Frequently Asked Questions

Benefit checks are issued on the 4th working day prior to the end of each month. For a list of check mail dates, click here. 

If you are entitled to a PERS benefit and a benefit from Social Security, one will not affect the other. Contact the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 or visit their website at www.ssa.gov for more information regarding benefits payable from that system.

Update your mailing address through your online account or submit a request to PERS in writing. For written requests, complete and submit the Change of Address for Benefit Recipients form to the PERS office by mail, fax, or email. Address changes received by the 14th of the month will take effect in the same month or on a date in the future if specified by you.

Tax withholding can be updated through your online account or submitted to PERS in writing. For written requests, complete and submit a W-4P Withholding Certificate by mail, fax, or email. Tax changes received by the 14th of the month will take effect in the same month or on a future date if specified by you.

Direct deposit is an electronic transfer of monthly benefit payments from PERS into your account at a bank or other financial institution of your choice.

Benefit checks sent by direct deposit are posted to your bank account on the fourth working day prior to the end of each month. Payments are received faster than paper checks sent through the mail. An Electronic Funds Transfer Notice with check stub information is mailed to your home address. Direct deposit creates a transaction that can be tracked through the banking system in the event there is an issue.

PERS strongly encourages direct deposit, but it is not mandatory.

You can start a new direct deposit or change direct deposit information through your online account. You may also complete and submit an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Authorization to the PERS office by mail, fax, or email. This form requires your notarized signature. Updates received by the 14th of the month take effect in the same month or on a future date if specified by you.

PERS will verify your direct deposit instructions by submitting a test “prenote” record to your bank. If no corrections are reported, direct deposit will start. Otherwise, a paper check will be mailed to you.

Any time the bank returns your payment to PERS, the direct deposit stops and a replacement paper check is mailed to you with a request for new bank instructions.

A direct deposit cannot be split between different banks or multiple bank accounts.

Retirees can access and print an income verification letter through their online account. This information can also be provided by PERS upon request.

Copies of 1099R forms are available to view through your online PERS account. To request a duplicate copy to file with your tax return, contact the PERS office.

Annual post-retirement increases start after you have completed 3 years of retirement. Increases are paid in the month following the month you retire. For example, if you retire on January 5th, the first post-retirement increase will be effective on your February check starting in the fourth year of retirement.

The amount of your post-retirement increase is determined based on your enrollment date with PERS and the length of time you have been retired. Post-retirement increases can be lower than those listed below if your benefit has increased faster than the rate of inflation. 

Post-retirement increases for members hired prior to January 1, 2010:

2% in the 4th, 5th, and 6th years of retirement; 3% in the 7th, 8th, and 9th years; 3.5% in the 10th, 11th, and 12th years; 4% in the 13th and 14th years; and 5% every year thereafter.

Post-retirement increases for members hired between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2015:

2% in the 4th, 5th, and 6th years of retirement; 3% in the 7th, 8th, and 9th years; 3.5% in the 10th, 11th, and 12th years; and 4% every year thereafter.

Post-retirement increases for members hired on or after July 1, 2015:

2% in the 4th, 5th, and 6th years of retirement; 2.5% in the 7th, 8th, and 9th years; and 3% every year thereafter or the lesser of the cap of the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Once retired, you cannot add or replace the beneficiary designated to receive a monthly benefit upon your death. If your beneficiary predeceases you, the beneficiary account will be closed, and your benefit will be adjusted to the maximum amount for the remainder of your lifetime.

Periodically, PERS will mail a Benefit Verification form for you to complete to confirm you are receiving your benefit. Failure to submit the form to PERS by the due date may result in the suspension of benefits.

This form allows you to designate an individual as your Attorney-in-Fact to conduct business with PERS on your behalf. The form is limited to PERS related business and does not pertain to any other entity or agency. All persons executing a Power of Attorney should consult with an attorney. Click here to review the form.

There are no restrictions regarding private employment or public employment outside Nevada. PERS retirees are prohibited from reemployment with a Nevada public employer in a position that requires reenrollment into the system. PERS retirees may accept employment with a Nevada public employer in non-PERS eligible positions if retired for a minimum of 90 days. In this case, retirees are limited in the hours they work and the amount they can earn in a fiscal year. There are special provisions for retirees working for Nevada public employers in positions with a critical labor shortage designation. Contact the PERS office for more information if you are considering this kind of reemployment.

