Credited Service

Eligibility

You automatically become a member of GARS unless you file an election with the Board of Trustees not to participate. Your written decision declining participation must be filed within 24 months from the date of being notified of the option.

Contributions

You contribute a percentage of your salary by payroll deduction for benefits. The table below shows current contribution rates.

You may choose not to contribute to the survivors annuity if you have no eligible survivors. If you revoke this election, you can requalify for the survivors annuity by repaying GARS all contributions that would have been paid during this time period, plus interest of 4%.

If it is determined that the member has no eligible survivors after contributing to the survivors annuity, he may apply for a refund of the survivor contributions. A refund of the survivors annuity cannot be made after retirement.

Contributions made after January 1, 1982, have been excluded from your gross income for federal and state income tax purposes. You pay no tax on your contributions until you receive them. See page 14 for information on tax treatment of GARS benefits.

Contributions and service credit in all reciprocal systems may be transferred to GARS at a cost.

If Your Contributions Were Refunded

See Optional Service Credit

Service Under Other Illinois Public Retirement Systems

If you have established at least one year of credited service under an Illinois Public Retirement System that participates in the Retirement Systems’ Reciprocal Act, your service under that system may be used when determining eligibility for a GARS benefit.

In general, the rules of each retirement system apply in determining a benefit. The benefit amount is based on the benefit formula and amount of service in each system on your last day of service.

Under the Reciprocal Act, GARS computes benefits using final compensation received in the last System you worked prior to retirement. However, your total benefits cannot be higher than it would have been if all service were in one system.

Click here to see the list of systems that participate in the Retirement Systems' Reciprocal Act.