Data verification

Tier One, Tier Two and Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP) members can request a verification of certain retirement data. PERS recommends that you request a data verification when you are within two years of your anticipated retirement date so the information is current.

A data verification is not a benefit estimate and is not required to retire. Verifications do not cover the Individual Account Program (IAP) or a member's Police and Fire Unit account.

The verification is based on the information that has been reported to PERS by the members' employer(s). The verification includes the member's accrued creditable service or retirement credit and the member's "final average salary."

For Tier One or Tier Two members, the verification also includes the member's regular and variable account balances and unused sick leave information.

The verification will have information for the last calendar year for which earnings or losses have been credited.

If PERS produces a verification, a member's retirement benefit will be calculated using data that is not less than the amounts provided in the verification, except in certain circumstances. For example, account balances will be adjusted for earnings or losses credited up to the member's effective retirement date and accumulated unused sick leave will be adjusted for leave accrued and used after the date specified in the verification.

Also, at retirement PERS can use an amount less than an amount provided in the verification if the member knew the verification data was inaccurate.

Members will have 60 days after PERS provides the verification to dispute the accuracy of the data in the verification. Employers will have a reasonable time to confirm information before a verification is issued, but will not be able to change that information once the verification is issued.

Members can request one verification at no cost, each additional verification is $100.

Normal processing time is two to six months. This includes the time that your employer(s) have to respond to PERS' request that they review your data (employers have 30 days to provide verified data to PERS for the Data Verification).

If you request a data verification and retire before it is completed, you will receive an estimated benefit payment. PERS will calculate and pay a final benefit amount once the data verification is completed.