Normal Retirement

Any active member with a minimum of 10 years of credited service may voluntarily retire upon reaching age 65 or thereafter upon filing a written application with the board.

Any other member who has a minimum of 20 years of credited service may retire regardless of age, and any judge or justice who has served at least 14 years shall be eligible for benefits upon reaching age 65.

In all cases of age and service retirement for judges or justices elected after July 1, 1983, the member must have a minimum of eight years of actual service as a justice of the Supreme Court or a judge of the circuit or chancery courts or the Court of Appeals.

Early Retirement

Any judge or justice who has 14 years or more of service in the system may elect to retire and receive retirement benefits at any time after reaching age 62 and before reaching age 65.

The retirement benefits of any judge or justice electing to retire before age 65 shall be reduced 6% for each full year and proportionately for any part of a year that the judge retires before reaching age 65.

Disability Retirement

Any member of the system who has served a minimum of three consecutive years shall receive retirement benefits if any incapacitating disability, as determined by the AJRS Board, shall occur during any term for which the judge has been elected.

The three-year service requirement shall only apply to judges elected after July 1, 1983.

Benefits

Upon retiring, a judge receives 60% of the annual salary payable to the last judicial office held. However, a judge who elects to resume the 6% member contributions is eligible for up to 75% under Act 744 of 2009. The benefit payable for each year of additional service after 20 years of judicial service increases by 2.5%.

Mandatory Retirement Age

Any judge or justice who becomes 70 years of age during a term of office to which he or she has been elected may complete the term without forfeiting his or her rights to retirement benefits.

Any judge or justice who is not eligible to retire at age 70 may continue to serve as judge until the completion of the term of office in which he or she receives sufficient credited service to retire without losing his or her retirement benefits. The judge or justice shall lose all retirement benefits if he or she serves beyond the end of the term needed to get sufficient credited service to retire.

Notwithstanding the above requirement, Act 1355 of 1995 provides that any judge or justice who served continuously for at least 16 years, who is at least 80 years of age, who is not serving on the effective date of this act, and who is ineligible for retirement due to having served beyond the mandatory retirement age, shall be entitled to receive retirement benefits. Otherwise, judges or justices must retire by their 70th birthday or lose their retirement benefits.

Death Benefits

For a retired member, survivor’s benefits shall be 67% of the amount of the retirement benefits.

Upon the death of an active judge who has served at least three years or any other judge who has met or could have met the qualifications for retirement benefits, the judge’s survivors shall receive a sum equal to 67% of the retirement benefits the judge would otherwise have received.

Survivor’s benefits shall be payable as follows:

If the deceased member is survived by a spouse to whom he or she has been married for not less than one year and with whom he or she is living at the time of death and if he or she is not survived by any minor children, then the spouse shall draw for life, or until remarriage, a sum equal to 67% of the benefits the judge would otherwise have received.

If the deceased member is survived by both an eligible spouse and minor children, then one-half (1/2) of the survivors’ benefits shall be paid to the spouse for life or until remarriage. The other one-half (1/2) of the survivors’ benefits shall be paid to the guardian of the minor children during the minority period. When all the children cease to be minors, then the survivors’ benefits paid to the minor children shall be paid to the spouse.

If the deceased member is not survived by an eligible spouse but is survived by minor children, then the survivors’ benefits, 67% of the benefits the judge would otherwise have received, shall be payable to the guardian of the minor children during the period of minority.

If a surviving spouse who is receiving survivor’s benefits remarries, and the benefits are discontinued, and the surviving spouse again becomes unmarried, benefits provided for the spouse shall be resumed.

If there is no surviving spouse or minor children, then the judge’s member contributions will be refunded to the designated beneficiary.

Benefit Estimates

You can request a benefit estimate for a projection of what you will earn in retirement. You can run an estimate in your myAJRS portal by clicking Your Benefits, then New Estimate, or you can request a counselor-prepared estimate by calling 501-682-7800.

How to Apply

If you are ready to apply for retirement, you may apply in myAJRS by clicking Your Benefits, then Apply for Benefits. If you prefer a paper application, contact our call center at 501-682-7800.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to name a survivor/beneficiary prior to retirement?

No, you are not required to name a beneficiary. Survivor benefits are automatic for those who qualify. You are, however, asked to name a beneficiary for your member contributions.