Membership and Contributions
KPERS Tier 1
Membership
Kansas law requires that all eligible employees become members. Throughout your career, you contribute part of your salary and your employer also contributes. We invest these funds and, when you retire, pay you a benefit for the rest of your life.
You are Tier 1 if you were hired before July 1, 2009 and:
- Contributing on July 1, 2009.
- On military leave and return to work.
- On leave of absence and return to work.
- An active Board of Regents member who has KPERS service and had no break in service.
- In your “year of service” between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009, and still employed on July 1, 2009.
- Inactive and vested with ten years on July 1, 2009.
Tier 1 members who withdraw contributions, or leave employment before vesting, will be Tier 2 members if they return to employment.
Contributions, Interest and Service Credit
You contribute
4 percent of your gross earnings.
The interest you earn depends on when you became a member:
- Before July 1, 1993, 8 percent interest
- On or after July 1, 1993, 4 percent interest
You automatically earn service credit for the years you work. After five years of service, you are guaranteed a monthly retirement benefit for the rest of your life. This is called "vesting" your benefit.
Before July 1, 2009, non-school employees needed to work a year ("year of service") before becoming a member. Members can purchase service credit for this service, even if it's only a partial year. Purchasing Your "Year of Service"
You Need to Claim KPERS Contributions on Your Kansas Income Tax Return