The next Annual Increase (AI) will be paid in July 2022 and will be 1.0% for eligible benefit recipients in the DPS benefit structure or those who began Colorado PERA membership in the PERA benefit structure on or before December 31, 2006. 

If you began Colorado PERA membership in the PERA benefit structure on or after January 1, 2007, and you are eligible for an AI in 2022, your AI will be the lesser of 1.0% or the average of the monthly CPI-W for the previous calendar year. The sum of the AIs paid to a division’s benefit recipients cannot exceed 10% of the divisional AI reserve.

PERA anticipates releasing the official AI amount for this group in late June/early July upon the completion of the actuarial valuation which occurs in conjunction with the release of PERA’s Annual Report.

Keep in mind that you may have to meet certain eligibility requirements before receiving your first AI. Eligibility for the AI and the amount of the AI depends on the following:

• Your benefit structure (PERA or DPS)
• Your membership start date
• Whether or not you received an AI prior to May 1, 2018
• The type of benefit you are receiving—full service retirement, reduced service retirement, disability retirement, or survivor benefit (the AI for a cobeneficiary who becomes a benefit recipient following the death of the retiree is based on the original retiree’s benefit type, retirement date, and age)
• Your effective date of retirement
• For reduced service retirement, if you were eligible to retire on January 1, 2011

State law specifies that the AI may adjust in the future to ensure that PERA is able to pay off its unfunded liability within 30 years. Each June, PERA announces its progress toward the funding goal along with any automatic adjustments.

If PERA is behind schedule, the AI can be decreased by up to 0.25% in one year, not to fall below 0.5%. If PERA is ahead of schedule, the AI could increase by up to 0.25% in one year, not to exceed 2%. Any adjustment to the AI beginning July 1, 2023, will be based on the information released in June 2022.

For more information on the automatic adjustment, review the Automatic Adjustment Provision fact sheet.

In addition to adjustments to the AI, member and employer contributions, and the direct distribution from the State can also be adjusted if PERA is behind or ahead of the 30-year funding goal.