Retirement and Pension System Board of Trustees
The Anne Arundel County Retirement and Pension System Board of Trustees is responsible for the management and proper operation of the retirement and pension system. The Board has the power to do all that it considers necessary and to exercise any and all powers under Article 5 of the Anne Arundel Code with respect to the management of the system.
County Pension Plans
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where can I get information about my retirement account?
A. You can call the Pension Section at (410) 222-7400 and speak to a staff member or to schedule an appointment to discuss your retirement benefits.
Q. When will I be eligible to retire?
A. Each plan is different:
- EMPLOYEES’ PLAN: Normal retirement is age 60 with completion of actual plan service plus transferred service totaling 5 years or the completion of actual plan service, transferred service and accrued disability leave totaling 30 years. Early retirement is age 50 with 20 years of credited service.
- DETENTION OFFICERS’ & DEPUTY SHERIFFS’ PLAN: For Category I employees, normal retirement is age 50 with the completion of actual plan service plus transferred service totaling 5 years or the completion of actual plan service, transferred service and accrued disability leave service totaling 20 years. For Category II employees, normal retirement is age 50 with the completion of actual plan service plus transferred service totaling 5 years. Category II employees may retire early so long as he has 20 years of credited service.
- POLICE PLAN: Normal retirement is actual plan service plus disability leave totaling 20 years or age 50 with the completion of 5 years of actual plan service.
- FIRE PLAN: Normal retirement is actual plan service plus disability leave totaling 20 years or age 50 with the completion of 5 years of actual plan service.
Q. May I retire before or after the normal retirement date?
A. Yes, you may retire before your normal retirement date provided you are eligible for early or disability retirement.
Q. Who should I notify once I have decided to retire from Anne Arundel County Government?
A. You should notify your immediate Supervisor of your intention to retire in a timely manner. You should contact the Pension Section at (410) 222-7400 to schedule a counseling session. The Pension Section will notify your Department of your retirement only after you have submitted a ‘Retirement Application’. You may contact your local Social Security Administration Office to find out what benefits you are eligible for or to enroll in Medicate if applicable. You may contact Social Security at (800) 722-1213 for more information or to find the office nearest you.
Q. What are my member contributions under the plan?
A. Contributions vary by plan:
EMPLOYEES’ PLAN: Your member contribution is 4% for Tier 1 Employees. Tier 2 is a non-contributory plan and employees do not make contributions.
DETENTION OFFICERS’ AND DEPUTY SHERIFFS PLAN: Your member contribution is 6.75%.
POLICE SERVICE PLAN: Under the current law your member contribution is 7.25%.
FIRE SERVICE PLAN: Under the current law your member contribution is 7.25%.
DETENTION OFFICERS’ AND DEPUTY SHERIFFS PLAN: Your member contribution is 6.75%.
POLICE SERVICE PLAN: Under the current law your member contribution is 7.25%.
FIRE SERVICE PLAN: Under the current law your member contribution is 7.25%.
Q. How is pension service calculated and credited?
A. Pension benefits are calculated based on a formula which is the plan percentage rate multiplied by your final average basic pay (FABP) multiplied by the number of years of credited service (CS). CS includes continuous employment with the County, purchased or eligible transferred service with the State of Maryland or a political subdivision of the State, pre-plan military service (up to 36 months) and current disability leave balance at the time of your retirement. Absence from employment for active duty military service may also be counted as creditable service (In-Plan military service). Disability leave will be counted as service with the County on the bases of 22 days being the equivalent of one month service and any remainder amount of days numbering at least 11 days less than 22 days counted a one full month. Disability leave hours that equal one day are based on your scheduled hours per day at the date of retirement.
EMPLOYEE PLAN FORMULA:
Tier 1: 2% x FABP x CS to a maximum of 60%, plus 2% of FABP for eligible disability leave service and credited pre-plan military service (up to 3 years);
Tier 2: 1% x FABP x CS. There is no maximum percentage of the FABP.
DETENTION OFFICERS’ AND DEPUTY SHERIFFS, POLICE & FIRE PLAN FORMULA:
2 ½% x FABP x CS (1st 20 years), plus 2% x FABP x CS (not to exceed 10 years) to a maximum of 70%. You may receive more than 70% for unused disability leave and a maximum of 3 years military credit.
Q. What happens to my annual leave?
A. If eligible, you will be paid for any unused annual leave balance. Your payment will normally be paid two weeks after your final paycheck.