Any time a PERS retiree returns to employment with a Nevada public employer, written notification is required from the retiree and the employer. Reemployment notification forms can be found on the PERS website under the Benefit Recipient link. We strongly encourage you to contact PERS before returning to work with a Nevada public employer.

Disability retirees must first receive PERS Board approval prior to returning to work in any position, public or private. Contact the PERS office before returning to work in any capacity. Review the Disability Retirement Guide for more information.

Contact the PERS office and provide us with your name, last four digits of your social security number, and date of death. We will ask the informant for a mailing address and phone number.

PERS will determine if benefits are payable to eligible beneficiaries. A copy of the death certificate is required. Detailed information can be provided to your spouse/Registered Domestic Partner or designated beneficiary(ies).

Employee/Employer Pay Plan

• You and your employer each pay 50% of the required contribution rate.
• Contributions are deducted post-tax from your paycheck.
• Employee paid contributions are refundable upon the termination of employment, which will cancel membership and any rights to benefits from the system.

Employer Pay Plan

• You pay your portion of the contribution through a salary reduction or in lieu of a pay increase and your employer pays the entire contribution to PERS.
• If you terminate, employer paid contributions are not refundable; however, you retain your service credit and membership in the system.
• When you retire, your average salary is adjusted upward to be comparable to payment under the Employee/Employer Pay Plan. This adjustment ensures your benefit will be the same regardless of your contribution plan.

No. It is your responsibility to notify PERS when your name or contact information changes.

PERS statute does not allow members to borrow contributions from the system.

Your PERS account is not transferable to another pension plan.

Contact information can be viewed and updated through your online account or by completing and submitting a Change of Personal Information form to the PERS office. This form is available upon request or by clicking on the “Members” link on the PERS website home page. The form is not valid unless it includes your physical signature.  You may submit the form by mail, fax, or email.

Complete and submit a Survivor Beneficiary Designation form to the PERS office. This form is available upon request or by clicking on the “Members” link on the PERS website home page. The form is not valid unless it includes your original signature. You may submit the form by mail, fax, or email.

If you do not take a refund of employee contributions, your service credit will not be canceled. Your public employer will notify us of your termination date, and your member account will be placed in an inactive status. If you return to employment with a Nevada public employer in a PERS eligible position, your new service credit will be combined with your previous service credit.

Vesting is the amount of time you must work to earn the right to receive a retirement benefit. Once you have attained 5 years of service, we consider you to be vested in the system and eligible to receive an unreduced retirement benefit at age 65. Vesting also occurs at other time periods such as 10, 20, 25, 30, and 33.3 years, which allows for retirement earlier than age 65.

Retirement eligibility is based on the date you were hired in a PERS eligible position with a Nevada public employer:

Hired before January 1, 2010

Regular Members                                                                          Police/Fire Members

Work 5 years, retire age 65                                                          Work 5 years, retire age 65

Work 10 years, retire age 60                                                        Work 10 years, retire age 55

Work 30 years, retire any age                                                      Work 20 years, retire age 50

                                                                                                               Work 25 years, retire any age

Hired between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2015

Regular Members                                                                          Police/Fire Members

Work 5 years, retire age 65                                                          Work 5 years, retire age 65

Work 10 years, retire age 62                                                        Work 10 years, retire age 60

Work 30 years, retire any age                                                      Work 20 years, retire age 50

                                                                                                               Work 30 years, retire any age

Hired on or after July 1, 2015

Regular Members                                                                          Police/Fire Members

Work 5 years, retire age 65                                                          Work 5 years, retire age 65

Work 10 years, retire age 62                                                        Work 10 years, retire age 60

Work 30 years, retire age 55                                                        Work 20 years, retire age 50

Work 33.3 years, retire at any age                                              Work 33.3 years, retire at any age

Service credit is the accumulation of the years, months, and days you were employed in a PERS eligible position with a Nevada public employer. Service credit is based on hours or salary reported by your employer. Service credit is not earned for any periods of leave taken without pay. 

View your total service credit through your online account. You may also call the PERS office and speak with a representative.

Average compensation is the monthly average of your 36 highest consecutive months of salary as certified by your public employer.

