KCERA provides the following benefit tiers and formulas to its members:

• General Tier 1. Members hired prior to October 27, 2007 (and to rehired members who left their contributions in KCERA and returned to the same employer).
  Under Government Code Section 31676.17, this tier is known as “3% at 60,” which means that a general member retiring at age 60 will receive 3% of his final average compensation* for every year of retirement service credit accrued. 
   
• General Tier 2. Members hired between October 27, 2007 and December 31, 2012 (and to rehired members who left their contributions in KCERA and returned to the same employer).
  Under Government Code Section 31676.01, this tier is known as “1.62% at 65,” which means that a general member retiring at age 65 will receive 1.62% of his final average compensation* for every year of retirement service credit accrued.
   
• General Tier 2 – PEPRA. Generally, this tier applies to “new members” who joined KCERA on or after January 1, 2013.
  Under Government Code Section 31676.01, this tier is known as “1.62% at 65,” which means that a general member retiring at age 65 will receive 1.62% of his final average compensation* for every year of retirement service credit accrued.
   
• General Tier 3 – PEPRA. This tier only applies to employees of the Westside Recreation and Park District who joined KCERA on or after January 1, 2013.
  Under Government Code Section 7522.18, this tier is known as “2.5% at 67,” which means that a general member retiring at age 67 will receive 2.5% of his final average compensation* for every year of retirement service credit accrued.
   
• Safety Tier 1. This tier applies to members hired prior to March 27, 2012 (and to rehired members who left their contributions in KCERA and returned to the same employer).
  Under Government Code Section 31664.1, this tier is known as “3% at 50,” which means that a safety member retiring at age 50 will receive 3% of his final average compensation* for every year of retirement service credit accrued.
   
• Safety Tier 2. This tier applies to members hired between March 27, 2012 and December 31, 2012 (and to rehired members who left their contributions in KCERA and returned to the same employer).
  Under Government Code Section 31664, this tier is known as “2% at 50,” which means that a safety member retiring at age 50 will receive 2% of his final average compensation* for every year of retirement service credit accrued. However, a safety member who retires at age 55 will receive 2.62%of his final average compensation for every year of retirement service credit accrued.
   
• Safety Tier 2 – PEPRA. Generally, this tier applies to “new members” who joined KCERA on or after January 1, 2013.
  Under Government Code Section 31664, this tier is known as “2% at 50,” which means that a safety member retiring at age 50 will receive 2% of his final average compensation* for every year of retirement service credit accrued. However, a safety member who retires at age 55 will receive 2.62%of his final average compensation for every year of retirement service credit accrued.

(* For members integrated with Social Security, which includes employees of the county and most special districts, “final average compensation” (FAC) is reduced by a Social Security integration factor of $116.67. In addition, the FAC of non-PEPRA members equals their highest 12 consecutive months of “compensation earnable,” which includes eligible special pays. The FAC of PEPRA members equals their highest 36 consecutive months of “pensionable compensation,” which includes eligible special pays.)