Shenandoah -- Virginia’s first national park

Deferred Vested Members

How Do I Know If I'm a Deferred Vested Member?

You're a deferred vested member if the following are true:

  • You're a former FCPS educational, administrative, or support employee with 5 or more years of full-time credited service.
  • You ended full-time employment with FCPS before your service retirement date.
  • You did not refund or roll over your ERFC contributions.

Current employees with 5 or more years of credited service who switched to part-time or became substitute teachers and did not refund or roll over their ERFC contributions are also deferred vested members.


As a deferred vested member, you're eligible to receive an ERFC pension when you retire.

Your ERFC retirement benefit supplements the primary benefits you'll earn from the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) and Social Security.

VRS + ERFC + Social Security

How Is My Benefit Calculated?

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At What Age Can I Begin Receiving My Benefit?

That depends on which ERFC plan you’re in:

Legacy Plan (Hire Date: Before July 1, 2001):

  • Reduced benefit
    • At age 45 with at least 25 years
    • At age 55 with at least 5 years
  • Unreduced benefit
    • At age 55 with at least 25 years
    • At age 65 with at least 5 years

2001 Tier 1 Plan (Hire Date: July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2017):

  • Any age with at least 30 years
  • Age 60 with at least 5 years

2001 Tier 2 Plan (Hire Date: July 1, 2017 to Present):

Social Security Age or Rule of 90 (Years of Service + Age = 90)

What Do I Need to Do to Receive My Benefit?

As a member or beneficiary, you must apply in writing to ERFC to receive the benefits you’re entitled to. To retire with ERFC:

  • Log in to ERFCDirect to locate the required documentation.
  • Submit the following:
    • Retirement application (ERFC 22A for Legacy members and ERFC 22B for 2001 Tier 1 and Tier 2 members)
    • Direct deposit authorization (ERFC 3)
    • Required personal identifying documentation (Social Security card and birth certificate, REAL ID, Virginia driver's license, government-issued identification card, or passport)

If you don’t apply for benefits on the date you become eligible, benefits will not start until ERFC receives the required documentation. Benefits can be retroactively paid provided it is not more than 90 days from the date of application.

Tax Withholding

ERFC does not provide tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor if you need assistance completing the tax withholding form(s).

Federal and state taxes (Virginia only) will be withheld upon commencing your pension. The tax withholding form(s) are located below under “Forms" and must be submitted to ERFC by mail or email no later than the 15th of the month prior to your date of retirement.

If you don’t supply the form(s) on time, ERFC will withhold tax from your pension payments according to the default tax withholding rules.

Are you over age 73?

If so, you need to start receiving benefits. Under the terms of the ERFC Plan and the Internal Revenue Code, you must begin receiving payments from ERFC no later than your “required beginning date,” which is April 1 of the calendar year following the later of:

(a) the calendar year in which you attained age 73, or

(b) the calendar year in which you retire

If you recently received information from ERFC about starting your ERFC benefits and have questions, please call 703-426-3900 or email us at erfcretirement@fcps.edu.

Forms

  • Direct Deposit Authorization ERFC 3
  • Federal Income Tax Withholding W-4P
  • State Income Tax Withholding VA-4P
  • Application for Retirement Benefits - ERFC Legacy Plan ERFC 22A
  • Application for Retirement Benefits - ERFC 2001 Tier 1 and Tier 2 Plans ERFC 22B
  • Name/Address Change Form for Inactive Members ERFC 29A
  • Name/Address Change Form for Retirees & Beneficiaries ERFC 29B
  • Authorization to Discuss Member Information ERFC 31

Documents

Legacy

(Hire Date: Before July 1, 2001)

Tier 1

(Hire Date: July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2017) 

Tier 2

(Hire Date: July 1, 2017 to Present)

ERFC Direct Logo

To check the status of your account, log in to ERFCDirect. There you can confirm what plan you’re in, update any information that’s changed since you left FCPS, run estimates, name or update your beneficiaries, and more.

Go To ERFCDirect


Questions?

Call us at 703-426-3900 or email us at erfcretirement@fcps.edu.