If enrolled on or after January 1, 2010, your average compensation is subject to a 10% salary cap. Promotions and assignment related compensation are exempt from the salary cap.

Regardless of your contribution plan, your average compensation will be the same.

Part-time members have different vesting rules for PERS eligibility. If you work in a part-time position for one year, you receive one year toward vesting.

Non-school district part-time employees earn service credit based on the percentage of full-time hours worked in a month. Example: if you work 80 part-time hours in a month and 160 hours is full-time for that time period, you will be credited with approximately 15 days of service.

Effective July 1, 2015, school district employees who work 900 hours or more over the course of not less than 8 calendar months in a school year will earn a full year of service credit. 

Effective July 1, 2025, school district employees, except 12-month employees and professional staff of the university system, who work less than 900 hours or less than 8 months in a school or academic year are credited at a rate of one and one-third days for each day worked. The 4/3rds service credit cannot be applied until the full 12-month period has expired.

As an example, if you are employed exactly half-time for a 9-month school year, you will earn approximately 15 days of service for each month or 4 months and 15 days of part-time service. When your service is multiplied by one-third, your total service credit for the school year increases to 6 months. A part-time member’s service credit is calculated individually based on the percentage of full-time worked during the school year.

Your service credit is multiplied by a percentage referred to as the service time factor. This percentage is multiplied by your average compensation. The service time factor used is based on your PERS enrollment date:

Enrolled prior to January 1, 2010:

Regular and Police/Fire Members

2.5% for service credit earned before July 1, 2000

2.67% for service credit earned on/after July 1, 2000

Enrolled between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2015:

Regular Members and Police/Fire Members

2.5% for all service credit

Enrolled on/after July 1, 2015:

Regular Members

2.25% for all service credit

Police/Fire Members

2.5% for all service credit

The maximum service time factor is 90% for members enrolled before July 1, 1985.

The maximum service time factor is 75% for members enrolled on/after July 1, 1985.

Benefit Formula:

Service credit X Service Time Factor X Average Compensation = Benefit when fully eligible to retire 

Example:

Member enrolled before January 1, 2010, with an average compensation of $4,000, and 25 years worked

Pre July 1, 2001 service credit = 5 years X 2.50% = 12.5%

Post July 1, 2001 service credit = 20 years X 2.67% = 53.4%

Total service time factor: 65.90% X $4,000 average compensation = $2,636 monthly benefit if age 60

If you elect to retire sooner than your full retirement age, an early retirement reduction will be applied to your benefit. The early retirement reduction for members hired before January 1, 2010, is 4% for each full year you are under your full retirement age or 0.33% for each month. The early retirement reduction for members hired on or after January 1, 2010, is 6% for each full year or 0.50% for each month. An early retirement reduction is a permanent adjustment to your benefit and is not removed when you reach your full age after retirement.

For the most accurate benefit information, plan to request a benefit estimate from PERS once you are within 12 months of your anticipated retirement date. The benefit calculator on the PERS website can provide general benefit information for retirement dates further into the future.

Contributions you paid to PERS under the Employee/Employer Pay Plan may be refunded upon the termination of employment. Contact the PERS office and request an Employee Contribution Refund Request form. The form provides instructions regarding completion and the conditions that must be met before a refund can be issued. A termination notice from your employer is required. A refund of contributions cancels your membership in the system and all rights to a retirement benefit, including survivor and disability benefits. Contributions paid by your employer are not refundable.

No. Refunds are issued as paper checks that must be mailed to the address you provide on the refund request form.

You are eligible to repay your refund once you have returned to PERS eligible employment with a Nevada public employer and have earned a minimum of six months of service credit. Contact the PERS office for an estimate of the cost to repay your refund and the amount of service credit repayment will restore. When you are ready to repay, a Repayment Agreement must be issued. You may repay the refund in a lump-sum, through payroll deduction with additional interest, or through a lump-sum rollover from a qualified tax-deferred plan.

Members hired on or before June 30, 2015, with 5 or more years of total service credit earned through work may purchase an additional 5 years of service credit. You can purchase one day of additional service credit or any combination of years, months, and days provided it does not exceed the 5-year maximum. Members with qualifying military service in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation Enduring Freedom may be eligible purchase up to 3 years of additional service credit.

