SERS members have recently been targeted by a variety of phishing scams, including emails, phone calls, and text messages that attempt to impersonate or imply affiliation with SERS.

Emails
The fraudulent emails may provide links, including DocuSign, and allege to provide the member with the option to sign up and receive their monthly SERS benefit payments four days early by providing personal financial information, including bank account information. SERS does not offer an early benefit payment option or request personal or banking information by email or use of DocuSign. Please note that our emails are always sent from an srs.illinois.gov email address.

Phone calls and Text messages
Several members have recently reported receiving unsolicited phone calls and text messages from individuals claiming to be associated with SERS. These individuals initially contact the member by phone call or text message and attempt to set up counseling appointments with the member, generally through a follow-up email and/or text message. These phone calls have been received on State landlines and State issued cell phones. SERS does not contract with anyone outside of the agency to contact members about retirement counseling appointments or other financial services. SERS does not cold call members for retirement consultations, and only schedules retirement counseling appointments at the request of the member.

If you receive a suspicious email, call, or text message that purports to be SERS that you suspect is a scam, please report this activity to the SERS call center at 217-785-7444. Information that you provide can help SERS prevent and detect schemes that impact our members.

Tier 1 Credited Service

Eligibility

When hired, you become a member of SERS and mandatory contributions are automatically credited to your account.

Monthly Employees	Daily(Per Deim) Employees	Hourly Employees	Monthly Credit
15 calendar days or more	10 work days or more	75 hours or more	1
8 thru 14 calendar days	5 thru 9 work days	38 - 74 hours	1/2
less than 8 calendar days	less than 5 work days	less than 38 hours	1/4

Contributions

Contributions are based on a percentage of total compensation, including overtime pay. With certain exceptions, all members who join SERS must contribute to Social Security.

Regular Retirement Formula

Members with Social Security 3.5% (pension) + .5% (survivors') = 4.0% Total

Members without Social Security 7.0% (pension) + 1.0% (survivors') = 8.0% Total

* If you have no eligible survivors when you retire, you will receive a refund of the survivors' portion of your contributions.

Alternative Retirement Formula

Members with Social Security 8.0% (pension) + .5% (survivors') = 8.5% Total

Members without Social Security 11.5% (pension) + 1.0% (survivors') = 12.5% Total

* If you do not qualify for the alternative formula when you retire, you will receive a refund of the alternative formula contributions in excess of the regular formula contributions.

Employer Pick-Up

From January 1, 1992 through June 30, 2003, most state employees had all, or a portion, of their contributions "picked-up" or paid for, by the State of Illinois. Effective July 1, 2003, some members continued to have their employer pick-up retirement contributions paid by the State of Illinois. Employees not under a collective bargaining agreement typically pay the entire employee contribution. In some cases, employees have a portion of their contributions picked-up, and contribute a lesser amount through payroll deductions.

Regular formula employees contributing at either 4% or 8% of their gross salaries will typically have 4% picked-up if the employee is under a collective bargaining agreement. For alternative formula employees contributing at either 8.5% or 12.5% of their gross salaries, the pick-up rate is 5.5% if the employee is under a collective bargaining agreement.

All contributions are credited to the individual member's account, regardless of the source. When a member receives a lump sum refund, the employer pick-up contributions are included. The employer pick-up is also included in the calculation of any death benefit involving member contributions.

SERS Contact Information

2101 S. Veterans Parkway
Springfield, IL 62704
Phone: 217-785-7444
Fax: 217-785-7019
Email SERS

Helpful Links

JRS/GARS Contact Info

2101 S. Veterans Parkway
Springfield, IL 62704
Phone: 217-782-8500
Fax: 217-524-9039
Email JRS
Email GARS

FOR JRS/GARS MEMBERS ONLY
JRS/GARS representatives do not have the ability or authorization to access SERS member data, or to assist SERS members.