Creditable Service
How Creditable Service Is Earned
Membership service is awarded based on the number of hours worked:
- 20 hours or more per week: One year of creditable service for each year worked, or a proportional amount.
- Fewer than 20 hours per week: Half a year of creditable service for each year worked, or a proportional amount.
Creditable service is key in determining your retirement benefit and when you become vested.
You will become vested upon reaching 10 years of creditable service, allowing you to leave your retirement deductions on deposit and qualify for a future retirement allowance once you reach retirement age or older, even if no longer actively employed.
LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Authorized leaves of absence will be applied toward your creditable service. Credit is based on the length of leave and the compensation received:
- Paid leaves: Credited based on regular compensation received.
- Unpaid leaves: Members may receive up to one month of credit.
TRANSFERS
Service transfers between government jobs:
If you leave your job and begin working for another governmental unit covered by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 32, your creditable service transfers with you.
Transferred service is added to your Middlesex County Retirement System service for vesting and benefit calculation.
SERVICE PURCHASES
Members-in-service may be eligible to purchase certain types of prior service, including service rendered before joining the Middlesex County Retirement System. Purchased service is added to your total creditable service for vesting and retirement benefit purposes.
For all service purchase types, you may rollover funds from deferred compensation or tax-deferred plans with no penalties. Installment payment plans are also available.
MILITARY VETERANS
Eligible veterans may purchase up to 4 years of retirement credit for active military service. National Guard and Reserve service is prorated on a 5 to 1 basis (5 years = 1 year of service credit). The purchase must be made before attaining 11 years of creditable service.
The cost of this service is 10% of your salary when you last became a member of a retirement system, per year purchased — no interest is charged.
Call Firefighters and Permanent Intermittent/Reserve Police
Eligible members may purchase credit for time spent on an official list as a call firefighter or reserve/ permanent-intermittent police officer, provided certain conditions are met.
Interest applies.
find eligibility, contributions, & retirement benefits Answers.
Refund Buybacks
Members who previously worked in public service and withdrew their contributions may buy back that prior creditable service. There is no limit on the amount of service that can be purchased.
Actuarial interest applies.
Exception: Members who establish membership on or after April 2, 2012, and previously took a refund, have:
- 1 year from re-entry to apply and pay at a lower interest rate.
- After 1 year, the higher actuarial interest rate applies.