Members hired on or after July 1, 2015, are eligible to purchase service credit and the additional service will be used to calculate your monthly benefit. However, purchased service credit cannot be used to establish eligibility for benefits or early retirement unless you have a qualifying family medical emergency.

Your purchase cost is based on three factors: the monthly average of your 36 highest consecutive months of salary, your age, and your total service credit at the time of purchase.

Purchase estimates can be calculated through your online account by clicking on the Service Credit Purchase Estimate link. You can also call the PERS office to request an estimate.  

A purchase of service can be paid for by lump sum payment, payroll deduction with additional interest, or through the rollover from a tax-deferred qualified annuity or IRA plan described in sections 401(a), 403(b), and 457(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. This would include any employer sponsored deferred compensation plans.

When you are ready to purchase, contact PERS and request a purchase of service agreement. We will confirm how you plan to pay for the purchase at that time. An agreement will be mailed to you within 10-14 business days. Your agreement will include specific instructions and terms of the contract. You will have 60 days to activate the agreement by signing and returning it to our office. If you request a rollover agreement, the agreement will include an additional form to be provided to your tax deferred administrator. If you request a payroll deduction, the agreement will include a form for you to provide to your agency payroll office.

Members enrolled in PERS after January 1, 2000 must request a purchase of service agreement from PERS while still actively employed with a Nevada public employer. If you plan to purchase service and then immediately retire, you will have additional deadlines to meet. It is best to contact the PERS office no later than 30 days before your last day of employment. The earlier you can start the process the better.

Once your purchase is paid in full, you will receive written confirmation, and the service credit will be added to your account.

Contact PERS and request a payoff amount. PERS will calculate the payoff, including interest, and provide the amount to you in writing. You will have two options for paying off the balance due: lump sum payment or a direct rollover. If you have been paying for your purchase through payroll deduction, you will be responsible for notifying your payroll office to stop the deduction.

If you fail to complete payments on a purchase of service agreement, the agreement will be terminated. You may pay the remaining balance in a lump sum or receive a portion of service credit based on the principal amount you paid on the agreement.

A beneficiary designated on a PERS approved form to receive a survivor benefit from a member who is unmarried at the time of death and met minimum survivor benefit eligibility requirements.

Contact the PERS office and provide your name, last four digits of your social security number, and date of death. The informant will also be asked to provide a mailing address and phone number.

PERS will review your account to determine eligibility for survivor benefits. If benefits are payable, a Survivor Benefit Application packet will be provided to all eligible survivors. A copy of the death certificate and other identifying documents will be required.

If you die before retirement, eligible survivors may be entitled to monthly survivor benefits. Eligible survivors are your spouse/registered domestic partner or Survivor Beneficiary and Additional Payee(s). In addition, dependent children under the age of 18 are eligible for a benefit. A Survivor Beneficiary and Additional Payee(s) are eligible for benefits only if you are unmarried at the time of death. To qualify for survivor benefits, you must have:

• Two years of service in the two and one-half years immediately preceding your death
• Ten or more years of accredited service, or
• Regardless of service in the system, you died due to a work-related death or were killed in the line of duty

Survivor benefits are payable for the lifetime of a spouse/registered domestic partner or Survivor Beneficiary. Dependent child benefits are payable until the age of 18 or can be extended to age 23 if a full-time student.

View your family and beneficiary information through your online account or contact the PERS office for assistance.

No. PERS statute defines a dependent child as your natural issue or legally adopted child.

You are eligible to apply for disability retirement if you have 5 or more years of retirement eligibility, you are still in the employ of a Nevada public employer, and you are unable to perform the duties of your job due to a physical or mental condition of a permanent nature. Refer to the Disability Retirement Guide for more information.

A disability benefit is calculated using the same formula as regular retirement; however, there is no reduction for early retirement if you are under your full retirement age.

Contact the PERS office to request an estimate of benefits and the disability retirement application packet. The packet includes reports to be completed by you, your employer, your supervisor, and your health care provider(s). Copies of the most recent medical records documenting your disability are required. Once all parts of the packet are received, the application is reviewed by our Board medical advisor who will make a recommendation of approval or denial to the PERS Board. Completed disability application packets received before the 15th of the month will be reviewed by the Board medical advisor for consideration at the following month’s Board meeting.