Q. What happens to my compensatory leave?
A. Please refer to Article 8, Section 1-207 of the Anne Arundel County Code and Section H-7 of the Employee Relations Manual for the policy and procedure.
Q. What are my pension payment options?
A. There are four pension payment options under the Employees’ Plan:
- Modified Cash Refund Option: This option gives you lifetime monthly pension payments. At your death, if the total benefits you received do not equal your total retirement contributions plus accrued interest through your date of retirement, the difference will be paid to your beneficiary in a lump sum. This is the normal form of payment of a participant of the Employees’ Plan.
- Joint & Survivor Option: This option gives you a reduced monthly benefit to provide a lifetime guarantee to ONE joint annuitant (your spouse or minor child). Payments are guaranteed to you for life. At your death, your joint annuitant will receive lifetime monthly payments in a pre-selected percentage, 100%, 80%, 66 2/3%, or 50% of your benefit.
- Joint & Survivor Pop-up Option: This option gives you a reduced monthly benefit to provide a lifetime benefit to your and ONE joint annuitant (your spouse or minor child). At your death, your joint annuitant will receive lifetime payments in a pre-selected percentage, 100%, 80%, 66 2/3%, or 50% of your benefit. If your joint annuitant should predecease you, your monthly pension benefit will ‘Pop-Up’ (increase) to the maximum allowance under the Modified Cash Refund Option.
- Social Security Adjustment Option: This option gives you a larger monthly benefit until Social Security Payments begin at age 62 and smaller payments thereafter. The intention is to provide you with a nearly level total income from both sources from date of retirement until death.
Your benefits are guaranteed for your lifetime, at your death, if the total benefits you received do not equal your total retirement contributions plus accrued interest through your date of retirement, the difference will be paid to your beneficiary in a lump sum.
Police Service & fire Service Plans: These public safety plan offer a single life annuity as the normal form of payment for unmarried participants with a five-year guarantee to the named beneficiary from the date of retirement. Married participants receive an unreduced 100% Joint & Survivor Option as the normal form of payment. - Detention Officers’ and Deputy Sheriffs’ Plan: This Plan offers a single life annuity as the normal form of payment with a five (5) year guarantee to the named beneficiary from the date of retirement. Under current law, married participants or single participants who have unmarried minor children, may elect a reduced 100%, 80%, 66 2/3%, or 50% Joint & Survivor option.
Q. Will my monthly pension amount change after I retire?
A. Yes. Each July eligible retirees will receive an annual cost-of Living Adjustment (COLA). The yearly adjustment is the average of the Consumer Price Index ending with March in the year of the adjustment divided by the 12-month average of the Consumer Price Index ending with March in the year preceding the adjustment. Police and fire Service Plan members retiring on or after April 1 and on or before July 1, will have no July adjustment the first year of retirement.
Additionally, approximately 30 – 60 days after retirement your benefit may be retroactively adjusted based on any change in your final salary or disability leave balance used to determine your benefits.
Employees Retirement Plan
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
If the plan has not terminated, benefits may be adjusted after retirement. When awarded, benefit adjustments due to COLA’s occur on July 1 each year. There are two different COLAsone is applied to benefits earned (accrued) prior to February 1, 1997, and the other is applied to benefits earned after January 31, 1997. COLA adjustments can be negative but your benefit cannot be less than your initial amount at the time of retirement.
COLA on pre-February 1, 1997 Benefit
The COLA adjustment generally equals the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from March of the year prior to the increase to March of the year of the increase. The COLA adjustment cannot exceed 3%. The percentage adjustment is applied to the initial benefit (simple increase) based on the pre-February 1, 1997, accrued benefit. The COLA adjustment is proportionately adjusted in the initial year of retirement. You will be provided with a statement indicating these amounts when you receive your first COLA.
Pre-employment active duty military service will count as part of your pre-February 1, 1997 benefit only if you were eligible for such credit prior to February 1, 1997. Generally this means that you must have five years of actual plan service prior to that date. In all other cases, pre-employment active duty military service will count toward your post-February 1, 1997 benefit.
COLA on post-January 31, 1997 Benefit
The COLA adjustment equals 60% of the increase/decrease in the CPI and cannot exceed 2.5%. The percentage adjustment is applied to the current benefit (compound increase) based on your post-January 31, 1997, accrued benefit.
Detention Officers' and Deputy Sheriffs' Retirement Plan
COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT (COLA)
If the plan has not terminated, benefits are adjusted after retirement. Benefit increases/decreases occur on July 1 every year. There are two different COLAs one is applied to benefits earned (accrued) prior to February 1, 1997, and the other is applied to benefits earned after January 31, 1997. These amounts are determined prior to the payment of the first COLA and are fixed for as long as COLA payments are made. COLA adjustments can be negative but your benefit cannot be less than your initial amount at the time of retirement.
