On April 14, 2010, the Illinois governor signed Senate Bill 1946 (Public Act 96-0889). The legislation created a “Second Tier” of pension benefits applicable to public employees who first participated in LABF or an Illinois reciprocal retirement system¹ on or after January 1, 2011.

Please be advised that if a member participated in LABF or in an Illinois reciprocal retirement system¹ (with the exception of the Judges’ Retirement System and the General Assembly Retirement System) before January 1, 2011, and participates in LABF after January 1, 2011, then the member will participate in the First Tier.

The following details are highlights of the “Tier 2” pension benefits:

Eligibility for Employee Annuity

• Member is eligible for unreduced minimum formula annuity at age 67 with 10 years of service; or
• Member is eligible for reduced minimum formula annuity at age 62 with 10 years of service; reduction for early retirement equal to ½ of 1% per month for each full month (equivalent to 6% for each full year) below age 67

Employee Annuity Amount

• Minimum formula annuity benefit is 2.4% for each year of service multiplied by highest final average salary.
• Minimum formula annuity benefit is subject to a maximum of 80% of the highest final average salary for any 8 consecutive years within the last 10 years of service. The final average salary is subject to a cap. As of January 1, 2023, the cap is $123,489.18
• Annual increase in annuity (commonly referred to as the “COLA”) is the lesser of 3% or 50% of the percentage change in CPI-U for the 12 months ending each preceding September.  The COLA is applied to original employee annuity amount.  It is not compounded.

Eligibility for Annual Increase in Employee Annuity

• Annual increase in employee annuity starts on the January 1 occurring on or after the latter of:
  • attainment of age 67, or
  • the first anniversary of the annuity start date

Survivor Annuity Amounts (subject to eligibility)

• Spouse annuity:
  • Benefit is equal to 66⅔% of participant’s annuity at date of death or earned annuity
  • Annual increase in spouse annuity (commonly referred to as the “COLA”) is the lesser of 3% or 50% of the percentage in CPI-U for the 12 months ending each preceding September; applied to original spouse annuity amount (not compounded)
• ·   Child Annuity:
  • Benefit is $220 per month if a spouse survives or $250 per month if no spouse; child annuity is payable until attainment of age 18

Eligibility for Annual Increase in Spouse Annuity

• Annual increase in spouse annuity starts on the January 1 occurring on or after:
  • the start date of the spouse annuity if the deceased member was in receipt of annuity at death, or
  • the first anniversary of the spouse annuity start date

Refund of Contributions

• A member may take a refund if he or she withdraws from service before the age of 62 (with any length of service) or withdraws with less than 10 years of service regardless of age.

Employee Contributions

• 8.5%