Member Publications and Booklets

Most IMRF publications and forms available online are in a Portable Document Format (PDF). These files require the Adobe Acrobat Reader Software to view and print. To download a free copy of the Adobe software click here. If you have problems viewing any of these documents, we recommend that you make sure you are using the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader Software. If you can't find a certain IMRF publication, contact IMRF Online.

ALPHABETICAL INDEX

• Activated Military Reservists Brochure (and your IMRF benefits)
• Can I Afford to Retire?
• Disability Benefits booklet
• Defined Benefit vs. Defined Contribution Plan debate
• Disability Checklist
• Economic Growth and Tax Reform Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA)
• Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) booklet
• Original Elected County Official (ECO) Plan booklet
• Revised Elected County Official (ECO) Plan booklet (revised for 2008)
• Member Disability Checklist
• Member Retirement Checklist (Tier 1)
• Purchasing IMRF Past Service Credit
• QILDRO (divorce booklet)
• Reciprocal Systems booklet
• Regular IMRF Plan booklet (Tier 1)
• Retirement Checklist (Tier 1)
• Returning to Work After Retirement Brochure
• Special Needs Annuity
• Service Credit
• Sheriff's Law Enforcement Plan (SLEP) booklet
• Spanish Translation of Regular IMRF Plan booklet
• Tax Letters
• Voluntary Additional Contributions fact sheet
  

Member Publications by Title

IMRF benefits for activated reservists
As part of your "family readiness" plan, take time to learn how your active duty will impact your IMRF benefits and how you can protect those benefits.

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Regular IMRF Plan Benefits booklet (Tier 1)
Public Act 96-0889 created a second tier of benefits for IMRF’s Regular Plan. If you first participated in IMRF before January 1, 2011, you participate in Regular Tier 1. (View a chart that compares the two Tiers.)

Use this publication to understand your Regular Tier 1 IMRF benefits, including vesting requirements, pension calculations, and how or when you qualify for retirement, death, or disability benefits. (Revised for 2011)

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Spanish translation of Regular IMRF Plan booklet
This Spanish translation of IMRF's Regular Plan benefits booklet provides Spanish speaking members with information about plan benefits.

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Sheriff's Law Enforcement Personnel (SLEP) Plan Benefits booklet
This booklet provides a brief summary of IMRF SLEP benefits as governed by Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code. We provide this information to make you aware of your responsibilities as an IMRF member and to allow you to take full advantage of the IMRF benefits available to you. (Revised for 2010)

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Original ECO Plan booklet
This publication explains participation requirement, costs, and benefits under the Original ECO plan. Public Act 90-0032 was signed into law on June 27, 1997. This legislation provided for an alternative benefit plan for Elected County Officials (ECO).

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Revised ECO Plan booklet
This publication explains participation requirement, costs, and benefits under the Revised ECO plan. On January 26, 2000, Public Act 91-0685 revised the Original ECO program.

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Disability Benefits booklet
This booklet has been designed to answer questions you may have regarding your IMRF disability benefits. If after reading this booklet you have additional questions, please call an IMRF Member Service Representative at 1-800-ASK-IMRF (1-800-275-4673). (Revised for 2008)

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Economic Growth and Tax Reform Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA) and its impact on IMRF members: read our member EGTRRA booklet
The provisions of EGTRRA impacting IMRF members are outlined in this brochure.

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Service Credit
This publication describes the different types of service credit you can earn or purchase under IMRF. More information on different types of service to purchase is available on this page.

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Purchasing IMRF Past Service Credit
This booklet explains the process of purchasing past service credit from IMRF. More information on different types of service to purchase is available on this page.

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Member Disability Checklist
Use this publication to guide you through the disability application process.

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Member Retirement Checklist (Tier 1)
Public Act 96-0889 created a second tier of benefits for IMRF’s Regular Plan. If you first participated in IMRF before January 1, 2011, you participate in Regular Tier 1. (View a chart that compares the two Tiers.)

Use this publication to make sure you are on track with your IMRF Regular Tier 1 retirement planning.

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Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) booklet
Member benefits, eligibility requirements, costs and procedure to retire under the IMRF ERI.

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Returning to Work After Retirement brochure
This brochure describes how returning to work after you retire can affect your IMRF pension benefits.

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Special Needs Annuity Brochure
This brochure explains IMRF's Special Needs Annuity option (also known as a "reversionary" annuity). Under the Special Needs Annuity option, you choose to receive to receive a smaller IMRF pension so that upon your death you can provide your spouse with a pension in addition to the IMRF surviving spouse pension or some other individual with a monthly pension, for example, your current spouse if he or she is not eligible for an IMRF surviving spouse pension, or a child, an ex-spouse, or any other person.

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Can I Afford to Retire?
The IMRF Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) was designed as an employer benefit, a tool employers could use to cut costs. If you are eligible to retire under ERI, it is our goal that it benefit you as well. We've designed this booklet around that goal. In it we explain how the IMRF ERI works, how much it costs, and how you can pay for it. We ask you to consider various aspects of retirement, such as retirement income vs. retirement expenses, health insurance, and reciprocal pensions.

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Divorcing? QILDRO booklet
The information provided in this booklet is intended to assist members when their retirement benefits are being considered for possible division in a divorce proceeding.

In addition to downloading the QILDRO booklet, you may wish to visit the Division of IMRF Pension Benefits in Divorce page.

Beginning July 1, 1999, IMRF started accepting Qualified Illinois Domestic Relations Orders (QILDROs) entered against IMRF members. A QILDRO is a Illinois State court order that transfers all or part of a member's retirement benefit(s) to another person (the alternate payee).

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IMRF Tax/Topic Letters for Members
The information provided on this page addresses tax and other issues related to IMRF benefits.