Disability retirees must request and receive PERS Board approval before accepting ANY employment, public or private. The proposed reemployment must not be the same or comparable to the position in which you were found to be disabled. Returning to work without PERS Board approval will result in the suspension of the disability benefit. Click here to review the Disability Reemployment Fact Sheet.

Before returning to work, contact the PERS office to request a Disability Reemployment Questionnaire to be completed by you and your health care provider. The completed questionnaire is reviewed by our Board medical advisor who will make a recommendation of approval or denial to the PERS Board. Once approved, there is no limit on your earnings in the approved position.

All disability retirees must complete and submit a Disability Employment and Earnings Statement certifying all reemployment earnings, if any, for the prior calendar year. Failure to submit the form by the May 1st due date will result in the suspension of benefits.

Active Members:

You can view and verify monthly contributions and salary reported by your Nevada public employer used to calculate service credit and monthly benefits. Retirement benefit and purchase of service estimators and calculators are also available. You can view and update your address, phone number, and email address. Your designated family and beneficiary information will be listed. Member Annual Statement is posted to your online account once a year.

Retired Members:

You can view and update your address, phone number, email address, federal tax withholding, and direct deposit instructions. You can also view monthly benefit payments and deductions. A printable income verification letter is available through the online account. Retirees may choose to go paperless, which allows online access to all monthly direct deposit notices and 1099R tax statements. If the paperless option is selected, no personal information will be mailed.

As an active member, you must enter two of the following three items: total years of PERS service credit, name of the current/last Nevada public employer, or the social security number for a beneficiary on the member account. 

Retired members who do not create an account while employed must first contact PERS to request a verification code. To access the verification code request, click here. Once the form is submitted to PERS, a verification code is emailed to you. You will enter the code when creating the online retiree account with two of the following items: total years of PERS service credit, your retirement effective date or your retirement benefit type (Service or Disability).

Beneficiaries of deceased retirees must contact the PERS office to request and receive a verification code prior to activating an online account. Beneficiaries must enter the deceased member’s last name, date of birth, and the relation to the beneficiary. 

To get started, click “Login” on the website home page and select “Create Online Account” from the login menu. 

Use your personal email address for your online account to ensure all communications are received before and after retirement.

• Select Forgot your username or password button from the login menu drop down.
• Forgot Username: Enter your email address in the first box, then click “Send Username.”
• Forgot Your Password: Enter the username in the second box, then click “Send Password.”
• Retrieve the password sent to your email address.
• Go to the main page at www.nvpers.org and enter the username and password provided.
• Once logged in, change your password on the “User Settings” page.

• Go to www.nvpers.org and log in.
• On the home screen click on the blue link at the top of the page, then click on the change password button.
• Type in the old password.
• Type in the new password.
• Confirm your new password and click “Update.”

• Go to www.nvpers.org and log in.
• On the home screen click on the blue link at the top of the page, then click on the change email address button.
• Type in new email address.
• Confirm the new email address and click "Update."
• You will receive confirmation that the email address has been changed.

Contact the PERS office at (775) 687-4200, (702) 486-3900, or toll free at (866) 473-7768 for assistance with unlocking your online account or using the website self-service tool to reset the password.

When there is no activity on a PERS online account for five (5) years, the username and account are purged requiring a new username and account be created.

Survivor Beneficiary Designation forms are imaged to your account within 5 business days. If properly completed, the imaged document can be viewed through your online account. If you do not see it after a reasonable period of time, contact the PERS office.

Most members can create a benefit estimate through their online account or by contacting the PERS office. Estimates generated online are automatically saved to your PERS account. The last four online estimates are saved for your review.

Create a benefit estimate online: 

• Log into your PERS online account
• Select “Benefit Estimate” from the “Current Account” menu on the left of the screen.
• Enter your anticipated termination date, retirement date, type of retirement, and a potential beneficiary, if any.
• Select “Next”
• Review “Service Credit Information”
• Select “Next”
• Review your estimate results

Request an estimate from PERS:

• Once you are within 12 months of retirement, contact PERS at 775 687-4200, 702 486-3900, or toll free at 866 473-7768 and speak with a PERS representative.
• An estimate will be mailed within 2-4 weeks

Error messages are generated when:

• You have two different service credit types in your account (i.e., combination of Regular and Police/Fire service credit).
• You had an employment change or break in service within the last 36 months.
• You had part-time employment or leave without pay in the period used to calculate your average compensation.
• You have less than 5 years of service credit in your member account.

