Guaranteed Refunds and Return of Contributions

You become eligible to apply for disability retirement benefits after five years of creditable service if you become totally and permanently disabled for your job, as approved by the Medical Review Board. If you are a firefighter or rescue squad worker who becomes disabled as a result of a “line-of-duty injury,” you are eligible to apply for disability retirement regardless of the amount of your creditable service.

Your disability benefit under the maximum allowance is calculated using the same formula as a service retirement benefit and you may choose any payment option except Option 4. If you choose a survivorship option, it will be calculated using disability reduction percentages.

Your average final compensation is calculated as of your disability retirement date, but creditable service is counted as if you had continued working to the earliest date you would have qualified for an unreduced service retirement allowance, whether it be age 65, or with 30 years of service, or age 60 with 25 years of service.

If you die after you have filed an application for disability retirement but before its effective date, and you have otherwise met all requirements for disability retirement benefits, your beneficiary may elect to receive a monthly retirement allowance provided by Option 2, instead of a return of your retirement contributions and interest, provided you have only one eligible beneficiary for the return of contributions living at the time of your death.

After Receiving Disability

If you are in receipt of a monthly disability retirement allowance from LGERS and accept public or private employment, you may earn on an annual basis, up to the difference between your highest consecutive 12 months of salary in the 48 months preceding your disability retirement date and the amount of your annual disability retirement benefits, without affecting your disability retirement benefit. If you earn more than this amount, your disability retirement benefit will be reduced dollar-for-dollar by the amount of your excess earnings. The amount you are allowed to earn is adjusted each January by any increase in the annual national Consumer Price Index.