Overview
SDCERS was established by the City of San Diego in 1927 to administer retirement benefits for its Members. SDCERS provides benefits to its vested Members when they retire. SDCERS’ responsibilities include collecting contributions, making payments, investing earnings, and managing the retirement fund with direction from a 13-member Board of Administration (Board).
You become a Member of SDCERS after you are appointed to a position as any classified or unclassified, full or half-time City of San Diego employee. Required pre-tax contributions will be automatically deducted from your bi-weekly paycheck, transmitted to SDCERS, and deposited into the trust fund.
Your defined benefit plan with the City of San Diego is a retirement plan to which you make contributions while you are a Member, and that entitles you, when eligible, to a benefit from the time you retire until your death.
Note: You are only eligible for the pension benefits applicable to your plan tier that are in place as of your termination date with the City.
Plan Sponsor
City of San Diego
Plan Name
Safety Fire 2012
Hire Date
Hired on or after January 1, 2012
Member Contribution Rate
This is based on your age upon entry into SDCERS or into a reciprocal system if you have established reciprocity. Click
here to access contribution rate chart.
*Contribution rates are reviewed by SDCERS’ actuary and adopted by the Board periodically - therefore, they are subject to change.
Earning Service Credit
Service Credit represents the amount of time you have earned or purchased in the retirement system as a contributing Member of SDCERS. It is one of the factors used in determining your pension benefit amount when you retire. Credit earned for part-time status is proportionately awarded.
Vesting
You must have at least 10 full years of service credit to be vested in the retirement system and eligible for retirement benefits once you have met the minimum age requirement. (Note: Reciprocal service credits may be used to satisfy vesting requirements.)
Service Retirement Eligibility
- Age 50 (or older) with 20 or more years of service credit; or
- Age 55 (or older) with 10 or more years of service credit
Pension Benefit
Your service retirement benefit is based on a formula which includes:
- Age-Based Retirement Factor, determined by age at retirement;
- Service Credit;
- Final Compensation, based on your highest three-year period of pensionable salary; and
- Cost of Living Annuity
Pension Benefit Formula
(Retirement Factor) x (Service Credit) x (Final Compensation) + Cost of Living Annuity
Retirement Factor
2.5% at age 50, increasing to 3.0% at age 55
Click
here for all retirement calculation factors.
Benefit Cap
Pension benefit cannot exceed 90% of final compensation. Click here to see how much service credit is needed to reach this benefit cap, depending on age at retirement.
Create a Member Portal account to calculate your estimated future pension benefit.