Member annual statements: Alternate payee FAQ

When a PERS member gets divorced, courts can direct PERS to pay benefits to what is called an “alternate payee.” 

Resources regarding divorce and PERS benefits can be found on PERS Divorce webpage. PERS also has a webpage with divorce-related forms.

How your alternate payee benefit and account are structured depends on the court order from your divorce. As a result, your alternate payee annual statements may include information about your:

• Alternate payee account — If your associated member belongs to Tier One or Tier Two
• Individual Account Program (IAP) — If your associated member belongs to Tier One, Tier Two, or Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan members (OPSRP) and has been working since January 1, 2004

IAP information

Make sure PERS has your correct date of birth on your statement because IAP investments are based on the year in which you were born. Learn more about IAP target-date funds. Note that alternate payees are not eligible to choose a different target-date fund.

Retirement eligibility

You can elect to begin receiving your alternate payee benefit when your associated member (former spouse) is eligible for retirement (55 for general service or 50 for police officers and firefighters), regardless of when your former spouse actually retires. You also can receive this benefit if you are still working for a PERS-participating employer.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), PERS will provide PDF documents on this page in an alternate format upon request. To request a document in an alternate format, call 888-320-7377 (toll free) or TTY 503-603-7766.