COLA on Pre-February 1, 1997 Benefit
The COLA adjustment generally equals the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The COLA increase is limited to 4%. The percentage of the adjustment is compounded based on your pre-February 1, 1997, accrued benefit. The CPI change is proportionately adjusted in the initial year of retirement.
COLA on Post-January 31, 1997 Benefit
The COLA adjustment equals 60% of the increase/decrease in the CPI. There is a maximum increase of 2.5%. The percentage increase/decrease is applied to the current benefit (compound increase) based on your post-January 31, 1997, accrued benefit.
Fire Service Retirement Plan
COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT (COLA)
If the plan has not terminated, benefits are adjusted after retirement. Benefits adjustments occur on July 1st each year. There are two different types of COLA - one is applied to benefits earned prior to February 1, 1997, and the other is applied to benefits earned after January 31, 1997. COLA adjustments can be negative but your benefit cannot be less than your initial amount at the time of retirement.
COLA on Pre-February 1, 1997 benefit
The COLA adjustment generally equals the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The COLA adjustment is limited to 4%. The percentage change is compounded based on your pre-February 1, 1997 accrued benefit. The COLA adjustment is proportionally adjusted in the initial year of retirement. You must be retired by March 1st to be eligible for a July COLA adjustment during the first year.
COLA on Post-January 31, 1997 benefit
The COLA adjustment equals 60% of the increase/decrease in the CPI and cannot exceed 2.5%. The percentage adjustment is applied to the current benefit (compound increase) based on your post-January 31, 1997, accrued benefit. You must be retired (receiving payments) by January 1st to be eligible for a July COLA in the year you retire and the COLA adjustment is not prorated in the year you retire.
Police Service Retirement Plan
COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT (COLA)
If the plan has not terminated, benefits are adjusted after retirement. Benefit increases/decreases occur on July 1st every year. There are two different COLAs ¾ one is applied to benefits earned (accrued) prior to February 1, 1997, and the other is applied to benefits earned after January 31, 1997. Benefits earned prior to February 1, 1997 are based on your service and Final Average Basic Pay at February 1, 1997. COLA adjustments can be negative but your benefit can not be less than your initial amount at the time of retirement.
COLA on Pre-February 1, 1997, Benefit
The COLA adjustment generally equals the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The COLA increase is limited to 4%. The percentage adjustment is compounded based on your pre-February 1, 1997, accrued benefit. The COLA adjustment is proportionately adjusted in the initial year of retirement. You must be retired by March 1st to be eligible for a July COLA adjustment during your year of retirement.
COLA on Post-January 31, 1997, Benefit
The COLA adjustment equals 60% of the increase in the CPI. There is a maximum increase of 2.5%. The percentage adjustment is applied to the current benefit (compound increase) based on your post-January 31, 1997, accrued benefit. You must be retired (begun payments) by January 1st to be eligible for a July COLA adjustment during your year of retirement.
COLA Increases Over the Last Nine Years
Fire & Police Plans | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Pre Increase | Post Increase |
| 07/01/2016 | 0.39% | 0.50% |
| 07/01/2017 | 1.65% | 1.40% |
| 07/01/2018 | 2.01% | 1.40% |
| 07/01/2019 | 2.34% | 1.10% |
| 07/01/2020 | 1.92% | 0.90% |
| 07/01/2021 | 1.17% | 1.60% |
| 07/01/2022 | 4.00% | 2.50% |
| 07/01/2023 | 4.00% | 2.50% |
| 07/01/2024 | 4.00% | 2.1% |
Employees' Plan | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Pre Increase | Post Increase |
| 07/01/2016 | 0.90% | 0.50% |
| 07/01/2017 | 2.40% | 1.40% |
| 07/01/2018 | 2.40% | 1.40% |
| 07/01/2019 | 1.90% | 1.10% |
| 07/01/2020 | 1.50% | 0.90% |
| 07/01/2021 | 2.60% | 1.60% |
| 07/01/2022 | 3.00% | 2.50% |
| 07/01/2023 | 3.00% | 2.50% |
| 07/01/2024 | 3.00% | 2.1% |
Detention & Deputy Sheriffs' Plan | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Pre Increase | Post Increase |
| 07/01/2016 | 0.90% | 0.50% |
| 07/01/2017 | 2.40% | 1.40% |
| 07/01/2018 | 2.40% | 1.40% |
| 07/01/2019 | 1.90% | 1.10% |
| 07/01/2020 | 1.50% | 0.90% |
| 07/01/2021 | 2.60% | 1.60% |
| 07/01/2022 | 4.0% | 2.50% |
| 07/01/2023 | 4.0% | 2.50% |
| 07/01/2024 | 3.5% | 2.1% |
Disability retirement benefits provide valuable protection for participants who suffer serious injury or illness that permanently incapacitates them from performing their job. The following questions and answers are related to the disability retirement benefits available to participants of the County’s Retirement and Pension System. Please note that this provides general information; the complete disability retirement provisions are contained in Article 5 of the County Code. For more information on disability retirement, contact the Benefits Office at (410) 222-7400.
