Contribution Rates
The tables below provide the new total retirement contribution rates for each employer and benefit tier for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2025. The rates reflect the Normal Cost, as well as the costs associated with the Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability (UAAL) and, where applicable, cost-of-living adjustments (COLA).
†If you are a General Tier 1 or Tier 2 member (with or without a COLA), your biweekly contribution to VCERA is calculated based on two rates because your benefit tier is integrated with social security: Rate 1 applies to your first $161 in retirement earnings, and Rate 2 applies to all retirement earnings above $161. For example (using the Regular “Member Rates” below), a County employee in General Tier 2 who earns $2,000 in a pay period will have 5.71% applied to the first $161 of earnings ($9.19) and 8.57% applied to the remaining earnings ($157.60), resulting in a total Regular contribution of $166.79.
If you are a General Tier 6, General Tier 8, or Safety member, this two-level contribution structure does not apply. Rate 1 and Rate 2 are the same amount in the “Member Rates” chart below.
The following chart applies only to members employed by the County of Ventura, the Air Pollution Control District, and VCERA. The rates reflect 50/50 cost sharing for Legacy members.
| Benefit Tier | Rate Type | Member Rate 1† | Member Rate 2† | Employer Rates* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Tier 1 | Regular COLA | 6.40% 2.18% | 9.60% 3.27% | 9.92% 9.86% |
| General Tier 2 | Regular | 5.71% | 8.57% | 8.86% |
| General Tier 2 (SEIU and CNA COLA) | Regular COLA | 5.71% 2.63% | 8.57% 2.63% | 8.86% 7.77% |
| General Tier 6 | Regular | 8.35% | 8.35% | 8.75% |
| General Tier 8 (SEIU and CNA COLA) | Regular COLA | 8.35% 2.63% | 8.35% 2.63% | 8.75% 7.58% |
| Safety Tier 1 | Regular COLA | 13.50% 5.52% | 13.50% 5.52% | 41.40% -12.48% |
| Safety Tier 7 | Regular COLA | 12.46% 5.08% | 12.46% 5.08% | 39.30% -13.36% |
*Employer Rate combines Normal Cost and UAAL.
The following chart applies only to members employed by the Ventura County Superior Court and the Ventura Regional Sanitation District:
| Benefit Tier | Rate Type | Member Rate 1† | Member Rate 2† | Employer Rates* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Tier 2 | Regular | 4.94% | 7.40% | 10.01% |
| General Tier 6 | Regular | 8.35% | 8.35% | 8.75% |