Service Credit

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Service Credit

As a member of ASPRS, you earn service credit monthly. How you accrue credited service depends on your tier. For both Tier One and Tier Two, you must work at least 15 days in a month to qualify for service credit for that month.

If you have service in another Arkansas public retirement plan, you can link your service through reciprocity. Additionally, you can purchase military service if you are vested for benefits.

Tier One: 

  • Tier One members earn credited service at the rate of 1.5 months for every month of actual service.
  • If a Tier One member earns at least 10 months of actual service in a calendar year, he or she will be credited with service for the full year. (Example: a member works 10 months in a calendar year. He or she will accrue 12 months of actual service, which is 18 months of credited service.)

Tier Two:

  • Tier Two members do not have a credited service enhancement. Members will be credited with the amount of actual service they accrue.
  • Tier Two service does not round up to a full calendar year. To earn a full year of credit, the member must work 12 actual months.

Reciprocity

If you have service under one of the following systems, you have the option to link your service via reciprocity. Doing so will allow you to count service from linked systems for vesting and retirement eligibility:

  • Arkansas Teacher Retirement System (ATRS)
  • Arkansas State Highway Employees’ Retirement System (ASHERS)
  • Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System (APERS)
  • Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement (LOPFI)
  • Arkansas Judicial Retirement System (AJRS)
  • Alternate retirement plans for public Arkansas colleges and universities

To establish reciprocity, you may send us a request in myASPRS, or you may contact us at 501-682-7800.

Purchased Service

If you have a minimum of five years of actual service (including through reciprocity), you may be eligible to purchase military service. If you were honorably discharged, you may purchase up to five years of active-duty military credit. You must submit documentation of your service (such as a DD-214). Interest does not accrue on your purchase for the first six months you are eligible to make the purchase (that is, when you reach five years of service).

What actions can I take?

If you would like to establish reciprocity or inquire about a service purchase, you may reach out to us via myASPRS or by phone at 501-682-7800.

Frequently Asked Questions

I am interested in purchasing military service. What do I need to do?

Contact ASPRS at 501-682-7800. You will need to submit documentation, such as a DD-214, of your military service. We will provide you with the cost to purchase the service.

Disclaimer on Benefits and Rights

Disclaimer Concerning Benefit Calculations, Benefit Projections, Counseling, and Certain Conditions Regarding APERS Benefits and Rights

The purpose of this Disclaimer is to summarize, in plain language, existing APERS policy concerning benefit calculations, benefit projections, counseling, and certain conditions regarding APERS benefits and rights. This Disclaimer does not reflect any alteration or amendment of existing APERS policy. This site includes general information about APERS programs and benefits and may not represent or include completely the law and/or rules that govern APERS. Arkansas law and/or administrative rules will supersede any information in conflict.

APERS strives to provide accurate information and assistance to plan participants who have questions regarding their APERS benefits. All information and calculations concerning benefits are based upon current law and policy, even though information often concerns future benefits. Likewise, laws and policies affecting plan participants are subject to change from time to time. The Arkansas General Assembly, U. S. Congress, federal agencies, and the APERS Board of Trustees may change how benefits are calculated and change other rights of plan participants. Any benefit projection or information provided by APERS is subject to future law or policy that is applicable to APERS.

APERS staff depends upon information provided by the plan participants and offers counseling and projects future benefit estimates based upon that information. Such estimates can vary materially from actual results. Calculations concerning benefits, as well as the information APERS provides during counseling, can be materially affected if the plan participant provides inaccurate or incomplete information, or omits material facts. Plan participants are presumed to have knowledge of all publicly available laws and policies that affect their APERS benefits and rights. APERS is under no duty to ensure that plan participants are specifically informed of a new law or policy unless required within the law or policy itself. If APERS attempts to notify plan participants who may be affected by a change of a law or policy, the failure to notify a specific plan participant does not create any right or cause of action for the plan participant.

APERS does not provide plan participants with specific recommendations regarding retirement options, tax advice, or legal advice. Each plan participant is solely responsible for determining whether benefit calculations, benefit projections, benefit estimates, and retirement plan options are suitable for the plan participant based upon his or her specific retirement objectives and personal and financial situation. APERS encourages plan participants to consult their own lawyer, accountant, tax professional, or other retirement adviser before making a decision that affects their benefits and rights regarding APERS.

Federal law and policy, state law and policy, APERS records and documents, and accurate data always govern the final determination of plan participant benefits and rights. An error by APERS does not create any common law rights on behalf of the plan participant. The rights of a plan participant are solely governed by the rights set forth in law and policy applicable to APERS.