Judicial Retirement System Frequently Asked Questions

Participants in the JRS may include supreme court justices and district court judges. Justices of the peace and municipal judges may also participate if the board of county commissioners elects to allow the justices of the peace, or the city council elects to allow the municipal judges of the city to participate in the plan and each judge elects to enroll in the plan. Depending upon the circumstances in place when elected or appointed, some judges participate in PERS and not JRS.

Yes. The Old JRS Plan, which includes non-PERS eligible supreme court justices and district court judges participating in the program prior to November 3, 2002. The New JRS Plan includes supreme court justices and district court judges newly elected or appointed on or after November 3, 2002. Once JRS coverage is approved by the governing agency, justices of the peace and municipal judges participate in the New JRS Plan once the judge elects to enroll in the plan. Old Plan JRS judges will have the choice to retire from the Old JRS Plan or the New JRS Plan upon retirement.

Service begins on the day your term of office begins and terminates on the day your term of office expires, unless terminated sooner because of death, resignation, or removal from office.

If you have 5 years of service credit in JRS, you may purchase up to five years of additional service credit. Participants with an effective date of membership on or after July 1, 2015, may not purchase to meet retirement eligibility unless the member has a family medical emergency. The Board shall define by regulation “family medical emergency” and set forth by regulation the circumstances in which purchased service credit may be considered in determining the number of years of service of a member who has a family medical emergency.

Old JRS Plan participants: You earn the right to receive a retirement allowance after 5 years of service. Eligibility to receive an unreduced retirement allowance is established with 5 or more years of service at age 60.

New JRS Plan participants enrolled prior to July 1, 2015: You earn the right to receive a retirement allowance after 5 years of service. Eligibility to receive an unreduced retirement allowance is established with 5 years of service at age 65, 10 years of service at age 60, or 30 years of service at any age.

New JRS participants enrolled on or after July 1, 2015: You earn the right to receive a retirement allowance after 5 years of service. Eligibility to receive an unreduced retirement allowance is established with 5 years of service at age 65, 10 years of service at age 62, 30 years of service at age 55 and 33.3 years of service at any age.

Old JRS Benefit Calculation: You receive 4.1666% for your first 5 years of service credit and 4.1666% for each additional year of service you earn. The total of these percentages is multiplied by the monthly average of your final year's salary prior to retirement.

New JRS Benefit Calculation for participants enrolled prior to July 1, 2015: You receive 3.4091% for each year of service credit you earn in the new JRS plan.

New JRS plan participants with a PERS enrollment date prior to January 1, 2010, will receive 2.5% for each year of transferred PERS service earned prior to July 1, 2001, and 2.67% for each year of PERS service earned after July 1, 2001. The total of these percentages is added to the JRS service credit percentage and multiplied by the monthly average of your 36 highest consecutive months of salary.

New JRS plan participants with a PERS enrollment date on or after January 1, 2010, will receive 2.5% for each year of transferred PERS service credit. This percentage is added to the JRS service credit percentage and multiplied by the monthly average of your 36 highest consecutive months of salary.

New JRS Benefit Calculation for participants enrolled on or after July 1, 2015: You receive 3.1591% for each year of service credit you earn in the new JRS plan.

New JRS plan participants with a PERS enrollment date on or after July 1, 2015, will receive 2.25% for each year of transferred PERS service credit and 2.5% for each year of transferred Police and Firefighter’s service credit.  The total of these percentages is added to the JRS service credit percentage and multiplied by the monthly average of your 36 highest consecutive months of salary.

Yes. The maximum benefit any JRS retiree may receive is 75% of the average compensation. This benefit cap is applicable all JRS members.

Old JRS Plan: This plan provides a flat rate survivor benefit to the spouse married to the retiree at the time of retirement. There is no cost to the retiree and the survivor spouse receives $450.00 per month if under age 60 at the time of the retiree's death, or $2500.00 if age 60 or older. The survivor spouse benefit is payable for life or until remarriage.

New JRS Plan: This plan allows the JRS retiree to provide a continuing beneficiary benefit to one beneficiary of the retiree's choice. There are 6 optional plans that provide lifetime beneficiary benefits upon the retiree's death and require an actuarial reduction in the retiree's benefit.

JRS members enrolled prior to July 1, 2015: Contributions are paid 100% by the public employer.

 JRS members enrolled on or after July 1, 2015: The member and the public employer each pay 50% of the total actuarially determined contribution rate pursuant to NRS 1A.312.

Old JRS Plan: This plan provides a flat rate survivor benefit to the spouse married to the retiree at the time of retirement. There is no cost to the retiree and the survivor spouse receives $450.00 per month if under age 60 at the time of the retiree's death, or $2500.00 if age 60 or older. The survivor spouse benefit is payable for life or until remarriage.

New JRS Plan for participants enrolled before and after July 1, 2015: This plan allows the JRS retiree to provide a continuing beneficiary benefit to one beneficiary of the retiree's choice. There are 6 optional plans that provide lifetime beneficiary benefits upon the retiree's death and require an actuarial reduction in the retiree's benefit.

• State

    Administration of the Courts.

• Counties

   Douglas County, Eureka County, Lincoln County, Lyon County, and Lander County

• Cities

   City of Reno, City of Carson, City of Las Vegas, City of Sparks, City of Fernley and City of Henderson