Q. What is disability retirement?
A. Disability retirement is a benefit of Anne Arundel County Government, which, after meeting certain threshold requirements, an employee can collect a portion of his or her salary if an illness or injury, prevents him or her from continuing work in a County job. Regular retirement provides retirement benefit payments if you reach certain service and/or age requirements, whereas disability retirement allows you to receive benefit payments if you become disabled, even if you haven’t yet reach retirement age or have enough service to qualify for normal retirement. There are two types of disability retirement available to participants of the County Retirement and Pension System:
- Service-Connected Disability Retirement is available if you become disabled die to a work related occupational illness or accidental injury which prevents you from working.
- Non-Service Connected Disability Retirement is available if you have a severe medical condition, not work-related, that prevents you from working.
Q. What qualifications do I have to meet to apply for disability retirement?
A. Your disability cannot result from or consist of:
- The participant currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs or narcotics
- A willful effort on the participant’s part to bring about injury or illness to the participant or another person, while the participant is sane or insane.
- The participant engaging in any illegal or criminal enterprise or activity
- Injuries incurred on the job while under the influence of alcohol
- Injuries incurred as a result of military service
Q. How do I apply for disability retirement?
A. You must submit a notarized Disability Retirement Application to the Office of Personnel prior to your separation from County service.
Q. How and when will I be notified if I am approved for a disability retirement?
A. The Personnel Officer will notify you by letter if your disability retirement has been approved or denied. Since decisions are made on a case-by-case basis the time it takes for your decision to be finalized may vary depending on your specific circumstances. If you are denied a disability retirement in a final decision by the Personnel Officer you can them appeal to the County Board of Appeals or request arbitration to resolve your case.
Q. What is a Service-connected Disability Retirement and how do I qualify?
A. Service-connected Disability Retirement may be granted if you sustained a work-related illness or injury, which prevents you from performing your regular job. Your illness or injury must be compensable under the State Workers’ Compensation Law and you must have a claim filed with the State Worker’s Compensation Commission. The County may require you to be examined by a physician to determine if your medical condition resulted from the performance of your regular occupation, whether you are totally and permanently disabled and that you are unable to continue performing the duties of your job or another job with the County (Employees’ Plan members) or with your department (Public Safety Plan members). Please note that if you elect to receive Workers’ Compensation Benefits in lieu of receiving pay from the County during any absence from employment due to a work-related illness or accident and you do not make required employee contributions to the retirement plan, you will be required to repay contributions not paid to the plan if you are approved for disability retirement.
Q. What is a Non-Service Disability Retirement and how do I qualify?
A. Non-Service Connected Disability Retirement may be granted if you are unable to perform the duties of your job or another job within the County (Employees’ Plan members) or within your department (Public Safety Plan members) because of a serious medical condition or illness that is not work-related. Employees Plan members must be approved for Social Security benefits prior to being approved for non-service connected disability retirement. The County may require you to be examined by a physician to determine if your medical condition prevents you from working in any County position. Additionally, you may be required to provide medical verification from your physician.
Q. If I've exhausted all of my sick and annual leave, can I go on leave without pay (LWOP) pending approval of my disability retirement?
A. A decision to grant LWOP is left to the discretion of the Appointing Authority. LWOP may be approved for up sixty days upon the approval of the Appointing Authority and the Personnel Officer. Your physician may have to provide a written response to questions in conjunction with absences which fall under the Family and Medical Leave Act and disability retirement. You should contact the County’s Fitness For Duty Coordinator at (410) 222-7595 if you have questions about leave of absences. Leave without pay is governed by Article 6, §1-304 of the County Code.
