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San Mateo County Employees' Retirement Association
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Are you getting ready to retire?
There are some important things inactive members should know about retirement

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Learn more about your COLA
Get this year's cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), plus find out how COLA is calculated

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Get an accurate retirement benefits estimate
Login to MySamCERA for the most accurate look at your future pension

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Service Purchases

Overview

Services Purchases

In some cases, you may  be eligible to purchase, upgrade, or redeposit service credit which will add to your retirement benefit. 

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Service Purchases

Your SamCERA service credit is one of the factors used to determine your SamCERA retirement benefit. While you are an active member of SamCERA, you may be eligible to increase your benefit by:

  • Purchasing uncredited service credit (such as Extra Help, Medical Leave, Military Leave, etc.)
  • Upgrading service credit (such as General Member Plan 3 or Plan 5 service credit)
  • Redepositing service credit (due to a previous withdrawal of your SamCERA contributions)  
Announcement

2025 Service Purchase Schedule
There are two separate periods of time during 2025 to make service purchases.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible to purchase service credit that can count toward your total years of service and may increase your retirement benefit. 

Purchase Request forms may be submitted for the purchase of Extra Help time, Plan 3 and Plan 5 service upgrades, certain military leave, unpaid sick leave, and parental leave. Returning SamCERA members can also make a Purchase Request for a redeposit of withdrawn funds. 

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