State of Oregon: MEMBERS - Benefit Estimates

Important notice: PERS processes many written benefit estimate requests in retirement date order, with the earliest retirement dates first. Average processing time is currently 1-2 months. However, estimate processing time may vary from member to member, as each account is different, so we are unable to advise exactly when your request will be processed.

PERS is currently processing all estimates received in September/October 2022.

Note that if your PERS account involves a divorce, your estimate may take longer to process.

PERS can only provide written pension benefit estimates for retirement dates within the upcoming 24 months.

When you are within 24 months of the earliest date you are eligible to retire, you can request aTier One/Tier Two written benefit estimate. If you are a Tier One or Tier Two member whose account involves a divorce, you must use a divorce-related account form to request an estimate.

You can also create an estimate online at any point in your career by logging in to your Online Member Services (OMS) account.

If your PERS account involves a divorce, you should request a written benefit estimate. OMS cannot correctly calculate a benefit estimate on an account with a divorce award.

Two estimates will be provided free of charge in a calendar year. Use the PERS Additional Estimate Fee Agreement form to purchase an additional estimate.

If you have not previously gotten a written estimate and are a Tier One/Tier Two member, we recommend you do so if you want to consider a purchase at retirement. A written benefit estimate will show what purchases (if any) are available to you and the estimated cost of those purchases. Note that once you have received your first written benefit estimate, Online Member Services should display purchase information.

Note that an estimate from PERS only includes information on your Tier One/Tier Two retirement benefit. You can use the IAP Balance and Installment Calculator to estimate your Individual Account Program (IAP) distribution at retirement.

Here is a list of terms used in a benefit estimate.

By law, PERS is required to pay out the benefit that you earned. Estimates rely on information reported by your PERS-participating employer(s) from throughout your career. This information includes service credit, hours worked, and salary history. However, your final vacation and sick leave information may not be reported until you end all PERS-qualifying employment. Read our Benefit estimate terms webpage for more information about the factors and language you may see in an estimate.

When you apply to retire, PERS will thoroughly review and verify all of your member information. If errors or discrepancies are found, your benefit will be adjusted accordingly. As such, this review process may produce a final benefit amount that differs from what appeared in your estimates.

Examples of what can cause errors or discrepancies:

Under- or over-reporting by your employer(s).
Technical issues, such as double-posting of contributions or earnings.
Divorce.
Any legally required corrections.

It's important to remember that a benefit estimate is just that — an estimate. It is not the final determination of your benefit.

Estimates and data verification

Before obtaining a benefit estimate, some members may wish to request a data verification from PERS. Data verifications are not required to retire but can be helpful if you think any of the information shown in your PERS account may be wrong.

Reasons you may wish to request data verification include:

Working for multiple PERS-participating employers during your career.
Working for multiple PERS-participating employers at the same time.
Working many part-time hours in your PERS-qualifying employment.

Members who have data verifications completed have their account information locked for the time period the data verification covers. PERS cannot go back and change the locked data.

If you wish to request a data verification, consider doing so when you are within two years of your earliest retirement eligibility. The data verification process is extensive and can take several months to complete, including resolving any disputes that may arise over the data. This could delay your retirement. For this reason, it is advised that you submit any data verification requests a year before your desired retirement data.

Generate a Benefit Estimate using OMS FAQ

1. How many benefit estimates can I generate online and how long are they stored in the database?

A. You may create as many benefit estimates as you would like. However, the system will only store the six most recent estimates. These estimates will be available until a benefit is processed.

2. How current is the data used in my benefit estimate(s)?

A. The data used is the most current information that your employer(s) has provided. Normally, employers report data to PERS monthly so there could be a lag. Account balances are current as of December 31 of the previous year.

3. Where can I get more information on buy backs or purchases? (for Tier One/Tier Two members only)

A. Information on purchases

Note: PERS is aware of an issue that our Police and Firefighter (P&F) members are experiencing when attempting to check the cost of their P&F units while creating a benefit estimate through their OMS account.

We are currently working to have the issue corrected as soon as possible.

If you are within two years or your retirement date, you can submit your Tier One or Tier Two benefit estimate request by mail or by fax to request a P&F units purchase letter, which will include the cost of your remaining P&F units.

4. Why is my "waiting time" purchase cost $0.00?

A. Your employer may not have reported income for your first year of employment or the information may not be in the system. This information will be retrieved for a written benefit estimate.

5. Why is service time shown in months instead of years?

A. Statute directs that accrued service time is earned in months.

6. Why can't I enter my unused vacation hours to count toward my final average salary?

A. Unused vacation time is not used toward final average salary for Tier Two and OPSRP Pension Program members.

7. Why is my benefit estimate in OMS vastly different from the written benefit estimate I received from PERS?

A. If you have a divorce on file at PERS or were a member of TIAA CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund), the system is unable to calculate these benefits accurately. Please keep in mind that this is an "estimate" and the information provided determines the accuracy of the calculation.