th of final average salary for each year of service credit is available to tier 4 members upon reaching age 62 and tier 5 members upon reaching age 65. Early retirement benefits are available to tiers 1 and 2 members before reaching age 60, tiers 3 and 4 with 25 or more years of service credit before age 62 and tier 5 with 30 or more years of service credit before age 65. Benefits are reduced by a fraction of a percent for each month that a member retires prior to the age at which a member can receive full early retirement benefits in accordance with their respective tier. Tier 1 members can receive an unreduced benefit from age 55 to age 60 if they have at least 25 years of service. Deferred retirement is available to members who have at least 10 years of service credit and have not reached the service retirement age for the respective tier.

Basis of Presentation - The schedules of employer allocations and the schedules of pension amounts by employer (collectively, the Schedules) present amounts that are considered elements of the financial statements of PERS or its participating employers. Accordingly, they do not purport to be a complete presentation of the financial position or changes in financial position of PERS or the participating employers. The accompanying Schedules were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Such preparation requires management of PERS to make a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reported amounts. Due to the inherent nature of these estimates, actual results could differ from those estimates.

Contributions - The contribution policy for PERS is set by N.J.S.A. 43:15A and requires contributions by active members and contributing employers. State legislation has modified the amount that is contributed by the State. The State's pension contribution is based on an actuarially determined amount, which includes the employer portion of the normal cost and an amortization of the unfunded accrued liability. Funding for noncontributory group insurance benefits is based on actual claims paid. For the fiscal year 2017, the State's pension contribution was less than the actuarial determined amount. The local employers' contribution amounts are based on an actuarially determined rate, which includes the normal cost and unfunded accrued liability. Chapter 19, P.L. 2009 provided an option for local employers of PERS to contribute 50% of the normal and accrued liability contribution amounts certified for payments due in State fiscal year 2009. Such employers will be credited with the full payment and any such amounts will not be included in their unfunded liability. The actuaries will determine the unfunded liability of those retirement systems, by employer, for the reduced normal and accrued liability.

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