Q. Is it possible to be terminated as the result of sickness or injury?
A. Yes. If you are unable to perform the duties of your job, the County may terminate your employment under §808(a) of the County Charter. In this case you should contact the Benefits Office immediately to file a disability retirement application prior to your termination date. In some cases, if you have not received a final decision of your request for a disability retirement before your employment is terminated under 808(a), you will receive a final decision from the Personnel Officer after your separation from County employment.
Q. If I work after I am granted a disability retirement are my earnings from other employment limited?
A. If you are granted a disability retirement, you may be subject to an earnings limitation. Your monthly pension is subject to an adjustment or suspension if your annual pension benefit received during a calendar year when added together with employment earnings, if any, exceeds the current salary of a similarly classified position from which you retired. However, any offset will not be greater than your annual pension amount. You will be required to report employment earnings to the County annually and failure to do so may result in cessation of your retirement benefits. Prior to returning to work you should contact the Benefits Office to discuss any impact to your retirement benefits.
Q. How can I find out more information about disability retirement?
A. Contact a staff member in the Office of Personnel Benefits Office at (410) 222-7400 to discuss your specific circumstances or to request a disability retirement application.
Q. Can I transfer credited service earned from the State of Maryland or other local jurisdiction to Anne Arundel County Retirement Plan?
A. Yes, members of the Employees’ and the Detention Officers’ and Deputy Sheriffs’ Retirement Plans may apply for transferred service credit from the State of Maryland or another local jurisdiction in conjunction with Title 37 of the State Personnel and Pensions of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
Q. Who qualifies for transfer of credit?
A. To qualify for a transfer of credit you must:
- Submit a claim form within one year of employment with Anne Arundel County
- Be hired in a position that no longer allows participation in your former system
- No longer be permitted to accrue benefits in the previous system
- Begin employment immediately following termination of previous employment (no break between employment periods)
Q. What is the process, once I submit my request to transfer service?
A. First, we verify your prior service with your previous employer. When verification is received, the Benefits Office will send you a letter notifying you of the outcome of your request for transferred service.
Q. Will my transferred service be counted towards vesting in Anne Arundel County’s Retirement Plan?
A. Yes, transferred service counts towards vesting. However, your retirement benefits may be reduced if you work for Anne Arundel County for less than five years.
Q. Are there different types of service which can be transferred?
A. Yes, there are two types of service which can be transferred, non-contributory and contributory credited service. Plans which have contributory service require employee contributions; whereas, plans which have non-contributory service do not. Anne Arundel County’s Employees’ Retirement Plan has a contributory TIER 1 plan and a non-contributory TIER 2 plan. The Detention Officers’ and Deputy Sheriffs’ Plan is a contributory plan.
Q. If I wish to transfer combined service (contributory and non-contributory) how will this be handled?
A. If you are transferring contributory service into our contributory plan, a complete withdrawal of contributions and accrued interest you made in your previous system is required to be transferred into out plan. You must close your account with your previous employer, as you may receive service credit under both plans
If you are transferring contributory service into our non-contributory plan (TIER 2 of the Employees’ Retirement Plan), a complete withdrawal from your previous plan is required. You must close out your account and receive a refund of your contributions from the previous system. We will only accept your service; no transfer of funds from the prior system will be accepted into our non-contributory plan. You cannot receive credited service under both plans.
If you are transferring non-contributory service into our contributory plan, your non-contributory service will be reduced by the actuarial equivalent of the accumulated contributions that you would have made if this service had been contributory. You must close your account with the previous employer, as you cannot receive service credit under both plans.
If you are transferring service non-contributory service into our non-contributory plan (Tier 2 of the Employees’ Retirement Plan), it will be accepted as a non-contributory service and you will be required to close your account with the previous employer, as you cannot receive service credit under both plans.
Q. What would happen to my benefits if I retire shortly after I transfer my credited service?
A. If an individual retires within five years after transferring into a new system, the benefits payable with respect to the transferred service credit may not be greater than the benefits that would have been payable by the previous system. Therefore, if you retire prior to have five years of service with Anne Arundel County, your transferred service may be reduced to reflect the lesser of you prior plan’s or the County’s formula.
As a retiree from the County, it is important that you understand the consequences of reemployment after you retire. In some instances there may be a limitation as to what you may earn before it affects your pension benefit. In other instances there may be a restriction imposed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Reemployment with a County Government participating employer
Anne Arundel County policy requires that there be a minimum 30-day break in employment between the person’s date of retirement with the County and their subsequent date of re-hire. This break applies to ALL retired County employees regardless of their age at their date of retirement or employment classification upon re-hire.
