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    PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM (PSERS)

    Becoming Vested

    ​PSERS Defined Benefit (DB) Plan

    Becoming vested in PSERS DB Plan means you are eligible for a monthly retirement benefit after termination of employment. Your membership class determines vesting for the PSERS DB Plan as follows:

    ClassVesting Requirements (You must meet one of the following to be vested)

    T-C*

    T-D

    • You have at least five years of service with at least one year of qualifying service rendered
    • You are age 62 or older at termination of employment with at least one year of qualifying service

    T-E

    T-F

    • You have at least 10 years of qualifying service
    • You are age 65 or older at termination of employment with at least three years of service

    T-G

    T-H

    • You have at least 10 years of qualifying service
    • You are age 67 or older at termination of employment with at least three years of service

    *Special conditions may apply for those who terminated active PSERS-covered employment on or prior to July 1, 2001. Contact PSERS for more information.

    PSERS Defined Contribution (DC) Plan

    You have access to your DC contributions and earnings, if any, upon terminating public school employment.  You will always be 100% vested in, and eligible to receive, the balance in your PSERS DC Plan account that is attributable to your DC participant contributions, your after-tax voluntary contributions, and your rollover contributions.  To be vested and eligible to receive your employer's DC contributions in your PSERS DC Plan account and the earnings on those contributions, if any, after termination of employment, you must earn three eligibility points.  A participant earns one eligibility point for each fiscal year in which the participant contributes to the PSERS DC Plan.

    If you are not vested in your employer's contributions, such contributions and earnings, if any, will be forfeited permanently on the earlier of: (1) the first day of the fiscal year next following two consecutive fiscal years during which you were not an active participant; (2) when a distribution of any amount in your PSERS DC Plan account is made; or (3) your death.

    Because of longer vesting requirements for the DB plan, Class T-G, and Class T-H participants may vest in the PSERS DC Plan sooner than in the PSERS DB Plan.