This June, SamCERA will hold an election for its Retired Member board seat and its Alternate Retired Member board seat.
To be eligible, a candidate must be a Retired Member by 4/12/2025, which is the last day of the pay period preceding the Declaration of Candidacy period. Training and education will be provided to elected Board Members, and meetings take place approximately once a month at SamCERA's offices.
Required Declarations of Candidacy must be filed in person with the Registration & Elections Division no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 28, 2025. Please read the election notice below for important dates and information. You can also learn more about the Board's responsibilities and the election process on our website.
At its January 28, 2025 meeting, the Board of Retirement approved a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for most retirees and beneficiaries that will begin with the April 30, 2025 benefit payment. This COLA applies to eligible retirees and beneficiaries who retire on or before April 1, 2025, and the amount of the COLA will vary depending on your retirement plan.
The COLA for Plan 1 General, Safety, and Probation members is 3.0%. The COLA for Plan 2 members is 3.0%, and the COLA for Plans 4, 5, 6 and 7 is 2.0%. Plan 3 members do not receive a cost-of-living increase.
Current employees considering retirement:
If you want to take advantage of this year's COLA, you must retire on or before April 1, 2025. If you're thinking about retirement, contact SamCERA as soon as possible so your paperwork can be processed in time for you to receive your first retirement benefit payment on April 30.
We’re strengthening the security of your MySamCERA account with two important updates. First, stronger password requirements are now in place. If you’re resetting your password or creating a new account, your password will need to be between 16-64 characters and include at least 1 numeric character, 1 uppercase letter, and 1 lowercase letter.
Additionally, soon we’ll be introducing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to provide an extra layer of protection to your account. This means you may need to verify your identity with a code sent to your phone or email when logging in. Stay tuned for more information!
Unlock a deeper understanding of your pension benefits with the Guide to Your SamCERA Benefits. This essential resource offers important information to help you navigate your options and make informed decisions for your future. Whether you have questions about reciprocity, service purchases, life changes, or how your monthly retirement benefit is calculated - this guide provides details to help you manage your pension and prepare for retirement.
It's never too early to start planning ahead for your retirement, and the MySamCERA Member Portal and Mobile App are secure and easy ways to access your retirement account with SamCERA. Both the member portal and mobile app allow you to run retirement estimates, view and print member statements, update your beneficiaries, and send us secure messages.
Create an account on MySamCERA to start planning today!
Want to learn more about your SamCERA pension benefit?
Our member guides and website provide detailed information about your pension. Learn about service purchases, reciprocity, vesting, important deadlines, and more! www.samcera.gov
Address 100 Marine Parkway, Suite 125 Redwood City, CA 94065
Phone 650-599-1234 or 800-339-0761
Website & Member Portal www.samcera.gov www.mysamcera.org
SamCERA Times is published for members of the San Mateo County Employees' Retirement Association. SamCERA benefits are governed by the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 and the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013; therefore, any discrepancies between the law and the information in this newsletter will be resolved in accordance with the law.
The material contained in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
