Ready to Retire
Retirement Process
At any time after you are vested in CRS and least 60 days before your planned retirement date, you may generate a Pension Benefit Estimate through the Member Direct portal.
Pending verification of your eligibility, your HR Liaison will provide you with an Application for Service Retirement. You will sign and complete the application, then submit to an authorized official from your department. The authorized official from your department will also sign your Application for Service Retirement, and then submit the completed document to CRS for processing.
Once the Application for Service Retirement is received, CRS will mail you a packet which provides information about:
- Retiree Healthcare Benefits (if eligible)
- Benefit Payment Options
- Important Dates for Retirees
- Personal Documents Required for Retirement Processing Session
- Medicare Information
- What Happens to My Benefits When I Die? Optionees and Beneficiaries
- Lump Sum Deferral to your Deferred Compensation (457 Plan)
- CRS does not provide financial or legal advice.
You would be enrolled for the Retirement Processing Session corresponding to your chosen retirement effective date. The monthly Retirement Processing Sessions are only open to members who have selected a retirement date within 60 days. These sessions are designed to assist members in transitioning from active employment to retirement. CRS does not provide one-on-one counseling, nor legal or financial advice of any kind.
At the Retirement Processing Session you will complete the following documents:
You may withdraw your Application for Service Retirement up to 15 calendar days PRIOR TO your Retirement Effective Date. The withdrawal request must be made using the CRS Rescission Form, signed by you, and received by the CRS office no later than 4:00 PM on the 15TH calendar day before your Retirement Effective Date. If your Retirement Application is not withdrawn by that date, then your Retirement application becomes irrevocable. If an employee rescinds (cancels) their submitted Retirement application three (3) times, no further retirement applications will be accepted and processed until and unless a fee of $250 has been paid to the Cincinnati Retirement System by the employee (by check ONLY).
Retirement Effective Dates are always the first day of the month. Monthly pension benefits are paid through direct deposit. Your first pension payment is two months in arrears; subsequent pension payments are one month in arrears. Please plan accordingly.