Reciprocal Service Credit
Information
SURS has reciprocity only with other Illinois public retirement systems in determining your eligibility for, and amount of, retirement and survivor benefits. When requesting an estimate or applying for benefits, it is important that you notify SURS if you have participated in another Illinois retirement system.
Reciprocity
Reciprocal Systems
- County Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Cook County
- Forest Preserve District Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Cook County
- General Assembly Retirement System
- Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund
- Judges’ Retirement System of Illinois
- Laborers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund
- Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Retirement Fund
- Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago
- Park Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago
- Public School Teachers’ Pension and Retirement Fund of Chicago
- State Employees’ Retirement System of Illinois
- State Teachers’ Retirement System
The Illinois Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act ensures that pension credits remain in the system in which they are earned. You may not transfer your credit from one system to another. You will be entitled to a retirement benefit from each system, and your eligible survivor(s) will qualify for a survivor benefit, if:
- You have at least one year of pension credit in each applicable system
Your combined service credit is equal to the longest minimum service requirements of those systems.
How Your Benefit Will Be Calculated
Each system will abide by its own law in calculating your retirement or survivor annuity. Your salary from all systems will be considered in determining your average earnings. Each system will apply the benefit formula in effect on the date you last terminated employment with an employer covered by the Reciprocal Act. Therefore, while you are employed with such an employer, your benefit will reflect any liberalizing changes in benefits that are made by all systems in which you have credits.
If you wish to apply for benefits under the Illinois Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act, you should request an application from each employing system at least 60 days before your planned retirement date.