CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION
 
  
 


Welcome to the Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association.
Whether you are beginning your career or have extensive public service, CCCERA membership can be an important component of financial security for your future.

CCCERA is a "defined benefit" retirement plan.
This means your future retirement benefit is not based on how much you and your employer contribute, investment returns, or other factors that could cause your pension value to fluctuate.

Defined benefit pensions are based on a formula set by law, in this case the County Employees' Retirement Act of 1937. This statute has been amended and updated many times since its inception, evolving with the workplace.

Your Membership Date
You become a CCCERA member the first month following your employment in an eligible position.

Retirement benefit contributions begin with your first monthly paycheck.
You will not receive a paycheck until the month after you started working. Your first contribution toward your retirement will be taken from your first pay check.

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Naming a Beneficiary for Your Account
When you start working in an eligible position for Contra Costa County or a participating Special District employer, you will be enrolled in CCCERA. You will complete a "Member's Enrollment Affidavit". At that time, you must name a beneficiary for your account.

A beneficiary is someone, or some entity such as a trust, that will receive your survivor benefits, if you should die. Unless you are married, or in a State of California Registered Domestic Partnership, you can name anyone, or any appropriate financial planning vehicle (such as a trust) as your beneficiary. You can change your designated beneficiary any time you want.
However . . .

If you are married, or in a registered domestic partnership, by law your beneficiary must be your spouse or partner, unless you file a spousal waiver.

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If you are not married or in a registered domestic partnership, you can name any party you choose, your children, a friend, or a trust. An important point about trusts: trusts will only receive a lump sum death benefit payment of your contributions and interest. Trusts cannot receive a "continuance," or monthly survivor benefit, such as a spouse, domestic partner, or minor children may receive.
Spousal/Registered Domestic Partner Waivers
If you are married, or in a registered domestic partnership (registered with the California Secretary of State) the beneficiary of your retirement account is your spouse or domestic partner. This is the law, unless you file a Spousal/Domestic Partner Waiver Form. This form is available from the Retirement Office. This form must be:
  1. Signed by both you and your spouse/domestic partner.
  2. Notarized.
  3. On file at CCCERA. . .to be in effect.
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After this form is received, you may change your beneficiary to anyone you choose.
If you divorce, or dissolve your domestic partnership, remember to update your beneficiary. Your most recent beneficiary will receive your benefits in the event of your death.