Correctional Officers Calculator Definitions

Joint Annuitant

Someone you choose to receive a continuing monthly benefit after your death. This is an optional benefit.

Date You Plan to Retire

Your retirement date must be the first day of a month. Benefit payments begin at the end of the month
after your retirement date.

Group A/Group B

Group A generally includes:

• Most corrections officers and their supervisors.

Group B generally includes:

• Correctional institution employees in certain power plant positions, correctional industries, food
  service supervision or maintenance operation supervision who have regular contact with inmates.

If you do not qualify for either group, you are a regular KPERS member.

Years of Service

Participating Service (Years @ 1.75% multiplier)

• Participating service credit -- service performed as an active member in a KPERS covered position.
• Purchased service credit -- most service credit purchased after July 1996

Credited Prior Service (Years @ 1% multiplier)

• School-service before 1971 that has not been withdrawn. This service was transferred to KPERS
  on January 1, 1971, and was added to member’s record as credited prior service at 1 percent
  of member’s final average salary.
• Non-school service credit member had with an employer immediately before the employer affiliated
  with KPERS. This service is calculated at 1 percent of a member’s final average salary at retirement.
• In-state or out-of-state non-federal public service purchased after July 1, 1996, and calculated at 1 percent
  of a member’s final average salary at retirement.

Non-Credited Prior Service (Years @ 0.75% multiplier)

• Service with schools only. School service before January 1, 1971, that was forfeited when the member left the school and withdrew his or her contributions. This service can be granted to the member when the member has 9.5 years (38 quarters) of participating service credit. The service is calculated at 0.75 percent of a member’s final average salary at retirement.

Final Average Salary

KPERS Tier 1
If your membership date is on or after July 1, 1993, your final average salary is:

• An average of your three highest years of salary, excluding additional compensation.*

If your membership date is before July 1, 1993, or you were in your "year of service" waiting for membership on July 1, 1993, your final average salary is either:

• An average of your four highest years of salary, including additional compensation,* or
• An average of your three highest years of salary, excluding additional compensation.*

KPERS will use the highest salary average.

*Additional Compensation or "add-on pay" is compensation from your employer for unused sick leave, annual leave, etc. If add-on pay is included in your final average salary, it is spread over all the days that you worked in the calendar year you retired. It is not credited only to the quarter in which you were paid for it.

KPERS Tier 2
Your final average salary is an average of your five highest years of salary, excluding additional compensation, such as payments for unused sick and annual leave.

Final Average Salary Cap
If your salary increases substantially from year to year, a cap on compensation may be used to calculate your final average salary. Generally, the cap applies when your salary changes and your position does not. For Tier 1, the cap is 15 percent. For Tier 2, the cap is 7.5 percent.

Note: For your current final average salary, see your last annual statement or contact the Retirement System.

Years at 1% Using Salary at Time of Purchase)

Before July 1, 1996, if a member purchased "out-of-state" non-federal public service, the service was purchased
using the member’s current annual rate of salary at that time. The benefit for the purchased service is calculated
using the annual rate of salary at time of purchase rather than the member’s final average salary at retirement.