Tax Consequences
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines prohibit distributions from a qualified pension plan to participants who are actively employed in either a full-time or part-time position with an employer covered by the plan. This prohibition extends to participants under the age of 59 ½ years who are re-employed after retirement without a bona fide break in service. The IRS may impose a 10% penalty on your retirement benefit if you violate the prohibition.
Consequently, you must be removed from the County payroll for at least 30 days before being reemployed by the County. Also, your decision to retire must not be conditioned upon an offer of re-employment. In fact, no offer of re-employment should be discussed by you and your employer prior to retirement.
If you are reemployed with an Anne Arundel County Government employer after you retire, certain types of employment are subject to an earnings limit and your retirement benefit may be reduced by $1.00 for every $2.00 you earn as an employee. Prior to accepting employment with the County, you should contact the Benefits Office to discuss any potential impact on your retirement allowance.
RETIREES FROM DROP ARE SUBJECT TO AN EARNINGS LIMITATION REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT ACCEPTED WITH THE COUNTY AFTER RETIREMENT. THE EXCEPTIONS BELOW DO NOT APPLY TO DROP RETIREES.
Exceptions to the Earnings Limitation
Exceptions to the earnings limitation are if the employee (other than a DROP retiree) is retired from the County as:
A classified employee and is reemployed by the County as:
- An exempt employee under §802(a)(14) of the Charter; which would be a person assigned to an hourly rate position for temporary help, provided that the person is not compensated for more than 1500 hours per calendar year;
- An employee of the Sheriff in a position that requires the employee to be certified as a Police Officer by the Police Training Commission if the employee was certified as a Police Officer by the Police Training Commission at the time the employee retired;
- An employee of the State’s Attorney in a position that requires the employee to be certified as a Police Officer by the Police Training Commission if the employee was certified as a Police Officer by the Police Training Commission at the time the employee retired;
- OR -
- Retired from the County as an exempt employee under the County Personnel Code § 6-2-101, 6-2-101, or 6-2-105 in a position that is not exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C §207 et eq. and is reemployed by the County as an exempt employee under§802(a)(14) of the Charter.
Reemployed by the private sector or a public sector employer OTHER THAN Anne Arundel County Government
If you elected a normal or early service retirement and accept employment with the private sector or with a non-participating County Government employer, there are no restrictions. You will continue to receive your full monthly retirement benefit regardless of your employment income.
Reemployment Impact for Disability Retirees
This section applies only to retirees from the Employees’ Retirement Plan.
If you were granted disability retirement, you are subject to an earnings limitation for any employment accepted after retirement. This provision only applies in the first five years of retirement.
You are required to report employment earnings to the County annually and failure to do so may result in cessation of your retirement benefits. Your monthly benefit is subject to an adjustment or suspension if your annual pension benefit received during a calendar year, when added together with employment earnings, if any, exceeds the current salary of a similarly classified position from which you retired. Any offset will not be greater than your annual pension amount.
You should discuss specific circumstances with the Benefits Office to ensure that you make an informed decision regarding your retirement benefits and any offset that may be applicable.
Pension System Information
Bill No. 95-17 created the Anne Arundel County Employee Retirement Savings Plan. This new retirement plan is an alternative savings plan to the Employees’ Retirement Plan for employees hired on or after July 1, 2018 and for employees hired on or after December 1, 2014 who have not yet vested in the Employees’ Retirement Plan.
The bill allows for eligible employees to make a one-time irrevocable election to transfer from the Employees’ Retirement Plan to the new Savings Plan between July 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018
The Office of Personnel is happy to announce the return of in-person group retirement sessions. We will continue to offer virtual information sessions. These sessions will discuss the County pension, Deferred Compensation and Post-Retirement Health benefits.
Seating is limited for the in-person sessions so we ask that those registering for in-person sessions be within 5 years of retirement eligibility. The virtual sessions are open to all County employees. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER FOR THE CORRECT RETIREMENT PLAN.
Future retirement sessions will be posted when available.
Retirement Counseling sessions are available for employees who intend to retire from the County on service, early service or disability retirement. Generally these appointments are scheduled at most three months prior to your intended retirement date. At these appointments, the Analyst will help you complete your paperwork, explain the options available to you and answer any questions you may have about separation from service.
To schedule a counseling appointment, or to get more information about the retirement process, please contact the appropriate Pension Analyst at (410) 222-7595.
To schedule a counseling appointment, or to get more information about the retirement process, please contact the appropriate Pension Analyst at (410) 222-7595.
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