About Us 
Q. What is a beneficiary?
A. A beneficiary is the designated recipient of any remaining contributions (all members) or death benefits (retirees) that are payable from the plan upon the death of a member. It is very important to keep your beneficiary up to date.
Married employees may designate anyone they like, but normally designate their spouse or a minor child. If designating someone other than your spouse, your spouse will need to acknowledge this by signing the beneficiary designation form.
Q. How do I change my beneficiary?
A. You will need to contact our office or go to forms and fill out the Change of Beneficiary form. Send it in to our office to ensure that you have the correct beneficiary. Please keep in mind that your StanCERA beneficiary designation is separate from your beneficiary for any benefits provided by the County, such as life insurance.
Q. What do I need to do to retire?
A. You will need to contact our office or go to forms and fill out the Application for Service Retirement. Submit it with the requested information. If you have any questions, please contact our office.
Q. How is my monthly retirement benefit calculated?
A. Monthly retirement benefits are based on the following 3 criteria: 1) Final Average Monthly Salary; 2) Age at Retirement; and 3) Years of Service.
Q. When are the Board of Retirement meetings?
A. The Board of Retirement meetings are held the 2nd Wednesday and the 4th Tuesday of every month. The first date is the administrative meeting and the second date is the investments meeting.
Q. How long will I receive my monthly retirement benefit?
A. Retirement benefits from StanCERA are a lifetime benefit. Depending on which option you choose at the time of retirement, your beneficiary may be entitled to a continuance for the rest of their lifetime should you predecease them.
Q. How often will I be paid my retirement benefit?
A.Your retirement benefits will be paid to you on a monthly basis. Keep in mind that when retired, you are paid for the prior month (i.e., March check is paying you for February). All direct deposited checks will be in your bank account on the first business day of each month. Checks are mailed out the day before the first business day of each month. It is recommended that you have your check direct deposited so there will be no delay in receiving your check.
Q. What are the advantages of having my retirement payment direct deposited?
A. The following reasons are related to convenience and security purposes:
- reduces the risk of loss, theft or forgery of benefit checks;
- eliminates relying on the mail and the uncertainty of delivery date;
- immediate and uninterrupted deposits when you are away from home;
- eliminates the inconveniences of getting your check cashed.
If you retired prior to direct deposit being required, but wish to have it direct deposited, you may authorize an electronic funds transfer (EFT) to the financial institution of your choice. Complete the Authorization Agreement for Direct Deposit form and return to StanCERA with a VOIDED check attached or contact our office to have a form sent to you.
Q. How is my age calculated to determine my monthly retirement benefit?
A. Your age at retirement is calculated to the nearest completed quarter year from your birth date. For example, if you were 57 years 5 months and 27 days, your age would be 57 ¼.
Q. What does it mean to be "vested"?
A. To be vested means that you have earned the right to receive lifetime retirement benefits. Tier 1, 2, 4 or 5 members are vested after earning five years of retirement/reciprocal service credit (Tier 3 members after ten years).
Q. When will I be eligible to retire?
A.If you are a General Tier 1, 2, 4 or 5 member, you must be at least age 50 and have a minimum 5 years of service credit with your monies on deposit for 10 years, or have 30 years of service regardless of age.
If you are a General Tier 3 member, you must be a minimum of age 55 and have a minimum of 10 years of service credit.
If you are a Safety Tier 1, 2, 4 or 5 member, you must be at least age 50 and have a minimum 5 years of service credit with your monies on deposit for at least 10 years, or have 20 years of service regardless of age.
Important Note: Please keep in mind that the retirement service credit is calculated from your date of membership and excludes any unpaid leave of absences. Retirement service credit is not the same as Employer service, for which you receive service awards.
Q. If I am a vested StanCERA member, am I entitled to health insurance benefits?
A.If you are a General or Safety Tier 1, 2, 4 or 5 member and have at least 5 years of StanCERA service credit you are eligible for the health insurance stipend, which can be used to pay for health insurance for you and your dependents.
If you are a General Tier 3 member and have at least 10 years of StanCERA service credit you are eligible for the health insurance stipend, which can be used to pay for health insurance for you and your dependents.
Once you meet these criteria you will receive a health insurance stipend based on the number of years of StanCERA service credit (whole years, not rounded up) received. Please refer to the Health Insurance Benefits page to review the chart for the current amount you may be entitled to.
Important Note: The current Health Insurance stipend is taxable and is not a vested benefit and can be discontinued with a 90-day notice.
Q. What do I need to do if I move or change my name?
A. Active employees, report any changes to your payroll clerk. They will complete the necessary paperwork to change your personnel file.
Retirees and deferred members fill out the correct change form and submit it to StanCERA or contact the office.
Q. What do I need to do if I get a divorce?
A. You should contact StanCERA as California is a community property state. Retirement plan benefits earned during marriage are community property and could be subject to division upon divorce.
Q. What is reciprocity?
A. If you left employment from an employer covered by a retirement system in another 1937 Act County or the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and became employed by an employer covered in our Retirement Association within 6 months, you are eligible for reciprocal benefits between the two systems if you did not terminate membership in the first system by withdrawing your contributions.
Reciprocal benefits include lower contribution rates and the use of the higher salary from either system to calculate your retirement allowance. You may also use the years in both systems towards vesting requirements. When calculating actual retirement benefits, each system will use its own unique formula with the years of service within its own system. You cannot "double-up" your years of service in one system for the purpose of receiving retirement benefits from that system.
Q. Are my retirement benefits taxable ?
A. Yes. All of the employer paid benefit; some or all of the employee paid benefit.
Q. Why is March 31st considered the "magic" retirement date?
A. There is no such thing as a "magic" retirement date. The March 31st date is popular because of the cost of living increase for that year. You must be retired on or before March 31st to receive the cost of living increase effective April 1st.