A lifetime benefit for your years of service
What is the greatest reward you can receive for your years of dedication and service? It’s the promise of a safe, secure and comfortable retirement.
As a MERS Defined Benefit Plan retiree, you join more than 28,000 retirees who are enjoying a lifetime benefit from their employers.
How it works
It’s important to understand, with a MERS Defined Benefit Plan, your benefit doesn’t fluctuate due to investment gains or losses in the market. Your pension is calculated using the benefit formula.
Direct deposit payments are made on the 18th of each month. If the 18th falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment will be sent electronically to your financial institution the business day before. If you still receive a paper check, it will be mailed 2-3 business days before the check date.
Want to learn more? Click the links below for more information about your MERS Defined Benefit Plan.
- Publications
- You’ll receive quarterly statements detailing your retirement account.
- You’ll also receive the Retiree News, a quarterly newsletter full of important information about MERS, your benefits, and the issues affecting you.
- You can also log into your account at mymers.mersofmich.com to find up-to-the-minute information about your MERS retirement at any time.
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Forms
- Calculators
- Service Center
- Our Service Center offers friendly, knowledgeable, over-the-phone assistance for a wide variety of benefit questions and issues. Service Center staff is available during business hours at 800.767.2308.
Paydates
Direct deposit payments are made on the 18th of each month. If the 18th falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment will be sent electronically to your financial institution the business day before. If you still receive a paper check, it will be mailed 2-3 business days before the check date.
Working in Retirement
If you retire and later decide to return to the workplace, your pension benefits can be affected under certain conditions. There are no restrictions if you are hired anywhere other than the municipality you retired from.
If you rehire at the municipality you retired from, certain rules apply:
- You must not have pre-arranged or discussed returning to work with your municipality before you retired or before the 30-day break has ended. This violates IRS rules.
- For non-elected positions, you can work a maximum of 720 hours at your previous municipality while collecting a pension.
- For elected positions, you must have a two-year lapse of employment from your effective retirement date.
Taxability of MERS Benefits
Federal income tax, and under certain conditions, state tax is required on your MERS pension, with the exception of any post-tax employee contributions you may have made.
You choose how you want your taxes to be withheld at the time of your first payment. You may change your tax choice at any time. Please see the Pension Recipient’s Federal Income Tax Withholding Authorization (Form 31).
Getting Ready For Retirement?
Make sure you’re prepared! Click here to view the MERS Retirement Readiness Checklist, or contact us to have a retirement packet sent to you.
Retirement Readiness Checklist Samples
Retirement Forms