A retirement benefit is effective on the day following the termination of your employment, the day immediately following the last day you earn service credit, the date the retirement application is received in the PERS office if already terminated, or a future date as specified by you.

Several factors should be considered when choosing a retirement date:

• When are you eligible to retire based on service credit and age?

• If under the full retirement age, will you retire with an early retirement reduction?
• Will your retirement date affect your health insurance benefits?
• Do you want to retire at the end of a contract or a school year?
• Will additional service credit need to be purchased to retire early?

Contact PERS to request an estimate of benefits and the retirement application paperwork. You are responsible for the proper completion and submission of the retirement application to PERS on or before your date of retirement. Paperwork completed with your employer does not start the retirement process.

No; however, we cannot release your first check until notification is received from your employer verifying the termination date. We may contact your employer if this information is not received.

1-2 years prior to retirement: 

• Review the PERS Pre-retirement guide.
• Attend a Ready to Retire program offered at the Carson City and Las Vegas offices.
• View the on-line Service Retirement Application Completion program on the PERS website
• Create an online account and calculate an estimate of benefits.

1 year prior to retirement: 

• Contact PERS to request a benefit estimate based on your anticipated retirement date. The retirement application paperwork will be provided with your estimate.

6 months prior to retirement:

• The earliest date a retirement application can be submitted to PERS.
• If purchasing service credit or repaying a refund, follow up on any pending agreements.

3 months prior to retirement:

• Submit your retirement application, if not yet done.
• Verify/update the contact information on your PERS online account.

30 days prior to retirement:

• Last day to request ANY purchase of service rollover agreements
• Complete any termination related paperwork with your employer.
• Contact the provider of your medical plan regarding the continuation or termination of your coverage.

1 day prior to retirement:

• Last day to request a lump sum purchase of service agreement
• Last day to submit a retirement application to ensure the benefit is activated based on your intended retirement date.

The retirement application paperwork is included with benefit estimates that have a retirement date within 1 year.

No. To ensure you complete the right application paperwork based on your retirement and membership type, contact the PERS office and request the application paperwork be mailed to you.

Contact the PERS Carson City office at 775 687-4200, Las Vegas office at 702-486-3900 or toll free at 866-473-7768 for scheduling. Plan to call 2 to 3 months in advance of your retirement date as appointments are limited and fill up quickly.

PERS offers optional benefit plans that allow for a continuing benefit upon your death to one beneficiary of your choice. If you choose to protect a beneficiary, an actuarial reduction will be applied to your benefit. The reduction is based on the age of you and your beneficiary at the time of retirement.

You can name one beneficiary of your choice to receive a continuing benefit upon your death. If you are married, your spouse/Registered Domestic Partner must consent to the beneficiary and optional benefit you select on your retirement application. Restrictions may apply to some of the optional plans for non-spouse beneficiaries who are more than 10 years younger than you.

In addition to the retirement application, we require proof of birth date and name change documentation for you and your beneficiary, if you have one. Click here for the Proof of Birth Date and Name Change Documentation list.

Yes; however, these documents must be received no later than 90 days after your retirement effective date or your benefit will be suspended. 

Submit the original parts of the retirement application to the PERS Carson City or Las Vegas office by mail or in person.

Notaries are available at the PERS Carson City and Las Vegas offices free of charge. Wells Fargo Bank also provides notary services free of charge.

These payments are not reportable to PERS and must be issued from your public employer.

PERS can provide information regarding your account that you can take to your legal counsel. The information provided will be based on the number of years of service you have in the system and whether you are an active or retired member. The PERS Benefits and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders publication provides more detailed information.

A QDRO is a supplement to a divorce decree and provides specific instructions to PERS regarding how your benefit will be divided between you and your ex-spouse at the time of retirement. This legal document is required if PERS will make a payment directly to your ex-spouse once your benefit starts. We strongly encourage you or your attorney to submit a draft copy of the QDRO for a compliance review prior to the court’s approval and filing.

A copy of your divorce decree should be submitted when it states your PERS benefit was awarded to you as your sole and separate property. In this case, your divorce will not affect your PERS account and a QDRO is not needed.