PriorCity of Cincinnati Service
Active members of the Cincinnati Retirement System (CRS) that have received a refund of previous CRS contributions can re-purchase that prior service time. Withdrawn CRS contributions, plus interest, must be repaid in order to obtain credit for this prior service time. If the prior service occurred prior to July 1, 1991, the position you held must have been a full-time permanent position to be eligible for purchase of prior service. Part-time, seasonal, or co-op positions held prior to July 1, 1991 are not eligible for purchase of prior service credit. All service credit earned after July 1, 1991 is eligible to be re-purchased.

Click here for the Prior City Service Credit Application

Military Service
Active members of the Cincinnati Retirement System can purchase up to three years of service credit for military service performed PRIOR to becoming a member of the Cincinnati Retirement System. To be eligible for purchase of military service credit, you must have been honorably discharged and provide the Retirement System with a copy of discharge form DD214 and complete an application form.

You may only purchase retirement service credit for active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United States. This includes service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Auxiliary Corps as established by Congress, or member of the Army Nurse Corps, Navy Nurse Corps, or Red Cross Nurse who has served in the Army, Navy or hospital service of the United States.

You can purchase military service credit at any time before retirement, and the purchase can be made through payroll deduction, using funds from your Deferred Compensation account, or by personal check. Military service credit can be purchased all at one time or in one-year increments.  The cost of purchasing military service credit is based on the following:

• Number of years, months and days of military service (maximum three years).
• Retirement contribution of 7% based on the annual salary rate at the time you established membership in the Cincinnati Retirement System. (For military service performed before January 1, 1978, the rate is 6%).
• Interest of 4%, compounded annually, from the date of discharge to the date of payment.

 Click here for the Military Service Credit Application

Prior Service with Another Ohio Retirement System for State and Local Employees
Active members of the Cincinnati Retirement System (CRS) who have at least 18 months service credit may purchase or transfer prior service credit earned as a member of one of the five Ohio statewide public retirement systems. In December 2001, the Cincinnati Retirement System entered into Reciprocity agreements with the five statewide Ohio public retirement systems (OPERS, STRS, SERS, OP&F, and State Highway Patrol) making it possible for active members of these systems to purchase additional service credit if they were former members of any Ohio public retirement system. For example, if you were a member of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System while working for another Ohio governmental agency prior to your City employment, you would be eligible to purchase/transfer that service time to the CRS. If the prior service occurred prior to July 1, 1991, the position you held must have been a full-time permanent position to be eligible for purchase of prior service. Part-time, seasonal, or co-op positions held prior to July 1, 1991 are not eligible for purchase of prior service credit. All service credit earned after July 1, 1991 is eligible to be re-purchased. Ohio service credit purchased or transferred to the Cincinnati Retirement System counts towards retirement eligibility, but does NOT count towards healthcare eligibility (15 years service credit must be earned in the Cincinnati Retirement System). The purchase of Ohio prior service credit can be made through payroll deduction, using funds from your Deferred Compensation account, or by personal check.

These reciprocity agreements also allow former members of the CRS to transfer their CRS time if they leave City service and become a member of another Ohio public fund. If contributions were not withdrawn, there may be little or no cost to transfer the service credit. If contributions were withdrawn, those contributions plus interest must be repaid in order to obtain credit for the prior service.

Click here for the Prior Ohio Service Credit Application
 

Out of State/Federal Service
Active members of the Cincinnati Retirement System (CRS) who have at least 18 months service credit may purchase up to five years of service credit for their employment with the Federal Government or with a public entity in another state (other than Ohio) which occurred prior to their membership in the Cincinnati Retirement System AND during which time they were enrolled in a Defined Benefit Pension Plan. Eligible service must have occurred PRIOR to your membership in the Cincinnati Retirement System and cannot be used in the calculation of retirement benefits under any other retirement system (Your pension contributions to your former employer’s Defined Benefit Plan must have been refunded to you).  If the prior service occurred prior to July 1, 1991, the position you held must have been a full-time permanent position to be eligible for purchase of prior service. Part-time, seasonal, or co-op positions held prior to July 1, 1991 are not eligible for purchase of prior service credit. All service credit earned after July 1, 1991 is eligible to be re-purchased. Federal and Out of State service credit purchased counts towards retirement eligibility, but does NOT count towards healthcare eligibility (15 years service credit must be earned in the Cincinnati Retirement System).

The cost calculation will be prepared by the Retirement System’s actuary. There is a non-refundable application fee of $250 which will be applied towards the cost of purchasing the out-of-state or Federal government service credit ONLY if you choose to proceed with the service purchase. You can make the purchase at any time before retirement, and the purchase can be made through payroll deduction, using funds from your Deferred Compensation account, or by personal check.

In addition to the completed application and fee payment, you must provide the Retirement System with a signed and dated certification from your previous public employer which includes: 
     

• The employing agency name, address, telephone, and contact person;
• Your name and Social Security Number;
• Your date of hire and date of termination;
• Your gross earnings and pension contributions by calendar year;
• Verification of part-time or full time status in your prior position;
• Certification that pension contributions have been refunded (including refund date and amount);
• Verification that the service credit will not be used in the calculation of a retirement benefit.

Click below to access the CRS Federal/Out of State Service Credit Application Form:

CRS Federal/Out of State Service Credit Application